Director Labor Relations- EN

Hiring salary range: $164,000.00 - $198,975.00. Salaries are determined individually based on skills and experience.

About the role

The incumbent is responsible for overseeing all aspects of labor relations in the United States, with additional responsibility for a portion of labor relations in Canada. The role consists of collective bargaining, collective agreement applications and interpretations, and development of strategic initiatives impacting employees while ensuring consistency within and across borders. The incumbent is a strategic advisor to senior leaders on complex business issues. The Director creates a cohesive vision and global approach to keep CN’s labor relations liabilities to a minimum.

Responsibilities

• Collective Bargaining
  • Participates in Section 6 National Bargaining on behalf of CN under the Railway Labor Act
  • Meets with key internal stakeholders within various business units to review collective bargaining agreements (CBAs) before they become amendable
  • Researches past agreements, arbitration awards, and Public Law Board decisions to develop persuasive bargaining positions
  • Acts as CN’s lead at the collective bargaining table and presents arguments that drive commitment to favorable CBAs for CN business units
  • Leads collective bargaining in Canada as the chief spokesperson
• Developing Strategic Initiatives
  • Works with Vice-Presidents on CBA impediments and risk evaluations pertaining to their groups
  • Ensures CN’s vision is consistently applied so that CBAs are beneficial for both labor organizations and CN and customer disruptions are minimized
  • Provides strategic advice on CBA terms, coordinates with national multi-employer bargaining efforts (e.g., National Carriers’ Conference Committee) where applicable, and plans for upcoming amendable dates
  • Ensures cohesiveness of CBAs between various groups so that all negative impacts to CN are avoided (work stoppages, disputes, self-help actions, etc.), leveraging the RLA’s status quo and cooling-off provisions
• Contract Administration and Grievance Handling
  • Evaluates complex grievances that require quick resolution through keen interpretation of CBA provisions and past practice
  • Engages with labor organization representatives to understand the foundations and facts of disputes, distinguishing between minor disputes (grievances) and major disputes under the RLA
  • Oversees the preparation and presentation of cases before the National Railroad Adjustment Board, Public Law Boards, and special boards of adjustment
  • Manages interactions with the National Mediation Board (NMB) for mediation of bargaining impasses and potential arbitration proceedings
• Working Conditions
  • Based in Homewood, Illinois with standard office working conditions and a regular workweek from Monday to Friday
  • Eligible to participate in CN’s hybrid work model
  • Requires frequent travel across the United States and occasional travel to Canada
  • Involves managing priorities and delivering work within established timelines, with support from the team to ensure sustainable and effective workload management
  • Expected to learn applicable Canadian labor laws and relevant legislative statutes if not already known

Requirements

• Experience
  • 15 years of labor relations experience
  • Collective bargaining with specific experience as spokesperson
  • Demonstrated experience with collective agreements including creation, application, and interpretation
  • Experience managing employees
  • Railway industry experience (asset)
  • Human Resources Management (asset)
• Education/Certification/Designation
  • Bachelor’s or Master’s Degree in Human Resources, Labor Relations, or equivalent
• Competencies
  • Knows the business and stays current with industry trends to elevate expertise and work
  • Applies analytical thinking to make recommendations that pursue sustainable performance
  • Makes informed and timely decisions to get things done
  • Influences by translating expertise into practical business outcomes
  • Tracks metrics to achieve ambitious targets and holds self accountable to meet performance expectations
  • Initiates and drives organizational changes to enable business transformation
  • Collaborates with key internal stakeholders to enable higher productivity
• Stakeholder Engagement
  • Builds and maintains an internal network to support a better overall work experience
  • Deals with pressure and change by staying calm to quickly adapt to changes
  • Negotiates towards a win-win outcome while taking all points of view into consideration
  • Fluently bilingual both written and verbal (English, French) (asset)
• Technical Skills/Knowledge
  • Knowledge of CN’s Labor Relations policies and procedures
  • Knowledge of the US Railway Labor Act and the National Labor Relations Act
  • Knowledge of Canadian legislation such as the Canada Labour Code and the Canadian Human Rights Act (asset)
  • Ability to research legislation and jurisprudence
  • Critical thinking and organized
  • Ability to be a strategic advisor to different levels of internal leaders

Benefits

• Annual bonus
• Employee Share Investment Program (ESIP)
• Pension
• Railroad Retirement Benefits (RRB)
• Other perks

About CN

CN is a premium railroad that sustainably generates value for customers, shareholders, employees, and stakeholders with an unwavering commitment to safety and service. Essential to the economy, CN safely transports more than 300 million tons of natural resources, manufactured products, and finished goods throughout North America every year. CN’s network connects Canada’s Eastern and Western coasts with the U.S. South through a 20,000-mile rail network. CN and its affiliates have been contributing to community prosperity and sustainable trade since 1919. CN powers the North American economy and is committed to programs supporting social responsibility and environmental stewardship. At CN, we are dedicated to building North America’s safest, most inclusive, and sustainable railroad, which includes reflecting the communities in which we operate.