Job & Business Opportunities

Job Summary

This classification is primarily responsible for performing tasks in the following areas: Labor Contract Negotiations, Employee Grievance and Complaint Resolution; Staff Advisor on Employee and Labor Relations Issues; Drug and Alcohol Testing and Rehabilitation Program Management; Departmental Administration, Labor and Management Relations; and Program, Policy, and Procedure Review, Analysis, and Support. Work mainly involves problem solving and mediating highly conflicting, unexpected, and unusual problems involving multiple groups.

Supervision

Supervision Received
This class works under administrative direction, which includes broad management responsibility for a large program or set of related functions. Work is usually received in terms of goals; review is received in terms of results

Supervision Exercised
This class may provide direct and/or indirect supervision to lower level personnel.

Distinguishing Characteristics

N/A

Essential Functions

A. Labor Contract Negotiations
Duties may include:
Develop and present goals and objectives for renegotiating labor contracts. Cost out proposals and determine impact on budget and operations. Write proposals for new or amending contract provisions. Serve as chief negotiator for District in labor contract negotiations. Brief executive management and the Board of Directors on all aspects of negotiations. Write and present final agreement to executive management and the Board for approval. Represent District in impasse resolution procedures, such as mediation and interest arbitration. Work with staff to implement negotiated changes to work rules or procedures. Other duties as assigned.
B. Employee Grievance and Complaint Resolution
Duties may include:
Review proposed disciplinary actions for consistency and compliance with applicable regulations and laws. Investigate the underlying basis for proposed action and assure that the action has substantial merit. Consult with staff on disciplinary issues to determine if action is appropriate. Meet and consult with union representatives on disciplinary issues in an attempt to find resolution. Write or review final decisions on grievance resolutions. Prepare issues for arbitration hearing. Maintain District records on disciplinary actions for future reference and reporting. Other duties as assigned.
C. Staff Advisor on Employee and Labor Relations Issues
Duties may include:
Research history and prepare responses to management and staff to labor relations questions. Develop policies and procedures to further the District’s interests on labor and employee relations issues. Brief executive management and Board on sensitive labor relations issues. Review actions of staff for compliance with CBA and principles of just cause. Meet and consult with union representatives on various language and disciplinary actions. Negotiate letters of agreement or understandings on procedures for handling contract issues. Work with staff to administer CBA provisions consistent with agreements and understandings. Other duties as assigned.
D. Drug and Alcohol Testing and Rehabilitation Program Management
Duties may include:
Review individual drug and alcohol testing results for compliance with DOT FTA Regulation compliance. Oversee the daily random drug and alcohol testing, and employee selection process. Monitor testing service providers for contract compliance. Monitor rehabilitation program progress of employees required to undergo a mandatory rehabilitation program. Oversee the mandatory employee and supervisory training requirements for drug testing program. Review testing statistics for maintaining regulatory compliance. Oversee service provider compliance with performing drug and alcohol testing pursuant to the regulations. Monitor the retention of required testing records to maintain compliance with DOT FTA regulations. Other duties as assigned.
E. Departmental Administration
Duties may include:
Prepare and present the annual departmental budget in support of organizational goals. Monitor departmental expenditures for budget compliance. Make job assignments and monitor staff work product to accomplish departmental goals. Review and edit RFP's for services to assure compliance with District standards and legal requirements. Prepare issue papers and resolutions for Board adoption related to departmental responsibilities. Provide for staff training and development. Oversee the maintenance of District records of all grievance and disciplinary actions. Monitor and approve staff time sheets. Other duties as assigned.
F. Labor and Management Relations
Duties may include:
Chair and direct District participation in joint labor-management committees. Meet regularly with union representatives to keep them involved in issues of joint concern. Attempt to reach win-win solutions to issues by addressing interests rather than developing positions. Promote joint labor-management projects where cooperative efforts can be utilized for the good of all. Develop the credibility of the District by dealing with problems honestly and treating people with respect. Maintain open lines of communication with employee representatives to address issues. Other duties as assigned.
G. Program, Policy, and, Procedure Review, Analysis, and Support
Duties may include:
Monitor the progress of state and federal legislation that may impact employee or labor relations programs. Periodically review policies and procedures to maintain compliance with applicable state or federal regulations. Draft or review proposed changes to policies for legal compliance. Advise staff of changes to regulations. Review and edit issue papers and resolutions for Board adoption of new policies. Act as advisor to executive management on the impact of regulatory and legal changes to labor relations. Other duties as assigned.

