Workforce & Union Partners

Your mission is quality jobs, safe worksites, and strong worker voice. Better Together plugs organized buildings into union pathways, matches mini-grants to training needs, and proves impact with iron-clad data—so we grow labor power together.

Common  Challenges  Workforce & Union Partners Face

🕒 Volunteer Burn‑Out

A tiny crew fields crisis calls, chases rent relief, and writes every email at midnight. Wellness circles, rotating duty rosters, and $250 “reset” micro-grants spread the load before anyone flames out.

🔍 Proof of Impact for Grants

Workforce boards and DOL grants want granular placement data. Live dashboards stream enrollment, completion, wage, and retention numbers straight to your portal.

🎤 Low Meeting Turnout

Dues reminders, safety briefings, and meeting invites drown in inboxes. Bilingual push alerts, badges, and buddy systems keep participation steady without staff phone-banks.

🌐 Digital Security & Privacy

Applicant SSNs aren’t used and certifications sit in siloed drives vulnerable to breach. AES-256 encryption, consent screens, and annual pen-tests keep auditors happy

🏗️ Unpredictable Worksite Access

Last-minute gate changes and storage mix-ups disrupt training schedules. Shared calendars and logistics checklists lock in space, keys, and PPE before day one.

⚖️ Employer & Community Trust Gaps

Some owners fear higher costs; workers don’t see the career payoff. Story-bank reels and quick-hit repair pilots turn skeptics into champions.

Better Together

We embed union pathways inside organized housing communities, layering mini-grant funding, secure tech, and storytelling tools—so workforce and union partners scale member pipelines without burning organizers or chasing spreadsheets.

Why  This  Matters  to  Workforce & Union Partners

  • Robust Talent Pipeline

    Building-level recruiting converts “hidden” resident skills into apprenticeship enrollments, keeping locals employed close to home.

  • Higher Job Quality

    Union standards for pay, safety, and voice spread as co-ops choose union labor for maintenance and rehab contracts.

  • Data-Driven Bargaining

    Real-time wage, retention, and safety stats sharpen negotiations with contractors, agencies, and policymakers.

  • Community Wealth Loop

    Dollars from union jobs recirculate in the same buildings, strengthening both the local economy and union density.

Our Programs Work Better Together

  • My Realest State

    Peer-led circles and rapid-aid funds keep stewards and instructors energized, preventing burnout during peak training cycles.

  • Higher & Hire Expectations

    Talent scans, badges, and stipends identify resident candidates, document skill gains, and pay apprentices for community service hours.

  • Building Cooperatives

    Co-op maintenance committees adopt union contracts, creating steady demand for certified labor and shared-service bulk buying.

  • Teamwork Mobile App

    Every task, vote, safety log, and wage outcome lives in one encrypted hub—visible to members, impressive to funders.

Potential Add-ons

  • Split-pot funds cover apprentice stipends and safety equipment while paying union-approved instructors—launching cohorts with zero budget scramble.

  • Press bot, story bank, and bilingual graphics turn graduation photos and wage bumps into social proof that draws new members and supportive landlords.

  • AES-256 vault houses certifications; role-based permissions let workforce boards view anonymized results without risking privacy violations.

  • Live dashboards auto-build DOL and philanthropic grant reports—placements, wage gains, and demographic reach—slashing admin hours by 75 %.

  • Flat-fee clinics craft project-labor agreements, co-op service contracts, and apprenticeship MOUs so compliance boxes are ticked before work begins.

  • Fee-free sub-accounts and 3 % micro-loans help new members handle dues, tools, and transit until first paychecks arrive.

  • Offline attendance capture, daily backups, and breach-response drills safeguard training data even when job-site Wi-Fi fails.

  • Bulk-rate PPE, insurance, and audit vendors lower program overhead, stretching grant dollars and union training funds further.

How We Measure Success

We pair heart-level change with hard numbers across six pillars:

Pipeline Growth

Number of resident applicants, apprentices enrolled, and certifications earned, updated weekly.

Placement & Retention

90-day and one-year job retention rates pull directly from employer payroll feeds.

Wage Advancement

Average hourly wage at entry vs. six months, charted per cohort

Union Density & Membership

New member sign-ups and dues compliance tracked in the app.

Safety & Compliance

Incident-free hours and certification expirations logged on a safety dashboard.

Community Wealth Loop

Percent of contract dollars paid to resident union labor vs. external crews.

Quarterly dashboards reach training directors; an annual labor-impact brief rolls numbers, quotes, and photos into policy-ready stories. Every 90 days we “Pause–Reflect–Improve” with union stewards and workforce leads.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Core access is free; modules like data vault or legal clinics run on sliding-scale fees, often grant-offset.

  • Most core leaders spend 4–6 hours; tools and stipends lighten the load.

  • We prioritize union partners but welcome community colleges or pre-apprenticeships aligned with fair-labor standards.

  • Legal Ready Package includes templated project-labor agreements and monitoring tools to track hours and wages.