The
Senior Labor Relations Specialist serves as the principal labor relations subject matter expert supporting the Palisades Nuclear Plant. Reporting directly to the Corporate Director Human Resources, this role owns the day-to-day administration and interpretation of collective bargaining agreements and partners closely with plant leadership, local Human Resources, Legal, Finance, Payroll, and Operations. The position is responsible for strengthening contract administration, reducing avoidable labor costs, promoting consistent employee relations practices, and maintaining constructive relationships with union leadership in a highly regulated operating environment.
This is a hands-on, onsite role requiring sound judgment, credibility with both management and represented employees, and the ability to respond promptly to operational, contractual, and employee relations matters.
Location: Covert, MI (on-site)
Primary Responsibilities:- Serve as the primary labor relations advisor for the plant and provide practical guidance to leaders on collective bargaining agreement interpretation, past practice, grievance handling, discipline, attendance, scheduling, overtime, premium pay, job assignments, and other represented-workforce matters.
- Administer collective bargaining agreements consistently and maintain clear documentation of contract interpretations, historical practices, settlements, side letters, memoranda of agreement, and related commitments.
- Lead or support grievance investigations, grievance meetings, settlement discussions, mediation, arbitration preparation, and other dispute-resolution processes in partnership with Corporate Human Resources and Legal.
- Prepare for and participate in collective bargaining, including proposal development, costing, operational impact analysis, bargaining strategy, documentation, and implementation of negotiated changes.
- Analyze labor-cost drivers, including overtime, premium pay, call-in provisions, staffing schedules, and work-assignment practices; identify root causes and recommend sustainable corrective actions that remain consistent with contractual obligations.
- Partner with Operations, Finance, Payroll, and Human Resources to validate the accurate application of negotiated wage rates, premiums, differentials, allowances, and related contract provisions.
- Advise leaders on employee relations matters involving represented employees, including workplace investigations, performance concerns, corrective action, attendance, and policy application, while promoting consistency and appropriate documentation.
- Build and maintain professional, solutions-oriented relationships with union officers, stewards, and representatives while protecting the Company's operational flexibility and contractual rights.
- Monitor emerging workplace concerns and labor trends, elevate material risks promptly, and develop proactive strategies to reduce grievances, disputes, and operational disruption.
- Provide training and practical tools to supervisors, managers, and the local Human Resources team on contract administration, documentation, grievance prevention, and labor relations fundamentals.
- Develop and maintain labor relations metrics and reporting, including grievance activity, arbitration exposure, settlement trends, overtime and premium-pay drivers, attendance trends, and recurring contract-administration issues.
- Support workforce planning, organizational changes, outage preparation, staffing initiatives, and other plant activities that may affect represented employees or trigger bargaining obligations.
- Coordinate with Corporate Human Resources to ensure plant labor practices align with Company policy, broader employee relations strategy, applicable law, and business objectives.
- Support an orderly transfer of institutional knowledge regarding labor agreements, historical practices, active matters, and key stakeholder relationships.
- Perform other duties and special projects as assigned.
Key Outcomes- Consistent, well-documented administration of collective bargaining agreements across plant functions and shifts.
- Improved leader capability and accountability for labor-contract compliance.
- Reduction in avoidable premium-pay, overtime, grievance, and arbitration costs caused by inconsistent contract administration.
- Timely resolution and escalation of labor and employee relations matters with clear risk assessment.
- Strong continuity of labor relations knowledge and established working relationships during organizational transition.
Requirements:- Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Labor Relations, Business Administration, Industrial Relations, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and directly relevant experience.
- At least seven years of progressive Human Resources, employee relations, or labor relations experience, including substantial responsibility in a unionized environment.
- Demonstrated experience interpreting and administering collective bargaining agreements and managing grievances, discipline, investigations, and dispute-resolution processes.
- Experience supporting collective bargaining or contract negotiations, including research, proposal preparation, costing, implementation, or bargaining-table participation.
- Strong working knowledge of federal and state employment and labor laws and the ability to apply them in practical workplace situations.
- Demonstrated ability to analyze compensation, scheduling, overtime, and premium-pay provisions and translate findings into operational recommendations.
- Strong written communication, documentation, facilitation, negotiation, and conflict-resolution skills.
- Ability to handle sensitive information and high-risk employee matters with discretion, neutrality, and sound judgment.
- Ability to work independently, manage competing priorities, and respond effectively to time-sensitive plant needs.
Preferred Qualifications- Labor relations experience in nuclear power, utilities, energy, manufacturing, heavy industry, or another highly regulated operating environment.
- Experience supporting a live operating facility with continuous operations, multiple shifts, planned outages, or emergency response requirements.
- Experience preparing arbitration cases and working directly with outside labor counsel.
- Professional certification such as SPHR, PHR, SHRM SCP, SHRM CP, or a labor relations credential.
- Experience using HR, payroll, timekeeping, and data-analysis systems to identify labor-cost and contract-administration trends.
Knowledge Skills and Abilities- Deep knowledge of collective bargaining agreement administration, grievance processes, labor-management relations, and progressive discipline.
- Ability to earn credibility with plant leadership, frontline supervisors, employees, union representatives, and corporate stakeholders.
- Business and financial acumen sufficient to evaluate operational and cost implications of labor decisions.
- Calm, direct, and professional communication in high-pressure or emotionally charged situations.
- Strong attention to detail, recordkeeping discipline, and ability to distinguish contractual requirements from historical practice.
- Ability to balance consistent policy and contract administration with practical operational needs.
Work Environment and Other Requirements- This position is based onsite at the Palisades Nuclear Plant in Covert, Michigan. Regular remote work is not anticipated.
- Must be able to obtain and maintain all site access, security, safety, training, and fitness-for-duty qualifications required for the position and areas accessed.
- Work is performed in both office and industrial plant environments and may require entry into operating areas, use of required personal protective equipment, and walking or standing for extended periods.
- Must be available to support multiple shifts and respond outside normal business hours when required by outages, emergencies, bargaining, investigations, grievances, or other time-sensitive plant matters.
- Occasional travel may be required for negotiations, hearings, training, or meetings at other Company locations.
