Nominations Opened for the IWW WISE-RA January 2023 Regional Officer Elections – Schedule, Guidelines & Role Descriptions

Fellow Workers,

Voting has now started for the 2023 IWW WISE-RA Regional Administration Officer Elections.

Please cast your votes in the election for IWW Officers!

The elections period starts Wednesday 1st February at 00:01 AM and closes on Tuesday 28th February at 23:59 PM.*

On 01/02/23, I (commsadmin [at] iww [dot] org [dot] uk) sent an important email to all members announcing the opening of the elections, along with each member’s personal link to the elections website, where members can register their votes. IWW members please check your email spam/junk folder in case that important email landed there.

This year we have experienced a (hopefully brief) collapse in the coordination of our union’s democracy due to vacancies in the Secretary, DEC Chair and Organising Dept Chair posts, to name but a few of the approximately 30 positions that still need to be filled. Despite these absences, the union has continued to organise and support members, through solidarity and a shared commitment to the principles of the IWW.

Hopefully many of you will step up to support the structures that allow our union to best communicate, organise and function. We hope that those of you elected to take on these important roles will come into these posts with a willingness to look at what we can do better; those that come after you will benefit from the work you put in now to make our union’s democracy more accessible and sustainable.

So far we have only received a very small number of candidate nominations. Fellow Workers, your Union needs you! Let’s all step up and help the work along!

Contents

NOMINATIONS & ELECTIONS SCHEDULE

  • Opening of nominations on 27th December 2022. Candidates to self-register and submit candidate statements via IWW WISE-RA nominations & elections website.

  • [Q&A about posts on Wednesday 11th January 2023, 7PM-8PM (Click to join online Jitsi meeting)](https://meet.jit.si/IWWELECTION2023)

  • Close of nominations on 31st January 2023 at 23:59 PM, and voting opens 1st February 2023.

  • 7th February 2023 Hustings

  • 28th February 2023 voting closes. Results announced and newly elected officer on-boarded as soon as possible after.

  • Date TBD, in March 2023 New Officers meeting

  • Training as soon as possible on date set by Training Committee. GDPR and Database training will be provided for newly elected officers.

WISE-RA REGIONAL OFFICER ROLE DESCRIPTIONS

Notes

  • Going forward, the WISE-RA Secretariat is going to be a shared role held by two Co-Secretaries, by decision of the DEC. To start with, from this January 2023 election, one Co-Secretary position is to be held for a 2-year tenure; the other for a 1-year tenure. Any member can run for these positions. When the 1-year tenured Co-Secretary position reaches its end in 2024, a FINT (Female, Inter*, Non-binary or Trans*) Co-Secretary will be elected as a replacement, but for a 2-year tenure from 2024 onward. Thereafter, a 2-year tenured FINT co-Secretary and 2-year tenured general membership co-Secretary will hold the co-Secretary positions in staggered, overlapping 2-year tenures. For this January 2023 election, two separate Co-Secretary candidate pools, each corresponding to the 2-year tenure and 1-year tenure positions will be opened for nominations and elected separately. Individual candidates must register only for one pool. Candidate Statements must explicitly state whether they are running for the 2-year or 1-year position at the top of the statement.
  • All the other officer positions are being advertised as solo positions with 2-year tenures, but candidates have the option to agree that the two candidates with the most votes will take on the role together as co-officers (both for 2-year tenures). If there are multiple candidates for a position, the election committee will ask the candidates if they agree to run for a co-officership. If all candidates agree, then voters will be asked to indicate their two preferred candidates during the election, and the position will be held as a co-officership by the two candidates with the highest vote count. If any candidate rejects the option of a co-officership, then only one candidate will be elected to the post.
  • Members can only self-nominate as a candidate and cannot nominate another member as a candidate.
  • Each member can only stand for a single position.