Job Demands

Physical and Mental Requirements:
(1) Mobility: frequent use of keyboard; frequent sitting for long periods of time; occasional bending or squatting. (2) Lifting: frequently up to 10 pounds; occasionally up to 25 pounds. (3) Vision: constant use of overall vision; frequent reading and close-up work; occasional color and depth vision. (4) Dexterity: frequent repetitive motion; frequent writing; frequent grasping, holding, and reaching. (5) Hearing/Talking: frequent hearing and talking, in person and on the phone. (6) Emotional/Psychological: frequent decision-making and concentration; frequent public and/or coworker contact; occasional working alone. (7) Environmental: frequent exposure to noise.

Knowledge and Abilities

Required Knowledge of:
Labor contract, construction, and principles of language interpretation.
Specific laws and regulations impacting employee and labor relations.
Negotiation strategies and table tactics.
Impasse resolution procedures and options such as mediation and interest.
Costing out provisions of the labor agreement to determine the overall
cost of the agreement.
Principles of corrective disciplinary action.
Arbitration precedent on sustaining discipline on specific acts of
misconduct.
Principles of just cause for sustaining discipline in specific situations of
misconduct.
Effective techniques of supervision and performance evaluation.
Principled or interest-based process of decision making and conflict.
Political nature of labor organizations.

Required Ability to:
Learn disciplinary history of the District on specific actions of misconduct.
Learn provisions of the collective bargaining agreement, rules, and policies guiding conduct of employees.
Learn interests of the union on specific rules or disciplinary principles.
Learn interrelationships of provisions or proposed actions on other operating departments or work units.
Learn job classifications for making a determination as to whether or not they are safety sensitive.
Determine and work with competing interests among staff over the goals
and objectives of negotiations.
Understand political influences on the negotiation process.
Construct language for precise and clear understanding by all readers.
Find an agreed upon resolution to issues within the economic and
operating parameters established for negotiations.
Achieve consistent administration of complex language changes.
Identify practices and contract provisions impacting or giving direction on
consistent handling of discipline.
Investigate and determine objective facts that will sustain or modify
proposed actions.
Mediate resolution to difficult issues between labor and management.
Maintain consistent administration of actions of a similar nature
Maintain retrievable records of disciplinary actions for future use.
Know and understand all the rules and procedures of the District that
might impact on a particular situation.
Understand the underlying operational problems that give rise to a
question.
Know and understand the laws and policies that must be applied to
resolve a particular question.
Keep abreast of changes to the regulations in order to maintain
compliance.
Review staff decisions to conduct post accident or reasonable suspicion
testing to be sure they are within compliance requirements.
Monitor service provider contracts to be sure they are in compliance with
the regulations.
Review and adjust random selection timing to maintain compliance with
regulations.
Adjust policies and procedures for administering disciplinary actions
consistent with union agreements.
Effectively present a budget within the constraints of limited finances that
accomplishes the departmental goals.
Supervise a workforce in a way that keeps the team together and working
productively.
Determine an effective course of staff training and development with
limited resources.
Keep abreast of changing rules and procedures that impacts managing a
department.
Search out individuals within the District to effectively respond to departmental operating questions.
Suppress personal feelings when handling emotionally charged issues.
Build trust with other staff that may have competing interests in resolving
complex labor issues.
Overcome the undermining effects of the decisions of others that impact
the stability of labor-management relations.
Depersonalize employee issues so that solutions can be found.
Keep up-to-date on the current state of the applicable laws and
regulations.
Effectively train staff so that they are aware of changes that will impact
their decisions.

Required Computer Skills with:
Common word processing software.
Common spreadsheet software.
Common database applications.
ERMS software concepts.
Accounting or operations software functionality.
Email, contact management, and scheduling software.
Project management software.
Presentation software.

Minimum Qualifications — Any combination of education and experience that would likely provide the required knowledge and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to obtain the knowledge and abilities would be:

A. Required Prior Experience
At least seven years of actual at-the-table bargaining experience with at least two years serving as chief spokesperson, as well as extensive experience in grievance handling, preparation, and presentation of arbitration, developing and presenting raining programs, and at least two years supervision and directing a staff in the performance of the employee and labor relations functions.
B. Required Prior Education
A bachelor’s degree in human resources management, public administration, law, sociology, industrial relations, labor economics, or a closely related field. Six years of additional qualifying experience may substitute for the required education.