Labor Relations Specialists

Overview

Labor Relations Specialists has a national median salary of $95,420 per year, with +2.1% projected job growth from 2025–2035. The Bureau of Labor Statistics lists a bachelor's degree as the typical education needed to enter this occupation.

Description

Resolve disputes between workers and managers, negotiate collective bargaining agreements, or coordinate grievance procedures to handle employee complaints.

Work Values

• Achievement
• Relationships
• Support

Work Styles

Responsibilities

Tasks

• Negotiate collective bargaining agreements.
• Investigate and evaluate union complaints or arguments to determine viability.
• Propose resolutions for collective bargaining or other labor or contract negotiations.
• Draft contract proposals or counter-proposals for collective bargaining or other labor negotiations.
• Interpret contractual agreements for employers and employees engaged in collective bargaining or other labor relations processes.

Work Activities

• Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others
• Getting Information
• Making Decisions and Solving Problems
• Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships
• Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
• Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards
• Processing Information
• Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work
• Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
• Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others

Detailed Work Activities

• Handling complaints, settling disputes, and resolving grievances and conflicts, or otherwise negotiating with others.
• Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
• Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
• Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
• Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
• Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
• Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.
• Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
• Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
• Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used.

T-A-S-K

Technology, Abilities, Skills & Knowledge

Education

Education Levels of Current Workers

The Bureau of Labor Statistics lists a bachelor's degree as the typical education needed to enter this occupation. The chart below shows the highest level of education held by people already working in this field, ages 25 and older. It includes workers who earned more education than the job requires and workers who entered the field under earlier requirements, so the largest bar is not the entry requirement. For example, if someone finished a master's degree and then started working in this field, they are counted under “Master's degree” here, but the job itself typically asks for a bachelor's degree.

Certificates

Certifications applicable to Labor Relations Specialists:

Video Resources