- Union is super helpful
- Being in the thick of politics, policy, organizing - you learn a lot
- Clear pathways for advancement if you have a good boss (and if not, if you advocate for yourself)
Cons
- Overwork is chronic, unhealthy, and modeled by most middle and upper managers
- Positions aren't filled quickly and expectations remain super high leading to the above
- Big disconnect between priorities of the movement on the ground in local areas and federal policy advocacy
- Like most other orgs, they take on too much work leading to quantity > quality
Pay, though that was fought for by the first group of organizers, and benefits
When they lean into working in coalition with partners and organizers, great things happen.
Cons
For an organization that prides itself on uplifting progressive values and voices, it really is a struggle to be heard and truly supported by leadership. Poorly developed opportunities for advancement. Challenges that were obvious and a long time coming often saw last-minute changes that resulted in unsustainable workloads and unrealistic goals that saw organizers fabricating numbers and fudging details.
Preoccupation with building strong relationships with big names meant ignoring organizers and grassroots, refusing to even meet them halfway.