Candidate statements guidelines:

Candidate statements should not exceed 300 words. Statements should include:

  • The candidate’s name as registered with the IWW, and what position they are standing for, at the beginning of the statement.
  • If running for one of the WISE-RA Secretary positions, whether they are running for the 2-year or 1-year position, at the beginning of the statement.
  • Any relevant background information about the candidate, including relevant background and personal history as an IWW member.
  • Information about the candidate’s skills and experience as relevant to the role, and any other relevant/qualifying criteria they meet. In particular, statements must indicate whether they meet any of the skills or criteria listed in the ‘suggested skills’ section for each role as provided in the Role Descriptions document.
  • An outline of what they plan to do in the role / any specific program they propose to implement, and why they think members should elect them.

WISE-RA Co-Secretaries

Two positions: one position to be held for a 2-year tenure; another for a 1-year tenure.

(Both candidates from General Membership, 1 to have post limited to 1 year whereapon a FINT [Female, Inter*, Non-binary or Trans*] Co-Secretary will be elected by Jan 2024)

Suggested Skills

  • Experience convening and facilitating meetings.
  • Able to check and respond to emails and phone calls within a reasonable amount of time. Able to respond to urgent matters promptly.
  • A willingness and ability to engage, communicate, and constructively resolve issues and differences.

What the role entails

  • The RA Co-Secretaries will call and chair meetings of the IWW Administration Department, compile the agenda including receiving reports, and share minutes.
  • General oversight and coordination of the work of the Admin Dept, which includes the Membership Admin Team, Treasurer & Finance Admin, Legal Officer,Data Protection Officer, International Solidarity Officer, IT Committee and Communications Administrator.
  • Responsibility and general oversight over all aspects of legal compliance.
  • Liaising with all officers to make sure all parts of the Regional Administration and all branches are administratively functional and have key officer positions filled, and providing support for branches and committees/departments that are struggling organisationally.
  • Recruiting acting officers for key posts that are vacant, pending elections.
  • General oversight of the work of all contractors.
  • Compiling/maintaining records of DEC and Conference minutes and updating the Rule Book and MOPP (Manual of Policies and Practices) with all new rules & policies decided at DEC meetings and Conference. Updating and storing files containing DEC and Conference minutes, and files containing up-to-date copies of the Rule Book and MOPP, on the WISE-RA NextCloud file repository.
  • Managing the Secretary email, responding to queries, especially external correspondence from other organisations and non-members. Referring to appropriate Officers, Branches & Departments for issues raised which are more appropriately dealt with them e.g., workplace representation, organising drives.
  • Acting as a spokesperson and external representative for the union.
  • Communicating on behalf of the union, and representing the union before the Certification Officer and other authorities and organisations.
  • Reporting to the DEC on the work of the Admin dept and submit reports and requests relating to dept budget.
  • Liaising when required with the union’s nominated solicitors and the union Legal Officer and Casework Coordinator. Approving cases to be handled by solicitors, and their funding.
  • Working with the Complaints Officer in receiving and handling complaints.
  • Liaising with the Data Protection Officer in handling data protection requests, complaints, and data breaches.
  • Working with the RA Treasurer and Finance Admin to ensure the completion of the Annual Statement of Accounts and Audit Report and its submission to the Certification Officer, and coordinate with the Comms Admin to ensure that the report is duly sent out to all members.

Treasurer

One position. 2-year tenure.

Suggested Skills

  • Must be a member in good standing who can be trusted handling large amounts of money.
  • Confident using online banking services, writing reports/invoices/budgets.
  • Previous experience as a branch treasurer or managing finances for another organisation or company.
  • Able to check and respond to emails usually within 24 hours.

What the role entails

  • Working in close coordination with the Finance Administrator. Most of the substantive administrative work (accounting,accounts management, payments, audits, report data preparation) is handled by the Finance Admin.
  • Overseeing the work of the Finance Administrator as a contractor.
  • The treasurer will be responsible for compiling a financial report to each meeting of the Regional Administration (which then submits reports to the DEC).
  • The treasurer will be responsible for managing the union bank account.
  • The treasurer will be a signatory to the union bank account.
  • The treasurer will be responsible for the payment of expenses to members and payment of contractors for work done.
  • The treasurer will be responsible for creating a draft annual budget for the union,and liaising with the Delegate Executive Council, branch officers, department chairs, and general and area organisers as per union rules and procedures.
  • The treasurer will be responsible for the calculation and transfer of funding to branches and the allocation of funds to department budgets as per union rules and procedures set at Annual Conference.
  • The treasurer will work with the Finance Admin and RA co-Secretaries to ensure the completion of the Annual Statement of Accounts and Audit Report and its submission to the Certification Officer, and coordinate with the Comms Admin to ensure that the report is duly sent out to all members.

