Labor Relations Manager

The Linchpin Co. is a people operations group offering custom recruitment and consulting services. At Linchpin, we know a company’s most valuable resource is its people, and we are people experts!

We will be the point of contact between you and BCMEA during the recruitment process, acting as your trusted advisor and coach. We look forward to your interest.

Overview

A key role of the BCMEA is to provide advocacy and support for customer members in all areas of labour relations. We advise on pensions, labour legislation and regulations, training, health and safety, human resources, employment equity and communications.

Reporting to the Senior Director, Labour Relations, the Labour Relations Manager is responsible for delivering commercially positive outcomes to BCMEA’s member companies. Dispute resolution services provided include collective agreement and labour legislation interpretation, discipline and grievance administration, preparation and presentation of arbitrations, delivery of labour relations training, and on-call support.

Responsibilities

• Provides advice and direction to customers/members on administration of the collective agreement negotiated between the BCMEA and the ILWU-Canada on behalf of its customers/members.
• Assists customers/members to ensure legal compliance, consistent and appropriate application of practices and policies, and the interpretation and application of the Collective Agreement.
• Provides support and guidance to customers/members on incident investigations and disciplinary matters.
• Provides “on-call” contract interpretation and dispute resolution services to customers/members on a rotational basis.
• Manages all grievances from their initial stage until final resolution, up to and including arbitration if necessary.
• Participates in Industry and Job arbitrations relating to jurisdiction, dispatch, etc., on behalf of customers/members.
• Represents customers/members interests in complaints filed with the Canadian Industrial Relations Board, and other regulatory agencies.
• Organizes and leads sector customer/member meetings to improve operational efficiencies and productivity and prepares for and participates in collective bargaining.
• Advises customers/members on the labour relations component of business decisions.
• Participates as required in committees and working groups such as the Port Labour Relations Committee.
• Actively promotes strategies/processes that advance customer/member business objectives; monitors management practices to identify those that are not conducive to promoting sound labour relations practices.
• Integrates innovative, effective labour relations processes and systems into the organization to support organizational change efforts.
• Investigates refusals to work on the grounds of safety through discussions with union and management. Serves as an advocate for customers/members before various regulatory bodies.
• Acts as the primary liaison between a functional sector of member companies and all services provided by the BCMEA, including Training and Dispatch.
• Creates and presents training content for customer/member workshops and seminars.

Requirements

• 5+ years of recent, related experience in a complex and dynamic unionized and safety-oriented work environment.
• Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Relations or Business Administration, or a Masters of Industrial Relations, or a comparable combination of education and experience.
• Thorough knowledge of human resource principles and labour relations methods and procedures.
• Exceptional verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to engage and communicate in a professional and confident manner.
• Ability to influence others and gain understanding and acceptance of contrary opinions and viewpoints.
• Strong customer service orientation and ability to work effectively with a diverse workforce and across multiple organizational levels.
• Encourage and support diversity.
• Demonstrable experience in a unionized work site and/or sector; familiarity within environments employing organized labour.
• Develop trusting working relationships quickly and effectively.
• Excellent time management, problem-solving, and administrative skills.
• Effective conflict management skills and the ability to facilitate a collaborative working environment with customers/members and unions.
• Strategic thinker, issues manager, problem solver, negotiator, and highly engaging and compelling storyteller.
• Ability to deliver impactful, informative, effective presentations.
• Ability to manage multiple projects, delivered on-time and within budget.
• Strong analytical aptitude, proven research skills, and the ability to assess and interpret data.
• Ability to engage others professionally and diplomatically on sensitive issues.
• Skilled in applying negotiation and mediation techniques in a business environment.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite.
• Marine industry knowledge an asset.