Director, Labor Relations

Company: Health Quest Labs
Location: Danbury
Posted on: September 12, 2020

Job Description:

Posted Date 1 week ago (7/22/2020 8:07 PM)

Requisition # 3927Source

Primary Shift Day

Hours Per Week 40.00

Overview Nuvance Health is a family of award-winning nonprofit hospitals and healthcare professionals in the Hudson Valley and western Connecticut. Nuvance Health combines highly skilled physicians, state-of-the-art facilities and technology, and compassionate caregivers dedicated to providing quality care across a variety of clinical areas, including Cardiovascular, Neurosciences, Oncology, Orthopedics, and Primary Care.

Nuvance Health has a network of convenient hospital and outpatient locations — Danbury Hospital, New Milford Hospital, Norwalk Hospital and Sharon Hospital in Connecticut, and Northern Dutchess Hospital, Putnam Hospital Center and Vassar Brothers Medical Center in New York — plus multiple primary and specialty care physician practices locations, including The Heart Center, a leading provider of cardiology care, and two urgent care offices. Non-acute care is offered through various affiliates, including the Thompson House for rehabilitation and skilled nursing services, and the Home Care organizations. For more information about Nuvance Health, visit www.nuvancehealth.org .

Responsibilities The Director of Labor Relations is responsible for the development and execution of labor relations and positive employee relations strategies across Nuvance Health, including 7 hospitals across 2 states. This includes setting strategies for the delivery of labor relations services to meet the business and operational needs system-wide across multiple union groups, contracts, and stakeholders. Effectively provides advice, counsel, and creative problem solving on labor relations matters to leadership and management. Serves as a subject matter expert in labor relations and ensures contract negotiations, contract administration, union relationships, grievance processes, organizing responses and educational development needs of the organization are met. The Director of Labor Relations serves as a key member of the Nuvance Health HR team, reporting to the VP of Strategic Business Partnering & HR Governance.

Responsibilities

Evaluates labor strategies to optimize opportunities for partnership with unions, mitigate risks of disruption, and maintain commitment to positive employee relations.

Establishes and maintains a strong partnership with the HR Directors and HR Business Partners to provide subject matter expertise on labor relations issues, understand issues arising from labor management, and identify trends. Coordinates system-wide Memorandums of Agreement (MOAs), handling of class actions, and resolution of mid-contract bargaining objectives. Assists HR Directors, HR Business Partners, and management with the investigatory process in matters related to collective bargaining agreements (CBAs).

Fosters positive, productive, and effective working relationships with union leadership that ensures contract compliance, drives proactive resolution of issues, and establishes balanced expectations for contract negotiations.

Serves as a key member of the negotiating team, partnering with External Labor Counsel to develop and execute negotiation strategies in alignment with organizational priorities. Prepares and maintains strike contingency plans.

Leads communication of system-wide strategic initiatives to union bodies, and leads the notification and bargaining process for new programs and policies across all unions.

Creates and executes a comprehensive positive employee relations plan across Nuvance Health on an ongoing basis, including design and execution of annual organizational assessments.

Oversees the grievance process, response to Unfair Labor Practice Charges (ULPs), and response to Request for Information (RFI)/Discovery requests from collective bargaining units as appropriate on labor relations issues, policies and administrative procedures.

Serves as the Step 3 hearing officer for grievances, and prepares arbitration and mediation cases as needed.

Serves as the subject matter expert on contract language, organizational policies/practices, and labor law to effectively consult with HR, organizational leadership, and internal/external legal teams on all bargaining unit, and labor force issues.

Develops and leads educational efforts on managing in a union environment, positive employee relations, and interpretation and applicable of the collective bargaining agreements.

Partners with External Labor Counsel to represent Nuvance Health at NLRB hearings, arbitrations, and mediations. Establishes and leads strong responses to organizing campaigns.

Manages one or more Labor Specialists, and directs their work in data analysis, grievance processing, scheduling of hearings, document management, tracking of RFIs, delegate tracking, and other labor relations support duties.

Qualifications Required Education, Credentials, and Experience

This position requires a minimum formal education of Bachelor Degree and minimum of 5 years of labor management experience. Demonstrated experience in unionized healthcare environments with multiple bargaining units.

Master’s Degree in Industrial or Labor Relations preferred. Background in law or legal training. Labor Relations Certification, SHRM-SCP, and/or HRCI SPHR preferred.

Education

Working Conditions

Essential:

* Little or no manual skills / motor coord & finger dexterity

* Sedentary/light effort. May exert up to 10 lbs. force

* Generally pleasant working conditions.

* Little or no potential for occupational risk

Nuvance Health and its affiliates are Section 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organizations and therefore eligible employees may qualify for forgiveness of certain federal student loans under the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program.

WE ARE AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER. Qualified Applicants are considered for positions and are evaluated without regard to mental or physical disability, race, color, religion, gender, national origin, age, genetic information, military or veteran status, sexual orientation, marital status or any other classification protected under applicable Federal, State or Local law.

We will endeavor to make a reasonable accommodation to the known physical or mental limitations of a qualified applicant with a disability unless the accommodation would impose an undue hardship on the operation of our business. If you believe you require such assistance to complete this form or to participate in an interview, please contact Human Resources at 203-739-7330 (for reasonable accommodation requests only). Please provide all information requested to assure that you are considered for current or future opportunities.

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Keywords: Health Quest Labs, Danbury , Director, Labor Relations, Other , Danbury, Connecticut