Labour Relations Advisor

The Role

Provides labour relations advice to all levels of staff; administers collective agreements; and maintains relationships and communications with unions.

Duties/Responsibilities

• Provides advice, clarification, and direction on the consistent application and interpretation of collective agreements, policy and procedures, employee relations and management best practices, and employment legislation. Provides guidance to other HR staff on hiring and employment issues with potential labour relations and legal implications.
• Advises/ instructs management on performance and attendance management issues, human rights complaints, and harassment/workplace violence investigations. Conducts/ advises on investigations, discipline, remedial steps, and terminations. Writes discipline letters and related reports. Decides (as part of a team) if incidents meet the test of workplace violence. 
• Chairs grievance meetings and administers procedures related to settlements, case preparation, and arbitration and rights hearings. Chairs labour-management meetings.
• Provides advice and direction (with disability management staff) on claims and return-to-work issues with potential labour relations implications. 
• Mediates workplace conflicts. 
• Designs, coordinates, and conducts training on labour relations, performance management, and impacts of new/ changed legislation and collective agreement language. 
• Assists to draft/ update and implement policies, procedures, processes, work designs, and systems related to employee/ labour relations and collective agreement provisions. 
• Participates on reorganization/ program review/ internal audit work groups to identify, advise on, and resolve labour-related issues. Assists clients to implement change initiatives and negotiates agreements with bargaining units to implement same.
• Researches, designs, and presents strategies /arguments/ proposals for collective bargaining. Assists to develop negotiation packages. Prepares costing analyses and related reports. Participates on/ chairs negotiation teams.  
• Organizes/ coordinates strike plans and business continuity planning, and provides training and communications. Works with management to ensure critical services are delivered. Functions as rotating strike coordinator, including overseeing strike operations committee. 
• Represents the division/ department on committees. Chairs CUPE clothing committee; calculates points per collective agreement; and makes decisions on clothing to be discontinued/added.
• Prepares submissions for the departmental budget. Commits the Region to significant costs through negotiations and letters of understanding. 
• Exchanges information with Ministry officials, consultants, law firms, arbitrators, other municipal HR professionals, police, and external union representatives.
• Performs related duties as required.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Knowledge of current public sector industrial relations, labour relations, strike/ business continuity planning, case law, collective agreements, employment legislation, and job evaluation and compensation issues, normally acquired through a Bachelor or Master’s degree in labour/ industrial relations or other related field, plus progressively responsible related experience.
• Knowledge of and ability to comply with policies, procedures, collective agreements, Employment Standards Act, Labour Relations Act, Pay Equity Act, Occupational Health and Safety Act, and Human Rights Code. Knowledge of Regional job functions, occupations, and structures.  
• Ability to analyze and understand financial implications of proposals, perform cost calculations, and present same in understandable formats. Ability to conduct fair, objective investigations and recommend consistent remedial action per collective agreements. 
• Facilitation, negotiation, human relations, and communication skills to foster and maintain relations with unions; advise and persuade all levels of staff; mediate disputes, resolutions, and agreements; participate in/ chair negotiations; represent the Region's interests clearly, using political acumen (including at arbitration hearings); conduct training/ information sessions; represent the Region and liaise with police, security, and legal counsel during injunctions; use logical, clear, concise language to present and defend the Region's position and ensure others' understanding; and participate as an effective team member.
• Ability to read, interpret, and write collective agreement language, letters of understanding, reports, discipline letters, and memos. Ability to read, understand, and educate others on current and proposed labour legislation and regulations.
• Ability to analyse market conditions, union proposals, and procedures for collective agreement administration, and understand/ make decisions on collective agreement interpretation, contract negotiations, and grievance meetings.
• Computer skills with ability to use software such as Microsoft Office.
• Ability to work extended hours during and following contract negotiations, often at off-site locations.  
• Ability to travel within and occasionally outside Waterloo Region.
• Ability to support and demonstrate the Region’s values.