Senior Advisor, Employee and Labour Relations

Reporting to the Executive Director, Employee and Labour Relations, the incumbent provides professional and functional guidance to the University Community in defining the development, implementation of policies, practices and strategies to promote sound employee and labour relations. They provide advice and interpretation regarding collective agreements and legislation, as well as labour relations trends.

Primary responsibilities

• Propose changes to collective agreements, analyse, develop and recommend the financial mandate; prepare formal mandate documents for the senior management and the Board of Governors.
• Act as a spokesperson or support the academic spokesperson in collective Agreement negotiations; prepare bargaining, research and direct bargaining; communicate with stakeholders throughout the University before negotiations, to gather information to inform the preparation of proposals, seek feedback regarding union proposals, and after negotiations, advise them of the results of changes to the collective agreement.
• Investigate grievances, advise Administrators, recommend solutions or settlement as appropriate, negotiate settlements within approved mandate, prepare grievance replies, draft agreements for signature.
• Provide counsel, guidance and training to management (both academic and non-academic) on the handling of a variety of labour relations issues, including the interpretation and application of the collective agreements and personnel policies and procedures and relevant legislation as well as provide advice on labour relations trends, and arbitral or administrative tribunal decisions; train and support development of staff.
• Make recommendations on cases to proceed to arbitration/labour commission or settlement to be negotiated; prepare files for hearings and liaise with the Office of General Counsel to ensure appropriate preparation and presentation of any case referred to arbitration or to an administrative tribunal.
• Prepare arbitrations or cases before administrative tribunals and attend arbitration hearings on behalf of the Employer; develop and prepare mandates for settlement of arbitrations and negotiate settlements within those mandates.
• Conduct information sessions for faculties/departments/units on a variety of labour relations matters; draft and review special communiqués for distribution to the University community as appropriate.
• Provide support in disciplinary meetings to managers on appropriate approaches to employees in matters of work performance, behaviour and discipline; attend disciplinary meetings or investigation and act as a mediator between employees and managers to reach agreement on performance and behavior standards.
• Assist in administrative reorganization processes, by advising Administrators of the applicable terms of the collective agreements and ensuring compliance thereto, preparing calculations on termination allowances and the appropriate termination documents; assist in termination meetings, as requested.
• Provide strategic advice to managers who must hear grievances of employees; investigate grievances and briefs the Executive Director on the events or interpretation of collective agreements which led to the grievance and possible resolutions to the grievance and brief the Employer’s counsel as needed.
• Ensure that the grievance database for the bargaining units for which they are responsible is kept up to date.
• Research and participate in the preparation of policy papers on Human Resources matters, such as the University’s Harassment Complaint Procedure; work with other members of the department, as appropriate, to set departmental policy (for example, the Human Resources Policies.)
• Contribute to the University's strategic direction, plans and objectives by identifying labour relations issues and opportunities and evaluating organizational impact.
• Provide authoritative advice to senior administration on all matters pertaining to the University's management of its labour/management relations.
• Analyze current and potential problems, opportunities and issues, evaluate their impact, and advise senior administration on proposed and alternative courses of action; ensure that staff relations programs and practices support the University's image as an employer of choice.