Labor Relations Associate

Distinct | North America; San Francisco (CA); Hybrid; USD 260,000 - 390,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work model

Job summary

Distinct | North America seeks a Labor Relations Associate in San Francisco for a hybrid role. You will advise employers through organizing campaigns, handle ULP charges and representation proceedings, and participate in bargaining strategy at the table.

The role requires 3–6 years of traditional labor experience, a California Bar admission, and the ability to navigate arbitration and contract interpretation. Office flexibility includes in-person days in San Francisco.

Qualifications

• 3–6 years of traditional labor work, boards and bargaining table experience
• Experience advising employers through organizing campaigns and charges
• Understanding of federal and state representation proceedings and arbitration

Responsibilities

• Advise employers through organizing campaigns from start to vote
• Handle ULP charges, representation proceedings, arbitration and contract interpretation
• Assist in bargaining strategy and participation at the negotiating table
• Address walkouts and picket lines as needed
• Manage labor-related aspects of deals including successorship and multiemployer pension liability

Skills

Labor relations

Bargaining

Arbitration

Representing management

Education

California Bar

Job description

Labor Relations Associate | Hybrid, San Francisco | $260,000 to $390,000

By the time a union's petition lands at the NLRB regional office, the client has usually known about the organizing drive for three weeks and told nobody.

Then comes the representation hearing, the arguments over who's in the unit, the election, the objections. If the union wins there's a first contract to bargain, and it takes longer than anyone at the table guessed it would. A few years later somebody files a grievance over a clause you drafted at eleven o'clock at night in a hotel conference room, and you're at the arbitration explaining what you meant by it.

This job is that whole story, for management, as a labor relations associate in San Francisco. They want three to six years of traditional labor work, the boards and the bargaining table. It's a large firm that does a bit of everything, with a sizeable employment group, and the labor side keeps adding people. Pay is $260,000 to $390,000. It's hybrid, in the office three days out of five, and someone near one of their other California offices could be considered.

• Advising employers through organizing campaigns, start to vote
• ULP charges and representation proceedings, federal and state
• Grievance arbitrations and contract interpretation
• Bargaining strategy, and sometimes the seat at the table
• Walkouts and picket lines, whenever they happen
• The labor side of deals, so successorship, inherited union contracts and multiemployer pension liability
• High grades, the transcript to show it, and the California Bar

If you've ever sat through a hearing about who belongs in the unit, you'll have a view on this seat and I'd like to hear it.