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Labour relations specialist skills for your resume and career

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
Quoted experts
Daniel Eveleth Ph.D.,
David Anderson
Below we've compiled a list of the most critical labour relations specialist skills. We ranked the top skills for labour relations specialists based on the percentage of resumes they appeared on. For example, 14.1% of labour relations specialist resumes contained hr as a skill. Continue reading to find out what skills a labour relations specialist needs to be successful in the workplace.

15 labour relations specialist skills for your resume and career

1. HR

HR stands for human resources and is used to describe the set of people who work for a company or an organization. HR responsibilities revolve around updating employee records and carrying out management processes like planning, recruitment, evaluation, and selection processes. HR is a key contributor to any company or organization's growth as they are in charge of hiring the right employees, processing payrolls, conducting disciplinary actions, etc.

Here's how labour relations specialists use hr:
  • Recruited to support a 2300-member workforce by generating strategic proposals based on intensive HR data analysis.
  • Provide assistance to HR and Line Managers on employee relations/compliance policy interpretation and application.

2. Collective Bargaining Agreements

Collective Bargaining Agreement, CBA, is the collective agreement reached between an employer and the union --that is, employee-members of that union basically on terms and conditions of employment including wages and salaries, working hours, benefits, health and safety policies, and many more.

Here's how labour relations specialists use collective bargaining agreements:
  • Managed administration of collective bargaining agreements, responded to union requests for information and advised management on contract requirements.
  • Served as strategic member on negotiating committee for eight collective bargaining agreements, delivering considerable savings and management flexibility.

3. Collective Bargaining

Here's how labour relations specialists use collective bargaining:
  • Provide cost analysis of proposals and counter-proposals useful to arrive at labor agreements during collective bargaining sessions.
  • Provided technical interpretation, advice and counseling to management in relation to the collective bargaining agreement.

4. Arbitration

Here's how labour relations specialists use arbitration:
  • Conducted investigations, imposed employee discipline and managed the disciplinary process up through grievance and arbitration.
  • Conducted investigative research and documents all data in preparation for grievances, arbitration's and negotiations.

5. EEO

Here's how labour relations specialists use eeo:
  • Administered unemployment compensation and EEO program.
  • Maintain current knowledge of EEO and affirmative action guidelines and laws, such as Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

6. Industrial Relations

Here's how labour relations specialists use industrial relations:
  • Returned to school to get a degree in Personnel and Industrial Relations
  • Performed industrial relations functions for 1,500 production and service employees in auto assembly plant.

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7. Mediation

Here's how labour relations specialists use mediation:
  • Presided over Panel resolution proceedings, including providing extensive mediation assistance during informal conferences, fact-finding sessions, and mediation-arbitration hearings.
  • Conducted and developed Labor Relations Training for Bargaining Unit Supervisors in partnership with the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service.

8. Payroll

Payroll is the sum of all the compensation that an organization has to pay to employees at a specified time. Payroll is managed by the finance or HR department while small business owners may handle it themselves. Payroll isn't fixed as it varies every month due to sick leaves, overtime, etc.

Here's how labour relations specialists use payroll:
  • Consulted with manufacturing supervisors regarding payroll for 1,200 union and non-union employees.
  • Managed the payroll for more than 2000 union employees, hire and terminations procedures aligned to the company and state guidelines.

9. Performance Management

Here's how labour relations specialists use performance management:
  • Coordinated/implemented Agency Performance Management System.
  • Review disciplines ensuring that Performance Management discipline step process is followed and past practices are consistent.

10. Disciplinary Actions

Disciplinary actions refer to a corrective measure taken against an employee for unsatisfactory behavior. Many work environments have a tiered system for disciplinary action, where the first warning is verbal and the second is written. Disciplinary action may be given after a weak performance review, a violation of company rules and policies, or a poor customer review.

Here's how labour relations specialists use disciplinary actions:
  • Provided consultation to managers on contractual and procedural obligations including disciplinary actions, negotiations, dispute settlement and grievance procedures.
  • Prepare company written responses to formal grievances and maintain historical records as required for grievance process and disciplinary actions.

11. Contract Administration

Here's how labour relations specialists use contract administration:
  • Experience leading labor relations negotiations and contract administration.
  • Contract administration and negotiations preparation.

12. Labor Relations Issues

Here's how labour relations specialists use labor relations issues:
  • Tasked with investigating/resolving labor relations issues and allegations of sexual harassment and discrimination.
  • Perform research to generate regular and special reports regarding various employee and labor relations issues.

13. Contract Interpretation

Here's how labour relations specialists use contract interpretation:
  • Provided guidance and contract interpretations to managers, supervisors, and personnel officers that related to disciplinary and performance issues.
  • Monitored statewide contract compliance and administered labor relations activities statewide for multiple agencies to include contract interpretation and administration.