Membership Officer

One position. 2-year tenure.

Suggested Skills

  • Preferable to have prior knowledge of CiviCRM & databases or have been a Branch Membership Officer or in a work capacity have familiarity with databases. Database training will be provided.
  • Be able to allocate several hours of your time on several occasions every week to carry out tasks or attend WiseRA meetings.

What the role entails

  • Working in close coordination with the Membership Admin, Communications Admin, Finance Admin, and occasionally the IT Committee, who have specific membership administration tasks to carry out and are involved in maintaining & developing the database of members. Most of the substantive administrative work (processing membership applications, dues, technicalities of database management) is handled by the Membership, Communications and Finance Admins.
  • Overseeing the work of the Membership Administrator as a contractor. Overseeing some aspects of the Communications Administrator’s work, as a contractor, related to membership data/database management.
  • On occasion liaising with the Data Protection Officer & Communications Admin should relevant Data Protection requests arise.
  • Managing the Membership Officer email. Answering & resolving questions from members, usually by email, regarding the joining process, adjusting their dues.
  • Referring to appropriate Officers, Branches & Departments issues raised by members which are more appropriately dealt with them e.g., workplace representation, organising drives.
  • Working with and overseeing the Branch, Industrial Union and Regional Organising Committee Membership Officers, and the Membership Administrator, as a Membership Administration Team. Attending & contributing to the Membership Officer quarterly meetings & Signal group. Liaising with individual Branches or Industrial Union networks, usually via Membership Officers who seek assistance to further organising
  • On occasion liaising with NARA Membership Officer and any ROC/Group in Europe, often in consultation with the International Officer, and admins for Finance, Membership & Comms.
  • Preparing a Quarterly Report for the DEC & WiseRA Depts as agreed by DEC resolution.

Data Protection Officer

One position. 2-year tenure.

Suggested Skills

  • Thorough understanding of GDPR and data protection legislation and practices. GDPR & Data Protection training will be provided.
  • Have the capacity to provide prompt responses and decisions about data protection/handling requests, complaints or breaches, including regular consultations/questions from the Communications Admin (via email and Signal Chat).
  • Willing to occasionally offer time for assisting with GDPR training.
  • Familiarity with membership databases/CRMs (the IWW uses CiviCRM). Database training will be provided.
  • Experience managing data breaches and securing information stored online.

What the role entails

  • Overseeing the protection of data and compliance with data protection laws and IWW data protection policies. In order for the IWW to function as union it must securely hold personal information on its members. The IWW holds personal information on members, and occasionally non members, for the purposes of organising. The Data Protection Officer (DPO) ensures this is the case and that the union is compliant with relevant legislation and engages with the Information Commissioner’s Officer as required. The DPO also monitors specific processes related to Data Protection as defined in the IWW Privacy and Data Protection Policy.
  • Most of the substantive administrative work is handled by the Communications Admin.
  • Responding to questions, requests and complaints relating to data protection and data handling.
  • Managing responses to data breaches and works/communicates with the Information Commissioner’s Officer in the course of investigations.
  • Coordinating with the Membership and Communication officers and admins. Working closely with the Communications Admin in implementing data protection/management work.
  • Overseeing the data protection related work of the Communications Admin and Membership Admin as contractors.
  • Developing and regularly reviewing Union Data Protection and Data handling policies, in close coordination with the Communications Admin, Communications Department, IT Committee, Membership Officer, Administration Department, Organising department and DEC.
  • Increasing IWW members’ and role holders’ awareness of data protection, and putting in place adequate training and guidance documentation (in coordination with the Training Committee).
  • Attending meetings of the WISE-RA Administrative Dept
  • Reporting to the Administrative Dept and DEC on data protection matters.

Complaints Officer

One position. 2-year tenure.

