Labor relations specialists interpret and administer labor contracts regarding issues such as wages and salaries, healthcare, pensions, and union and management practices.
Duties
Labor relations specialists typically do the following:
Advise management on contracts, worker grievances, and disciplinary procedures
Lead meetings between management and labor
Meet with union representatives
Draft proposals and rules or regulations
Ensure that human resources policies are consistent with union agreements
Interpret formal communications between management and labor
Investigate validity of labor grievances
Train management on labor relations
Labor relations specialists work with representatives in a labor union and a company's management. In addition to leading meetings between the two groups, these specialists draft formal language as part of the collective bargaining process. These contracts are called collective bargaining agreements (CBAs), and they serve as a legal and procedural guide for employee/management relations.
Labor relations specialists also address specific grievances a worker might have, and ensure that all labor and management solutions comply within the relevant agreement.
