Labor Relations Specialist

Arnot Health; Town of Ithaca (NY); On-site; USD 65,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

Arnot Health in Ithaca, NY is seeking a Labor Relations Specialist for a 3- to 5-month contract. The role emphasizes day-to-day labor relations, promoting positive labor-management partnerships, and ensuring compliance with CBAs and labor laws.

Under the HR Site Executive, you will support negotiations, investigations, leader coaching, data tracking, and workforce compliance. Requires 3–5 years in HR or LR, a bachelor’s degree, and SHRM/PHR certifications are preferred.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in human resources, business, labor relations, or related field.
• 3–5 years of experience in HR, labor relations, or employee relations.
• Experience working in a unionized or highly regulated environment.
• Professional certification such as SHRM-CP/SHRM-SCP or HRCI PHR/SPHR preferred.

Responsibilities

• Act as a primary resource for labor relations issues, guidance on interpretation and application of CBAs.
• Support lawful employer practices during union campaigns, organizing activity, and elections.
• Assist in preparing materials, documentation, and analysis for labor negotiations and contract administration.
• Conduct research, data gathering, and proposal development to support collective bargaining strategy.
• Maintain contract summaries, negotiation history, and labor documentation.
• Support implementation of negotiated agreements, including leader training and communication.
• Track grievances, information requests, and labor-related disputes, and assist investigations.
• Provide leaders with guidance on applying contract language, regulations, and workplace policies.
• Promote compliant communication during labor activity and train leaders in disputes resolution.
• Monitor compliance with federal/state labor laws and identify labor-related risks.
• Maintain labor relations data, dashboards, and periodic reports.
• Foster positive employee engagement and constructive labor-management relationships.

Skills

3–5 years HR/LR experience

Union environment experience

Education

Bachelor’s degree in HR/business/labor relations

SHRM-CP/SHRM-SCP or HRCI PHR/SPHR preferred

Job description

The Labor Relations Specialist supports Arnot Health and Centralus Health full-time hours, three to five month contract. Managing day‑to‑day labor relations activities, promoting positive labor‑management partnerships, and ensuring compliance with applicable labor laws and collective bargaining agreements (CBAs). This role provides operational support during union activity, assists in collective bargaining preparation, and serves as a resource for leaders, HR partners, and employees on labor‑related matters.

Working under the direction of the HR Site Executive, the Labor Relations Specialist helps ensure consistency, fairness, and legal alignment in labor relations practices across the organization. This position plays a key role in fostering constructive employee relations, mitigating risk, and supporting a stable, engaged, and productive workforce environment.

Job Functions

Labor Relations & Union Activity Support (*)

• Act as a primary resource for labor relations issues, providing guidance to leaders and HR partners on interpretation and application of collective bargaining agreements.
• Support lawful and consistent employer practices during union campaigns, organizing activity, and elections.
• Assist in preparing materials, documentation, and analysis for labor negotiations and contract administration.

Collective Bargaining Preparation & Administration (*)

• Conduct research, data gathering, and proposal development to support collective bargaining strategy.
• Maintain contract summaries, negotiation history, and labor documentation.
• Support implementation of newly negotiated agreements, including leader training and communication.

Grievance & Investigation Support (*)

• Track, organize, and help respond to grievances, information requests, and labor‑related disputes.
• Support investigations and fact‑finding processes related to workplace issues involving union employees.
• Assist in preparing summaries, timelines, and recommended next steps for HR and legal review.

Leader Coaching & Contract Interpretation (*)

• Provide leaders with practical guidance on applying contract language, labor regulations, and workplace policies.
• Promote consistent and lawful communication practices related to labor activity.
• Assist with training leaders on labor relations fundamentals, dispute resolution, and performance management in a union environment.

Workforce Relations & Compliance Support (*)

• Help monitor compliance with federal and state labor laws, including the NLRA, FLSA, and other employment regulations.
• Support proactive identification of employee‑relations trends and labor‑related risks.
• Partner with HR team members to support fair, timely, and compliant resolution of workforce matters.

Data Tracking, Reporting & Analytics (*)

• Maintain labor relations data, dashboards, and documentation for system leadership.
• Track grievance trends, arbitration activity, attendance issues, and other labor‑related indicators.
• Prepare routine and ad‑hoc reports to support decision‑making and labor strategy.

Culture, Engagement & Partnership Building (*)

• Support initiatives that promote positive employee engagement, trust, and constructive labor‑management relationships.
• Foster professional, respectful, and collaborative interactions with union representatives.
• Assist HR and leadership in maintaining a workplace culture consistent with Centralus Health’s values.

Important Note: (*) indicates an essential function of the job as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Essential functions are the core duties that are fundamental to the position and must be performed, with or without reasonable accommodation.

Success Factors

• You build strong, professional relationships with leaders, employees, and union representatives.
• You provide reliable, accurate guidance on labor matters and contract interpretation.
• You help resolve labor issues fairly, consistently, and in alignment with organizational values and legal requirements.
• You prepare leaders to confidently and lawfully navigate union interactions.
• You support high‑quality documentation, data accuracy, and proactive problem‑solving in labor‑related matters.

Education / Experience Qualifications

Required:

• Bachelor’s degree in human resources, business, labor relations, or related field.
• 3–5 years of experience in HR, labor relations, or employee relations.
• Experience working in a unionized or highly regulated environment.
• Strong knowledge of labor regulations and workforce practices.

Preferred:

• Professional certification such as SHRM-CP/SHRM-SCP or HRCI PHR/SPHR.

Compensation and Pay:

$65,000 to $80,000 Annual Salary

*Temporary full-time hours

Physical Requirements

• Must be able to remain in a stationary position (e.g., seated or standing) for extended periods to perform office and meeting duties, with or without reasonable accommodation.
• Ability to move about the campus and attend meetings in different locations as required.
• Occasional movement of materials or office supplies up to 20–25 pounds.
• Ability to operate a computer and other standard office equipment for extended periods.
• Must be able to communicate effectively in person, virtually, and in writing.