Senior Director Labor Relations and Negotiations

Transat; Dorval; On-site; CAD 100,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading airline in Canada seeks a Senior Director of Labor Relations to manage collective agreements and foster positive relationships with union partners. The role requires extensive experience in labor relations and strong negotiation skills. Join a dynamic team committed to sustainable tourism and employee inclusiveness.

Qualifications

• Minimum 15 years in labor relations, with 10 years in management.
• Strong writing and communication skills required.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate negotiation preparations and assist in drafting collective agreements.
• Establish innovative negotiation strategies and act as spokesperson during negotiations.

Skills

Communication

Conflict Resolution

Teamwork

Financial Analysis

Education

Bachelor’s degree in industrial relations

Tools

MS Office

Job description

Our mission is to be the preferred airline of our customers and our team.

Open-mindedness, concern for others, intelligence at work and, above all, a healthy dose of fun enable us to achieve great things every day, such as becoming the first international tour operator to obtain Travelife certification for our commitment to sustainable tourism. We have also won the title of world's best leisure airline several times over. And this is just the beginning.

Want to join us? As soon as you're hired, you'll enjoy travel privileges to discover the world. You'll also have the opportunity to work in a modern, inspiring environment.

Job Description

Reporting to the Chief People, Sustainability and Communications Officer, the incumbent will ensure strategic management of labor relations, in particular the processes associated with the negotiation and renewal of collective agreements for the entire organization. They will be responsible for fostering and sustaining positive and cooperative relationships with various management and union partners, particularly in the day-to-day management of labor relations, and take all the reasonable measures to prevent potential labor conflicts. In this role, they will lead the labor relations team in negotiations, provides advice and guidance to bargaining committees, executives, and managers on collective bargaining issues, including negotiation strategies and the interpretation of collective agreements. The incumbent possesses an in-depth knowledge of the Canada Labor Code and other related federal regulations. In the evolving context of negotiations and labor relations, the Senior Director will contribute to structural analysis and the implementation of an optimized structure tailored to the organization’s needs.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate with the team all preparatory work for negotiations, participate in negotiation sessions, and assist in drafting collective agreements in accordance with the orientations, mandates, and directives of the management.
• Structure preparatory research and analyses that serve to develop orientations, objectives, and mandate requests, support the argumentation for management proposals, and analyze unions demands.
• Conduct consultations with managers, executives, and the entire human resources team to obtain negotiations mandates.
• Assist and support preparation and negotiation committees in identifying key issues and priority demands, and act as a strategist to develop necessary strategies and steps to achieve set objectives.
• Establish innovative negotiation strategies adapted to the specific issues of each negotiation. Working in collaboration with management and negotiation committee members.
• Prepare and present negotiation mandates for approval by the Board. Assist the Chief as needed during presentations to the Board and management to address questions and present major issues related to each negotiation.
• Act as a spokesperson and expert advisor during negotiations for the renewal of collective agreements and for certain committees stipulated in various collective agreements.
• Provide recommendations to the CEO in developing proactive strategies related to collective negotiations and labor relations issues.
• Coordinate and ensure the application of collective agreements and any resulting amendments (protocols, letters of agreement, grievance resolutions, etc.).
• Share experience and expertise with other members of the negotiation committee while also being open to learning from their experiences.
• Establish and maintain trust and good working relationships with union representatives and their members, acting as the employer’s representative with union accreditations.
• Address questions regarding the application of negotiated collective agreements.
• Implement an effective governance structure and grievance management to minimize risks for the organization.
• Participate in mediation meetings and grievance meetings as needed.
• Assist labor relations team members and attorneys / legal counsel in certain litigation cases (grievance arbitration or differences, interpretation requests, judicial reviews, etc.).

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in industrial relations, business administration, or another relevant field of study.
• Minimum of fifteen (15) years of experience in labor relations, negotiations, and legal affairs, including ten (10) years in supervisory or management roles.
• Strong skills in writing and communication.
• Strong grasp of financial issues and ability to create financial models.
• The ability to exert influence.
• Team-oriented.
• Aptitude for conflict resolutions.
• Versatile, autonomous, and meticulous.
• Knowledge of the Canada Labour Code (an asset).
• Experience with Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (an asset).
• Proficient in MS Office software.
• Excellent command of both French and English (oral and written).

In the course of their duties, the incumbent will be required to communicate and collaborate frequently in English, both orally and in writing, with colleagues, unions or other stakeholders in Quebec as well as in the rest of Canada and internationally.

Additional Information

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Employment Equity

At Transat, we foster an environment where inclusiveness, respect and equity reign. We endeavour to build a workforce that reflects the diversity of our customers as well as the communities to which we travel. We encourage women, members of visible minorities, ethnic minorities, aboriginal peoples as well as people with disabilities to submit their candidacy. Transat will accommodate people with disabilities throughout the recruitment and selection process. If you require an accommodation, please contact us in order to work together in meeting adequately your needs.