Manager, Labor Relations

Manager, Labor Relations#26-1106

Chicago, Illinois, United States

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Job Description
** Position Summary
** The Manager, Labor & Employee Relations, is a key member of the HR leadership team and serves as a subject matter expert and escalation point for labor relations matters across the organization. This role is responsible for leading UGE's labor relations strategy and ensuring consistent, effective, and legally sound practices across a complex, multi-state, unionized environment.

This role partners closely with HRBPs, HR leadership, Legal, and operational leaders to proactively manage labor relations matters, resolve escalated employee and union issues, and support productive relationships with union representatives. This role will have significant responsibility for managing grievances, hearings, arbitrations, contract interpretation, and other formal labor processes.
** How You Will Make an Impact
**** Labor Relations Leadership
*** Serve as a subject matter expert and escalation point for labor relations matters
* Develop and execute labor relations strategies that align with business objectives, collective bargaining agreements, company policies, and applicable employment laws
* Partner closely with HRBPs and operational leaders to proactively identify and address labor relations risks and trends
* Establish strong, professional relationships with union representatives and serve as a key company point of contact for escalated union matters
* Provide guidance on collective bargaining agreement interpretation, application, and administration
* Lead the management of grievances, labor-management meetings, hearings, and arbitrations
* Partner with Legal and other stakeholders on arbitration preparation
* Monitor grievance and arbitration activity to identify trends, recurring issues, contractual gaps and opportunities for proactive intervention
* Provide guidance and coaching to HRBPs and leaders regarding contract administration, progressive discipline, and labor relations practices
* Ensure labor relations practices are applied consistently across locations
** Employee Relations
*** Provide guidance on workplace investigations
* Ensure investigations are conducted consistently, objectively, and in accordance with established processes
* Partner with HRBPs, Legal, and business leaders on appropriate resolution and risk mitigation
* Provide consultation on performance management, corrective action, policy interpretation, workplace conduct, and other employee relations matters
** Team Leadership
*** Lead, coach, and develop direct reports within the Labor Relations function
* Establish clear expectations, priorities, workflows, and service standards for the team in partnership with HR leadership
* Ensure appropriate escalation, documentation, and case management practices are followed
** Risk Mitigation & Compliance
*** Identify emerging labor and employee relations risks and proactively recommend mitigation strategies
* Parter with Legal and HR leadership regarding matters with potential legal, financial, operational, or reputational risk
* Monitor changes in labor requirements
* Establish reporting and metrics to identify trends in grievances, arbitrations, investigations, and other labor/employee relations activity
* Maintain appropriate confidentiality and exercise sound judgment when handling sensitive employee and labor matters
** Qualifications
* **
* Required:

*** Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Labor Relations, Business, or related field or equivalent experience
* 6+ years progressive experience in labor relations, employee relations, human resources, or a related field
* 3-5+ years experience leading, coaching, and developing a team of HR professionals
* Significant experience working in a unionized environment
* Experience interpreting and administering collective bargaining agreements
* Experience managing grievances, hearings, arbitrations
* Experience conducting or overseeing workplace investigations
* Strong written, verbal, negotiations, and conflict resolution skills
** Preferred:
*** Experience participating in collective bargaining negotiations
* Experience in multi-location, multi-state environment
* Experience developing labor relations strategy
* HR or labor relations certifications
* Experience operating in Railway Labor Act (RLA) unionized environment

* Note:

For
** internal UGE
** candidates (current UGE Employees), please be sure to attach the Internal Candidate Eligibility Form, filled out by…