Suggested Skills

  • Knowledge and experience of complaints procedures, transformative justice and mediation.
  • Experience convening and facilitating meetings

What the role entails

  • Liaising with the Regional Co-Secretaries in receiving and handling complaints.
  • Acting as the complaints officer for complaints submitted by members of the union, following the procedures as decsribed in the MoPP. This includes assembling complaints panels to hear evidence and statements relating to complaints. To receive evidence from and manage the access requirements of complainants and respondants.
  • Keeping accurate records of complaints proceedings.
  • Educating members on the methods available to resolve conflict within the union and how to handle complaints.
  • Working with the Data Protection Officer and Communications Admin to ensure that complaints are handled in a manner that comply with confidentiality and data protection standards, and to ensure that complaints panel participants are instructed on data protection compliance.
  • Coordinating with the Membership Officer, Data Protection Officer, Membership Administrator and Communications Administrator to implement membership suspensions or restrictions on data access and processing for members under investigation, or as a result of complaints panel decisions.
  • Reporting to the Administrative Dept and DEC.

Organising Department Chair

One position. 2-year tenure.

Suggested Skills

  • Experience of organising and facilitating online and in person meetings.

What the role entails

  • The Organising Dept Chair will call meetings of the IWW organising dept, compile the agenda including receiving reports, and share minutes.
  • Recruiting acting Area or General Organiser role holders for posts that are vacant, pending elections.
  • Managing the Organising Dept email and responding to requests for support in organising workplaces.
  • Reporting to the DEC on the work of the dept and submitting reports and requests relating to dept budget.

Training Committee Secretary

One position. 2-year tenure.

Suggested Skills

  • Is an accredited IWW Trainer, having completed the IWW Training for Trainers, and has experience giving trainings.
  • Has a good understanding of IWW Training courses (Organiser Training, Rep Training, Training for Trainers).
  • Experience of organising and facilitating online and in person meetings and training.

What the role entails

  • The Training Committee Secretary will call meetings of the IWW Training Committee, compile the agenda including receiving reports, and share minutes.
  • Developing training courses/programs. Maintaining and developing training literature and resources. Facilitating access to those resources.
  • Communicating/coordinating with branches and union officers to support and serve their training needs. Coordinating with branches, union officers, and IWW trainers to organise trainings.
  • Recruiting and training new trainers.
  • Keeping an accurate record of trainings held, and trainees. Coordinating with the Communications Administrator and Casework Coordinator in the process of validating/accrediting/recording new IWW Reps and Trainers on the membership database.
  • Managing the Training Committee Secretary email and responding to requests for support.
  • Reporting to the DEC on the work of the Committee and submitting reports and requests relating to Committee budget.

Casework coordinator

One position. 2-year tenure.

Suggested Skills

  • Has completed the IWW Reps Training.
  • Experience of union casework, disciplinaries, grievance meetings, employment tribunals.
  • Able to help deliver trainings and assist the running of regional and branch based casework teams.
  • Knowledge of GDPR and practices (GDPR training available).

What the role entails

  • Overseeing discussions about casework on the Regional Casework list (the Communications Admin helps adminster and update the list subscriptions).
  • Developing a network of Casework Teams across the union with the aim of providing equal and high quality representation and support to all FWs.
  • Developing the structure and running of Casework Teams.
  • Recruiting branch (acting/elected) Casework Coordinators and coordinating their work to ensure the appropriate and timely assignment of reps to take on casework.
  • Assisting in the creation and development of Casework Teams where the union has a branch without such. This will be done in coordination with the branches, Area Organisers and the Training Committee.
  • Working with the Training Committee to ensure that the training being provided is up to date and of a high quality.
  • Working with the Training Committee Secretary, Legal Officer, Communications Admin and Membership Admin to review, approve and register new accredited IWW reps.
  • Ensuring that the union has good, accessible information resources to support reps (with technical help from the Communications Admin).
  • Working with the Data Protection Officer and Communications Admin to ensure that reps are instructed in confidentiality issues and comply with data protection
  • Investigating and provide assistance to casework teams where problems exist
  • Liaising when required with the union’s nominated solicitors and the union Legal Officer and RA co-Secretaries

Equalities Officer

One position. 2-year tenure.

