Labor Relations Specialists
Have you ever wondered how the biggest companies in the world managed to succeed and rake in millions of dollars? Is it simply luck, or do they have some secret recipe for success? Well, the truth is that the key to any company's success lies in the hands of its employees and workers. Yes, you heard that right — employees and workers can make or break a company's future. We've talked a lot before about how workers and employees contribute to a company's success, so today we're going to talk about the things that can push workers to undermine a company and deliberately weaken it or cause it to lose ground. Many problems and disputes can arise between workers and employers, and these disputes might be about wages, raises, incentives, health and safety measures, health and social insurance, leave, retirement pensions, or other things that can push workers to become lazy on the job or even go on a full strike and stop working altogether. Problems like these can cost companies and factories millions of dollars within just a few days. Take what happened in 2019 at the American car company General Motors, for example, when more than 40,000 workers at its factories went on strike for over a month over wage issues, costing the company $2.9 billion. Employers are well aware that problems like these can arise in their businesses at any time, which is why they make sure to hire specialists known as "labor relations specialists" to resolve such disputes and negotiate with workers and employees when they threaten to strike or actually do. The role of these specialists is to ensure the satisfaction and well-being of both workers and employers, and that they can work together in a productive, harmonious environment. In the lines ahead, you'll get the full picture of what labor relations specialists do and their roles at the various companies and institutions where they work.
Meet the Writer: Waleed Abo Omiraa
What You'll Actually Do
The core tasks and responsibilities that fill a typical day.
- Call or meet with union, company, government, or other interested parties to discuss labor relations matters, such as contract negotiations or grievances.
- Draft contract proposals or counter-proposals for collective bargaining or other labor negotiations.
- Draft rules or regulations to govern collective bargaining activities in collaboration with company, government, or employee representatives.
- Identify alternatives to proposals of unions, employees, companies, or government agencies.
- Interpret contractual agreements for employers and employees engaged in collective bargaining or other labor relations processes.
- Investigate and evaluate union complaints or arguments to determine viability.
- Mediate discussions between employer and employee representatives in attempt to reconcile differences.
- Monitor company or workforce adherence to labor agreements.
- Negotiate collective bargaining agreements.
- Present the position of the company or of labor during arbitration or other labor negotiations.
- Propose resolutions for collective bargaining or other labor or contract negotiations.
- Recommend collective bargaining strategies, goals, or objectives.
- Review and approve employee disciplinary actions, such as written reprimands, suspensions, or terminations.
- Review employer practices or employee data to ensure compliance with contracts on matters such as wages, hours, or conditions of employment.
- Schedule or coordinate the details of grievance hearings or other meetings.
- Write letters related to labor relations activities, such as letters to amend collective bargaining agreements, letters of dispute or conciliation, or letters to seek clarification of contract terms.
- Assess risk levels associated with collective bargaining strategies.
- Prepare evidence for disciplinary hearings, including preparing witnesses to testify.
- Research case law or outcomes of previous case hearings.
- Select mediators or arbitrators for labor disputes or contract negotiations.