Labor Relations Manager

The Sherwin-Williams Company; Cleveland (OH); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

The Sherwin-Williams Company is seeking an experienced Labor Relations leader to support enterprise goals in labor relations, employee relations, and union awareness. You will provide employment and labor relations oversight to operations leadership and HR, serving as the principal contact for domestic union matters and contract interpretations.

Responsibilities include developing a comprehensive labor relations strategy, managing negotiations and grievances, and advising management on policy

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required.
• 5–7 years of labor relations experience including contract negotiations and arbitrations.
• Knowledge of applicable labor laws and regulations.
• Experience with federal/state labor agencies.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to interact with all levels of management.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office.
• Legally eligible to work in the United States without sponsorship.

Responsibilities

• Developing and implementing labor and employee relations strategy across the organization.
• Monitor union relations at bargained sites to identify issues early.
• Maintain relationships with labor organizations and administer contracts fairly.
• Serve as chief spokesperson for domestic contract negotiations and arbitration processes.
• Provide counsel on employment and labor-related matters to HR and site management.
• Train site management on labor relations developments and best practices.
• Ensure compliance with internal and external labor laws and regulations.
• Collaborate with other functions on benefits, leave, and accommodations in a bargaining context.

Skills

Contract negotiations

Labor arbitration

Communication skills

Interpersonal skills

Regulatory knowledge

Management collaboration

Education

Bachelor's Degree

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

CORE RESPONSIBILITIES AND TASKS:

Within parameters established by the Senior Director or Director Labor Relations, this position is accountable for supporting the goals and objectives of the enterprise regarding labor relations, positive employee relations, workplace flexibility, and union awareness in order to produce workforce efficiency and cost savings as well as minimize the Company's financial exposure. This position is accountable for providing employment and labor relations advice and oversight to operations leadership, the human resource organization, and others, as appropriate, and supporting global enterprise employee and labor relations goals and objectives.

This position serves as the principal point of contact for all labor relations advice, counseling, contract interpretation, contract negotiations, and dispute resolution at the Company's domestic union locations. This position will also be accountable for handling employment related matters concerning all domestic bargaining unit employees, including but not limited to investigations, discipline, termination, performance management, and accommodations.

The incumbent will perform a full range of employment/labor related functions including the following:

• Developing and implementing a sound and effective labor and employee relations strategy throughout the organization, including but not limited to all Employee Relations policies and directives.
• Monitoring employee and union relations at collectively bargained sites to facilitate early issue identification and intervention as appropriate.
• Maintaining and/or developing strong and constructive relationships with existing labor organizations, including fair labor contract administration.
• Serving as the Company's Chief Spokesperson for purposes of all domestic contract negotiations, administration of existing collective bargaining agreements, including the facilitation of disputes through the grievance and arbitration procedures referenced in such agreements.
• Serving as the Company's representative in disputed matters processed to a hearing in front of a neutral arbitrator to ensure timely and efficient resolution and minimal liability on the part of the enterprise.
• Supporting the Company's representative in administrative matters involving the National Labor Relations Board.
• Training site management, including front-line supervisors, in labor relations developments, best practices, and labor contract administration.
• Providing advice and counsel to the human resource organization and site management on employment/labor related matters, including understanding and application of company policy and procedures, as well as escalation to appropriate senior department management and other stakeholders, as necessary.
• Maintaining records, preparing reports and composing correspondence relative to work.
• Conducting specific research and investigation into employee issues as necessary.
• Preparing programs, solutions and systems to support employee and labor relations policy and strategy.
• Monitoring non-union facilities to assure those facilities adhere to positive employee relations practices that reinforce and support a positive work environment.
• Developing and implementing union awareness programs and appropriate management responses to union campaigns through planning, positive employee relations programs, site vulnerability assessments, campaign strategies, legal defense, policy review, education, and communication.
• Functioning as a strategic business partner with all other enterprise functions, as necessary, to assure satisfactory resolution of issues.
• Collaborating with shared functions, including but not limited to Employee Benefits, HRSS and LOA, to define processes and communications in relation to benefit entitlements, leave requests and/or accommodations in a collectively bargained environment.
• Monitoring compliance with internal, national, federal, state and local employment and labor laws and regulations.
• Supporting the Sr. Director/Director of Labor Relations on global labor relations matters outside of the United States as needed; and.
• Assisting with special projects as needed.

This role will report to Sherwin-Williams Global Headquarters located at 1 Sherwin Way, Cleveland, OH 44113, USA

This position is also eligible for bonus based on performance and subject to the terms of the Company's applicable plans

Job duties include contact with other employees and access confidential and proprietary information and/or other items of value, and such access may be supervised or unsupervised. The Company therefore has determined that a review of criminal history is necessary to protect the business and its operations and reputation and is necessary to protect the safety of the Company's staff, employees, and business relationships.

POSITION REQUIREMENTS:

Required:

• Bachelor's Degree.
• 5-7 years of experience managing labor matters, including contract negotiations and conducting labor arbitrations.
• Knowledge of laws, regulations, and procedures relative to employee and labor relations matters.
• Experience handling matters before federal and state agencies responsible for enforcing employment and labor laws
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to interact effectively with all levels of management, HR professionals and employees in the management and investigation of agency and private employee claims and allegations.
• Intermediate Microsoft Suite skills (Office, Excel, Powerpoint, Access).
• Must be at least 18 years of age.
• Must be legally authorized to work in the country of employment without needing sponsorship for employment work visa status now or in the future.

Preferred:

• Juris Doctorate.
• Licensed to practice law.
• Multi-lingual, particularly in Spanish.

TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS:

• 20%