Labour Relations Manager

Major Responsibilities:

• Maintain on-going relationships with the unions and provide updates to the union representatives.
• Build and manage the employer-union relations, through proper facilitation and a consultative approach.
• Lead the recruitment and selection process for unionized positions, including liaising with the unions for prospective candidates, conducting external recruitment, screening resumes and interviewing all candidates, in order to recruit and retain a high performing workforce.
• When urgent vacancies occur, source labour and fill the gap immediately.
• Act as main contact, review all inquiries, concerns and needs of the unionized employees, respond, liaise and disseminate information accordingly in a timely manner.
• Responsible for executing the performance management process (probationary and annual) with employees within the portfolio, including writing disciplinaries, creating performance improvement plans, as well as mediating and coaching .
• Ensure that the managers, company, and other related parties are operating within the requirements of the collective agreement(s).
• Lead performance management and discipline meetings; including document preparation (probation and annual reviews), writing disciplinaries, creating performance improvement plans, and ensuring progressive discipline is applied in accordance with current Labour Relations principles.
• Regularly visit all sites and meet with team to gauge morale, escalate concerns as needed. Distribution of employee gifts, roll-out of policies and surveys, and presenting as needed.
• Provide recommendations to manager to address concerns such as low morale, etc.
• Maintain ongoing communication between the office and sites, ensuring regular updates to field staff.
• Serve as a source expertise with respect to the collective agreement, including ensuring a consistent application of applicable collective agreement(s).
• Lead onboarding for unionized employees.
• Work with Health and Safety department in documenting and reporting incidents, investigations, WSIB claims, and training records.
• Perform investigations when claims of harassment or safety concerns are brought forward for employees within the portfolio.
• Maintain employee files, crew lists by project, active and inactive status, employee availability projections and seniority lists as per the company’s established processes and systems.
• Maintain record, as well as movement and tracking of crews as needed.
• Monitor hours of service to ensure remuneration is aligned with collective agreement.
• Set, change and monitor classes, categories and pay rates, and ensure proper updating in appropriate system(s).
• Participate in corporate-wide HR initiatives and support the development of improved employee relations across HR, including job specific training, health and safety training, and leadership training.
• Attend networking and recruitment/career events to increase the company’s brand exposure, to recruit and build a pipeline for positions within the portfolio.
• Other duties as required.
• Participate and provide expertise throughout the Collective Bargaining process.
• Mitigate and mange union grievances up to and including arbitration; escalate when necessary.
• Act as lead and point of contact for all matters related to employee injuries and accommodation requirements.
• Lead and maintain all WSIB processes, including submission and communication between the company and the WSIB, managing of worker files, facilitation of modified work, return to work meetings, as well as permanent accommodations.
• Support all injured employees/ employees who required accommodation, including those that are not injured in the workplace.
• Create tools, resources and provide training to managers on how to manage injured workers.
• Mediate and resolve inter-employee disputes and disputes between employees and managers.
• Forecast potential site related vacancies with an emphasis on succession planning.
• Facilitate the fair distribution of company uniforms / clothing /etc. bringing forward suggestions and needs that the employees have.
• Lead and facilitate workplace investigation when allegations and complaints are brought forward; once complete provide recommendations to senior management.
• Provide a unified Labour Relation experiences throughout the entire groups of companies; including the standardization of processes, documentation, forms, and application.
• Lead various aspects of learning, training and development initiatives for various groups of employees.

Statement of Qualifications - Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Post-secondary Certificate or Diploma in Human Resources, and/or an undergraduate degree in Business, Human Resources Management, industrial relations or a related field, or related experience.
• Minimum of five years of broad and progressive labour relations experience in a unionized environment, with exposure to a construction environment – in the heavy civil industry would be a strong asset.
• Thorough knowledge of principles of labour relations.
• Experience in facilitating, mediation, dispute resolution and problem solving.
• Knowledge of Employment Standards Act, Labour Relations Act, Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, and a high regard for the Human Rights Act.
• Knowledge of construction regulations would be considered an asset.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills in English are required, in French would be considered an asset.
• Strong attention to detail
• Strong interpersonal skills with a demonstrated ability to influence.
• A high degree of professionalism and confidentiality are required in this role.
• Patient and calm demeanour with a strong ability to work with a variety of personalities in various roles.
• Strong ability to exercise judgement in various situations, and strong sense of judgement.
• Valid driver’s license with access to a vehicle is required.