Location(s): All States and territories

Organising Works, a program to develop the grass-roots leaders of tomorrow.

Progressive change only happens when working people come together and stand together. Employed union organisers are at the heart of supporting working people to come together to build power.

Organising Works is a training program developing new waves of union organisers.

If you want to make a difference by helping others to take a stand, then this is the job for you. We are recruiting Trainee Organisers to place with participating unions across all states and territories starting later this year.

OUR ORGANISATION
The Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) represents almost 2 million workers and their families. Since 1927, we have led some of the most significant workplace struggles in Australia’s history. The ACTU’s role as a peak body is to encourage workers to join their union, be a national voice for our movement, and advance and defend workers’ rights through coordinated campaigns, representation, and support for our affiliates.

TRAINEESHIP

Position: Organising Works Trainee (Full Time Position)

Location: All Capital Cities

Applications closing date: Sunday 12 July

Interview dates and process

• Round 1 interviews with the ACTU July 23 – August 29
• Round 2 Interviews with employing unions September 3 – October 4

Appointment date

Employment will commence on a date to be mutually agreed by the employing union and the successful candidate. We anticipate that offers will be made and employment arrangements agreed by late November 2026

Salary

To be determined with employing union

Education and development

Successful applicants will be placed with a sponsoring union. The sponsoring union will be the employer. The Organising Works Unit at the ACTU will be responsible for recruitment to the program, education, and development over the 12-month duration of the program.

PROGRAM

The Organising Works program was established in 1994 to provide affiliated unions with a younger more diverse group of Organisers to organise and empower workers. Since then, more than 1,000 people have advanced through the program – playing their part in steering the trade union movement through difficult, but exciting times.

If you believe that the world could be different; that it should be different. If you want to play an active role in helping workers and communities fight for a better world, then we want to hear from you.

Over the next few weeks, the ACTU will be recruiting the next generation of Organising Works trainees. These Organisers will be employed by participating unions, learning the skills and knowledge to inspire and activate workers across this country.

The Organising Works program is a traineeship, and you will learn from the best in our movement. We ask only that you have a passion to fight injustice.

Key Responsibilities

As an Organising Works trainee based in a union, you will be deployed across a range of situations, and you can expect the role to include:

• Talking with workers as they turn up to work
• Accompanying union representatives on workplace visits to build membership and activity
• Organising conversations and meetings outside of the workplace – like visits at home.
• Identifying and developing workplace activists
• Supporting workplace activists to lead in taking collective actions
• Working and building relationships across the union movement
• Engaging and building community relationships
• Building collective workplace meetings
• Supporting workplace activists run effective inductions for new starters.

You will be employed by the sponsoring union, but your development will be delivered by the team at the Organising Works Unit, led by the ACTU.

SELECTION CRITERIA

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Build worker power by recruiting new members into the union
• Organise workers to develop a public narrative
• Support workplace activists to increase their capacities and confidence
• Work with Health and Safety reps to build strong union cultures around health and safety
• Work effectively and positively within a team
• Build strong and effective relationships with other unions, allies, and community organisations
• Be a champion of diversity and inclusion and educating others to union values
• Provide organising support to industrial, social and political projects or campaigns as and when needed.

Essential:

• Proven record of leading others in collective action
• Experience working in a team, as a team member, or playing team sports
• Demonstrated commitment to connecting with workers whenever and wherever they might be.
• Demonstrated commitment to identifying, developing, and coaching workplace or community leaders.
• Good verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to regularly attend work sites to meet with members and employers including during workers’ shifts.
• As a many union members performs shift work, the position may occasionally require duties performed outside of office hours.
• Regional and interstate travel may also be a required.
• A current full driver’s licence or working towards one.
• Eligibility to work in Australia.

Desirable:

• Strong conversation skills that move others to action.
• Familiarity with Office 365
• Familiarity with social media platforms and using such platforms to positively engage and influence others
• Organising against division.

Personal qualities:

• Can thrive when working on your own
• Has levels of initiative that can create ideas and activity to organise workers
• Deliver on the ground leadership
• Ability to coach and mentor others including future workplace activists
• Ability to think strategically, tactically and to have the right attitude to learn the difference
• Willingness to learn
• Ability to plan, execute plans, reflect on activity and take responsibility for driving plans
• Enthusiasm to support the learning of others
• Commitment to combating racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, ageism, ableism and to fight for unity and solidarity.
• Commitment to build class-based solidarity and resistance
• Ability to evaluate conflicting time priorities and prioritise the activity for growth and organising.

For more information: https://atui.org.au/organising-works/

APPLYING

You can apply for the role of Organising Works Trainee through a range of methods, including:

• A written document
• Audio recording
• Art work
• Video recording.

To advance your application

Follow the link below, enter your details and upload your response to the selection criteria.

Application link: Organising Works Expression Of Interest 2027 – Fill out form

Applications close: Sunday 12th July, 2026

Next steps and selection process:

If you are not short listed for the interview stage, we will contact you and let you know and offer the opportunity to provide feedback.

For more information contact Jon Clark, 0439 454 128 or jclark@actu.org.au

We can’t wait to meet you!