Labor Relations Manager

Labor Relations Manager

UNFI is North America's Premier Food Wholesaler. Our mission is to help make our customers stronger, our supply chain better, and our food solutions more inspired. For over 50 years, UNFI has been making bold moves to impact the food industry. We transform the world of food by building a food system that is better for our people, our communities, and our world.

The Labor Relations Manager works as part of a team of labor relations professionals and reports to the Vice President of Labor Relations. This role supports labor relations for assigned operations in California, including contract administration, grievance handling, arbitration preparation, collective bargaining support, labor-management relations, and union benefit matters. The Labor Relations Manager advises HR and Operations leaders on issues involving represented associates, provides practical recommendations that balance business needs with contractual and legal obligations, and partners with internal stakeholders and counsel to resolve disputes.

Job Responsibilities:

• Serves as subject matter expert on matters arising under collective bargaining agreements and advises business partners on all issues arising under collective bargaining agreements, labor law, multiemployer benefit plans and other issues involving unionized associates.
• Handles grievance administration, including reviewing facts and evidence, preparing case summaries, assessing arbitration risk, developing recommendations, supporting grievance hearings, drafting responses, and identifying resolution strategies.
• Represents the Company's position in grievance meetings, labor-management meetings, mediations, and other union-related discussions and partners with internal and external labor counsel on arbitration cases.
• Prepares arbitration matters internally, including factual investigation, timeline development, exhibit collection, and coordination with internal or external counsel.
• Supports chief labor negotiator in collective bargaining, including preparation and analysis of proposals, meeting preparation, note-taking, and implementation of ratified agreements.
• Builds and maintains productive relationships with union business agents, stewards, HR partners, operations leaders, and other stakeholders to support constructive labor-management relationships and proactive issue resolution.
• Maintains organized and timely documentation in appropriate systems, including grievance files, case records, correspondence, evidence, settlement documentation, arbitration materials, and other labor relations records.
• Provides clear, concise, and complete written communications to stakeholders, including issue summaries, recommendations, risk assessments, meeting summaries, training follow-up, and executive updates.
• Manages multiple locations and competing priorities while maintaining strong organization, responsiveness, follow-through, and judgment.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Education/Certification:

• Bachelor's degree required, preferably in Human Resources, Labor Relations, Industrial Relations, Business, or a related field.
• Labor relations certification, human resources certification, or prior experience in labor law, labor negotiations, grievance arbitration, union dispute resolution, or collective bargaining preferred.

Experience:

• 5-7 years labor relations, labor negotiations, grievance administration, union dispute resolution, human resources in a unionized environment, or a related field.

Knowledge/Skills/Abilities:

• Strong working knowledge of labor relations principles, collective bargaining agreements, grievance and arbitration processes, unfair labor practice issues, union organizing activity, and labor-management relations.
• Knowledge of employment and labor laws, including the National Labor Relations Act and related federal, state, and local employment laws.
• Understanding of employee benefits, multiemployer benefit plans, union benefit arrangements, and how CBA language affects benefit administration preferred.
• Ability to independently research issues, review applicable CBAs and policies, and develop a recommended answer before escalating for additional…