Employee Relations Specialist

TEEMA Solutions Group; Vancouver; On-site; CAD 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading company in the Marine Industry in British Columbia is seeking an Employee Relations Specialist to manage collective negotiations and grievances. This role is crucial for maintaining labor peace and supporting ongoing negotiations, requiring expertise in unionized environments and relevant regulations. The ideal candidate has 2-4 years of experience in labor relations and strong communication skills necessary for engaging with diverse stakeholders.

Qualifications

• 2-4 years in labour and employee relations within a unionized setting.
• Knowledge of Canada Shipping Act and maritime employment contracts.
• Experience with Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBA).

Responsibilities

• Manage grievances and arbitration preparation.
• Support collective agreement negotiations.
• Interpret collective agreements and provide guidance.

Skills

Presentation skills

Articulate communication

Engagement with stakeholders

Education

Degree in Business, HR, Labour Relations or related field

Job description

This is a great opportunity to exercise your Labour and Employee Relations experience— to hit the ground running with a voice in negotiations in collective agreements within the Marine Industry in BC.

British Columbia has one of the most active unionized labour environments in Canada, with a long history of collective bargaining and high grievance activity. Our client has benefited from over a decade of labour peace with their unionized workforce. We are seeking a new Employee Relations (ER) Specialist to support ongoing and upcoming collective negotiations.

Urgency to Hire: Currently, HR and Operations support these functions, but their resources are stretched thin. Managing Employee Relations, especially with negotiations starting in September (two agreements), necessitates a dedicated specialist. Responsibilities include grievance management, arbitration preparation, and collective agreement interpretation—tasks previously handled by the Director of Operations.

Must Haves:

• 2 to 4 years of experience in labour and employee relations within a unionized environment. Total work experience should be 5+ years.
• Knowledge of the Canada Shipping Act and associated regulations is preferred, especially norms related to maritime employment contracts, medical requirements, and transport vetting.
• Experience with Maritime Industry Standards and regulatory compliance in federally regulated Canadian companies, including familiarity with the Canada Labour Code.
• Degree in Business, HR, Labour Relations, or related field, or equivalent experience.
• Strong presentation skills, confidence, articulate communication, and a captivating personality capable of engaging with diverse stakeholders and union members.
• Previous experience with Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBA).
• Ability to Travel: The initial agreements are related to Prince Rupert, with expected travel 4-6 times per year. Travel details are to be confirmed.

Union Details: Approximately 150 union members in BC—78 in Vancouver, 4 in Port McNeil, 38 in Prince Rupert—mainly crew members operating tugboats.

Non-Union: Technical team members (15-20), with other agreements; about 40 employees are salaried and non-union.