Suggested Skills

  • The Equalities Officer will self-define as either FINT (Female, Inter*, Non-binary or Trans*), BAME (Black, Asian or Minority Ethnic), LGBTQ+ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and other non-heteronormative sexual identities), Neurodiverse or disabled.
  • Previous experience with promoting equalities issues and organising campaigns

What the role entails

  • To call and facilitate meetings of the WISE-RA Equalities Committee. Compiling and sending out the agenda and ensuring accurate minutes are kept.
  • To assist with education and implimentation of the IWW safer spaces policy and complaints procedures.
  • To be a point of contact for any members with concerns relating to Race, Gender, Disability, Sexuality or other characteristics that may otherwise be overlooked.
  • To organise, identify and promote campaigns that further liberation and equality for all workers.
  • To assist with the development of trainings and educational resources on equalities and access issues in the workplace and union.
  • To represent the union within external equalities campaigns and conferences.
  • To work with the Equalities Committee, DEC, Organising Dept and branches on organising equalities summits.
  • Working with the Access Facilitator, Communications Officer and Moderators Committee to ensure Safer Spaces and accessibility policy compliance throughout the union’s spaces and in its communications content and channels.
  • To develop a network of regional, branch and IU FINT (Female, Intersex, Non-Binary, Trans) and BAME (Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic) caucus groups and structures.

Communications Department Chair

One position. 2-year tenure.

Suggested Skills

  • Experience convening and facilitating meetings
  • Previous involvement with creating content for IWW literature, newsletter, social media or website
  • Editorial skills
  • Website and Social Media Content administration/curation

What the role entails

  • Focus on Communications content/relations/outreach rather than tech.
  • Scheduling, convening and chairing quarterly meetings aimed at coordinating the work done by the Literature, Newsletter, Moderators, and Social Media & Website Committees, which are part of the Communications Department. Compiling and sending out the agenda and ensuring accurate minutes are kept.
  • Also coordinating with the Translation Committee (Translations is under the remit of the International Solidarity Committee Secretary) and IT Committee (part of the Admin Dept.).
  • Coordinating with other departments, committees, branches and officers to meet their communications (content/outreach) needs.
  • General oversight of Branch and IU Social Media management & practices.
  • Developing and overseeing the implementation of communications policy, in coordination with the other committee secretaries and volunteers within the Comms Dept.
  • Recruiting Fellow Workers to carry out the work of the department; recruiting acting role holders for key Comms Dept posts (e.g. Committee Secretaries) that are vacant, pending elections.
  • Providing written, and oral reports if required, to the Delegate Executive Council
  • Ensuring that the department establishes an annual budget.
  • Coordinating with the Moderators Committee, Data Protection Officer and Communications Admin to ensure compliance with data protection standards and communications channels usage policies (i.e., rules on safe and comradely communications) in the union’s communications content and communications channels.
  • Coordinating with the Moderators Committee, Equalities Officer and Access Facilitator to ensure Safer Spaces and accessibility policy compliance in communications content and channels.
  • Coordinating with the IT Committee Secretaries and Communications Admin on technical aspects of comms.
  • Overseeing the Communications Department related work of the Communications Admin as a contractor.

IT Committee Secretary

One position. 2-year tenure.

Suggested Skills

  • Experience convening and facilitating meetings
  • Technical knowledge or familiarity with Sys Admining, CiviCRM, Drupal, Next Cloud, Discourse, Rocket Chat is good but not an absolute pre-requisite. The IT Committee volunteers will take care of the substantive technical work, so the IT Committee Secretary’s job is more about generally coordinating IT volunteers and their work, and developing general IT policy, than the actual Tech work itself.