14. HRIS

Here's how labour relations specialists use hris:
  • Track and maintain correspondence files and documents on Share Point and HRIS(HRBE) data bases.
  • Posted commendations and counseling notices into HRIS (Filenet).

15. Contract Negotiations

When a contract is negotiated, an agreement is reached on a series of legally binding terms before it is signed and made official. Two or more parties agree on the terms of their relationship. When negotiating a contract, the focus is usually on risk and return.

Here's how labour relations specialists use contract negotiations:
  • Participated in the development of the City's negotiation strategy including drafting proposals for contract negotiations and participating in contract negotiations.
  • Participated in union contract negotiations, and implemented company policies after consultation with company Labor Law Director.
top-skills

What skills help Labour Relations Specialists find jobs?

Tell us what job you are looking for, we’ll show you what skills employers want.

What skills stand out on labour relations specialist resumes?

Daniel Eveleth Ph.D.

Professor of Management and Human Resources, University of Idaho

Given this emphasis on the candidate, employee, and manager experiences, what skills are needed:

-Empathy skill - able to look at "our processes" through the eyes of the candidate, employee, manager. It is their journey, not our process.
-Relationship building - given the demand for talent, we often need to play the long game; rather than posting a job announcement and praying for applications to "process," we may need to develop connections with passive job seekers, for example, who may not be ready to apply; we need to think about how we reject candidates so that they pass on positive word of mouth to others and possibly reply/apply when a better fit appears. We may need to develop our relationships with hiring managers to help them make quicker hiring decisions, help them avoid biases when interviewing, learn more from them about their talent needs and preferences.
-Ability and willingness to search for talent. There are excellent job seekers who don't know your organization exists or that you have a culture, positions, etc., that would be a good fit. This is particularly critical for helping a company meet its DEI goals.
-Interpersonal communication skills:
-Job candidates prefer recruiters who are both warm/approachable and knowledgeable about the jobs and the company.
-Hiring managers and other business partners often have varying degrees of experience with recruiting, selection, onboarding, development practices and have unique needs and often unique personalities, work styles, etc. Communication with them is critical and sometimes includes having challenging conversations.
-Tools-oriented skills:
-Data analysis skills
-Journey/Experience mapping
-Data visualization (e.g., Tableau)
-Knowledge of applicant tracking systems
-Success using social media to engage followers (e.g., managed a fraternity's social media sites to engage alumni)
-Familiarity with managing conversations via remote technology.
-Interest in the company/industry.

What labour relations specialist skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?

David Anderson

Professor, Department of Kinesiology, and Director, Marian Wright Edelman Institute, San Francisco State University

Two broad skills stand out - adaptability and collaboration. We have witnessed a surge of technological innovation in the sub-disciplinary areas that comprise the broader field of Kinesiology. In addition, the nature of the work we do continues to change. As such, graduates need the capacity to adapt to these changes to ensure their skill sets and their practice remains up to date and relevant. Kinesiologists can only tackle the big problems we address in the field, like lowering the rates of chronic diseases linked to sedentary lifestyles, overcoming health disparities and ensuring equitable access to opportunities for physical activity, preventing injuries in sport, and helping elderly people maintain functional independence, by working collaboratively in interdisciplinary teams. The ability to collaborate with others thus becomes an essential skill.

What soft skills should all labour relations specialists possess?

Philomena Morrissey Satre

Director of Diversity Equity & Inclusion and External Strategic Partnerships, Land O Lakes

Inquisitive, ability to operate within ambiguity, strong customer service aptitude, strong cultural competency skills, agility, and adaptability to change.

List of labour relations specialist skills to add to your resume

Labour relations specialist skills

The most important skills for a labour relations specialist resume and required skills for a labour relations specialist to have include:

  • HR
  • Collective Bargaining Agreements
  • Collective Bargaining
  • Arbitration
  • EEO
  • Industrial Relations
  • Mediation
  • Payroll
  • Performance Management
  • Disciplinary Actions
  • Contract Administration
  • Labor Relations Issues
  • Contract Interpretation
  • HRIS
  • Contract Negotiations
  • Grievance Hearings
  • Appeals
  • Conflict Resolution
  • Employment Law
  • Data Entry
  • Personnel Policies
  • FMLA
  • Labor Law
  • Labor Agreements
  • Grievance Procedure
  • Employee Engagement
  • Grievance Process
  • Training Programs
  • Labor Negotiations
  • Contract Language
  • Arbitration Cases
  • Labor Management
  • FLSA
  • Labor Relations
  • Labor Contracts
  • Management Training
  • Exit Interviews
  • Progressive Discipline
  • Contract Proposals
  • Legal Research
  • Internal Investigations
  • Labor Organizations
  • Sexual Harassment
  • Unfair Labor Practices
  • Settlement Agreements

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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