Senior Labor Relations Specialist

About the role

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)

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