What the role entails

  • Scheduling, convening and chairing regular meetings aimed at coordinating the work done by the IT Committee volunteers, and developing/maintaining IT Policy. Compiling and sending out the agenda and ensuring accurate minutes are kept.
  • Coordinating with other departments, committees, branches and officers to meet their IT/technical needs. Participating in Admin Dept and Comms Dept quarterly meetings.
  • Recruiting volunteer Fellow Workers with the required skills to carry out the work of the IT Committee.
  • Providing written quarterly reports to the Admin Dept.
  • Ensuring that the Committee establishes an annual budget.
  • Working with the Data Protection Officer and Communications Admin to ensure compliance with data protection standards in the union’s IT platforms.
  • Working closely with the Membership Officer, Membership Admin and Communications Admin on technical aspects of membership database management/maintenance.
  • Coordinating with Communications Department Chair and Communications Admin on technical aspects of comms.
  • Working closely with the Communications Admin on technical aspects of comms and other IT systems maintenance.
  • Overseeing the technical aspects of the work of the Communications Admin as a contractor.

Access Facilitator

One position. 2-year tenure.

Suggested Skills

  • The access facilitator will self-define as disabled.
  • Previous experience with promoting access within or outside the IWW

What the role entails

  • Managing the Access Facilitator email. The Access Facilitator will be a contact for anyone wishing to discuss access issues within the union.
  • The access facilitator will promote knowledge of the social model of disability, and conscious accessibility across all aspects of the union.
  • Working with the Equalities Officer, Communications Officer and Moderators Committee, to ensure Safer Spaces and accessibility policy compliance throughout the union’s spaces and in its communications content and channels.

Education Workers General Organiser

One position. 2-year tenure.

Suggested Skills

  • Will be an Education Industry Worker
  • Able to travel on occasion to support activities within juristiction
  • Responsive to emails

What the role entails

  • General organisers will support organising drives and campaigns in selected workplaces and industries according to the aims and objectives of the IWW.
  • General Organisers will support the activity of the union in their respective jurisdictions and draft annual budgets as deemed necessary.
  • General Organisers may establish a committee for their respective jurisdictions as well as host summits for their workplace or industry, subject to the approval of the Delegate Executive Council.
  • General Organisers will submit a quarterly report of their activities to the Organising Department.

Hospitality Workers Network General Organiser

One position. 2-year tenure.

Suggested Skills

  • Will be a Hospitality Industry Worker
  • Able to travel on occasion to support activities within juristiction
  • Responsive to emails

What the role entails

  • General organisers will support organising drives and campaigns in selected workplaces and industries according to the aims and objectives of the IWW.
  • General Organisers will support the activity of the union in their respective jurisdictions and draft annual budgets as deemed necessary.
  • General Organisers may establish a committee for their respective jurisdictions as well as host summits for their workplace or industry, subject to the approval of the Delegate Executive Council.
  • General Organisers will submit a quarterly report of their activities to the Organising Department.

Brewery Workers General Organiser

One position. 2-year tenure.

Suggested Skills

  • Will be a Brewery Industry Worker
  • Able to travel on occasion to support activities within juristiction
  • Responsive to emails

What the role entails

  • General organisers will support organising drives and campaigns in selected workplaces and industries according to the aims and objectives of the IWW.
  • General Organisers will support the activity of the union in their respective jurisdictions and draft annual budgets as deemed necessary.
  • General Organisers may establish a committee for their respective jurisdictions as well as host summits for their workplace or industry, subject to the approval of the Delegate Executive Council.
  • General Organisers will submit a quarterly report of their activities to the Organising Department.

IWOC/PSN General Organiser (Incarcerated Workers Organising Committee / Prisoner Solidarity Network)

One position. 2-year tenure.

Suggested Skills

  • Knowledge of the prison industrial complex, prison abolition, policing, probation services, courts.
  • Website admin
  • Organising and facilitating meetings

What the role entails

  • IWOC General organisers will support organising drives, fundraisers, letter writing, protest activities, education and campaigns relating to incarcerated members of the union.
  • IWOC General Organisers will have access to update the IWOC website.
  • Occasionally the IWOC General Organiser will act as a buddy for incarcerated members (and recruit and coordinate buddies) for the purposes of signing them up to the IWW (via the membership officer) and sending/receiving correspondence.
  • Occasionally traveling to visit incarcerated workers in prison.
  • General Organisers will support the activity of the union in their respective jurisdictions and draft annual budgets as deemed necessary.
  • General Organisers may establish a committee for their respective jurisdictions as well as host summits, subject to the approval of the Delegate Executive Council.
  • General Organisers will submit a quarterly report of their activities to the Organising Department.