Director, United States Labor Relations

Job Summary

The Director, United States Labor Relations is responsible for overseeing the negotiation of collective bargaining agreements, regulatory and legal proceedings involving unionized employees, employee grievances, as well as management of the regional Labor Relations (LR) portfolio in the United States (U.S.). The LR portfolio involves leading the LR team that is accountable for informing and counselling members of CN's management team on all matters related to the application and interpretation of numerous collective bargaining agreements to maximize workforce utilization, advance business initiatives, and maintaining strong employee relations. The incumbent ensures that LR solutions to business challenges and opportunities are developed in a timely manner and that constructive relationships are maintained with the unions representing CN’s U.S. employees.

Main Responsibilities

·         Negotiate and oversee the negotiation of collective bargaining agreement terms and ensure that collective bargaining agreements are applied uniformly across CN’s U.S. system

·         Develop LR strategies to facilitate the achievement of operational goals and business needs

·         Ensure that the LR team provides appropriate advice and direction to frontline Supervisors and Human Resources (HR) Managers regarding the interpretation and application of collective bargaining agreements as well as the intent, application and compliance requirement of relevant Labour, Employment and Regulatory laws

·         Build and maintain relationships with labour union officials representing CN employees and national labour union leaders

·         Serve as CN’s representative on the U.S. railroad national committees that oversee multi-employer collective bargaining, grievance arbitration and administration of national railroad employee health and welfare benefits

·         Ensure that the LR team provides the required specialist support to the management team to effectively resolve grievances and other conflicts resulting from the application and interpretation of labour agreements

·         Advise operations leadership on the application of strategic LR programs and practices

·         Develop and facilitate training for frontline Managers that enables greater accountability for effectively leading employees and developing strong employee relations skills

·         Ensure that the LR team has the requisite knowledge tools and resources to effectively execute their duties

Working Conditions

The role has standard working conditions in an office environment with a regular workweek from Monday to Friday. Due to the nature of the role, the incumbent must be able to meet tight deadlines, handle pressure and stress. The incumbent is required to excel in a fact-paced and changing environment. The role requires minimal travel (10%) within Canada and the U.S.

Requirements

Experience

Labor Relations

·         Minimum 10 years of experience in Labor Relations

·         Minimum 5 years of experience in a managerial capacity leading negotiation

Education/Certification/Designation

·         Bachelor's Degree in Human Resources or Labor Relations or equivalent experience in Operations or Labor Relations or a Law Degree with a specialty in Labor Relations

Competencies

·         Collaborates with others and shares information

·         Demonstrates agility and drives change

·         Demonstrates active listening

·         Identifies needs and finds solutions to create value for all stake holders

·         Leads by example for the safety and security of all

·         Applies critical thinking

·         Knows the business and stays current on industry needs

·         Sets direction and inspires others

·         Communicates with impact

Technical Skills/Knowledge

·         Strong working knowledge of North American labor structures, practices, and labor law

·         A thorough understanding of the Railway Labor Act

·         Knowledge of the multiple contexts associated with LR (e.g., social science, political context of the unions, legislative surroundings)

·         Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)

About CN

At CN, everyday brings new and exciting challenges. You can expect an interesting environment where you’re part of making sure our business is running optimally and safely―helping keep the economy on track. We provide the kind of paid training and opportunities that long-term careers are built on and we recognize hard workers who strive to make a difference. You will be able to thrive in our close-knit, safety-focused culture working together as ONE TEAM. The careers we offer are meaningful because the work we do matters. Join us!