Research Associate

**SEIU Healthcare is a union of more than 60,000 members who are frontline healthcare workers in hospitals, long-term care facilities, and homecare agencies in communities throughout Ontario. We advocate with our members by launching progressive member driven programs, adapting best practices, and encouraging new and innovative ideas. We strive to create a society where workers are valued and rewarded for their work. As a result, thriving workers have a greater opportunity to participate and lead in building healthy communities. We provide a strong voice through collective bargaining, labour relations, and political action to ensure frontline workers are heard and respected when decisions about healthcare are being made.**

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The **Research Associate** promotes the values, principles, and services of the SEIU by being responsible for providing support for collective agreement negotiations up to and including interest arbitration. This will include but is not limited to 1) conducting qualitative and quantitative research on comparative terms and conditions of employment, the economy, and corporate structures of Employers in order to support negotiations, 2) drafting arbitration briefs and presenting at arbitrations, and 3) research on government healthcare policy and spending. In addition, researchers will be involved in generating position papers that reflect the interests and policy positions of the Union. 4) Provide central and chain bargaining support.

The position holder will report to the Director Of Research, and work in close coordination with Union Reps, Clerical Staff, Researchers, and their assigned sector managers. This position will communicate with SEIU leadership on an as-needed basis to respond to research requests.

This position is full-time working at our Head Office in Richmond Hill, Ontario.

**DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES**:

- Compile and update tables, charts, graphs and summarized statistics for integration in arbitration briefs, research papers and reports, as well as to assist in collective agreement bargaining.
- Collect, consolidate, cross-tabulate and format data from various sources to prepare draft reports and summaries to be used by various internal stakeholder.
- Maintain, organize and update database of historical and current tables, charts, graphs, briefs, collective agreements, etc.
- Support bargaining activities by editing/drafting collective agreement language, reviewing proposals, preparing position papers, attending negotiations, etc.
- Conduct corporate and sector research and produce memos to facilitate improved bargaining.
- Compile and analyze statistical information provided by private and public health care institutions and organizations and produce reports.
- Draft interest arbitration briefs and conduct presentations before Boards of Interest Arbitration.
- Compile information and produce summary memos and position papers on changes in healthcare policy, legislation, jurisprudence, government spending, and Employer sources of funding.
- Collaborate with other researchers and departments to generate ideas and produce position papers that reflect SEIU positions and support SEIU strategic initiatives.
- Provide research support on grievances and human rights issues for internal stakeholders using various legal databases.
- Compile information and produce reports on the provincial economy based on various indicators of economic health.
- Presenting key insights from data analysis to a variety of different audiences (leadership, membership, etc).
- Support the development of corporate campaigns using innovative research avenues to derive campaign theory.
- Maintain pulse on the healthcare industry, tracking key policy changes that impact various healthcare sectors.
- To manage and record expenses made during regular business using a company credit card/gas card, in accordance with SEIU financial policies.
- Attend regular sector and staff meetings, as needed.
- Maintain knowledge of all relevant labour and healthcare legislation.
- Other duties as assigned.

**EDUCATION**:
Master's Degree (Industrial/Labour Relations, Law, journalism, etc.); or an equivalent combination of experience in Research.

**REQUIRED EXPERIENCE**
- A minimum of 1 year of demonstrated experience in labour relations through quantitative research, qualitative research, and analytical methodologies.
- Active involvement in community engagement and advocacy groups.
- Experience comparing and drafting collective agreement language.
- Demonstrated understanding of how unions operate, including experience in arbitration matters including drafting briefs and conducting presentations.
- Demonstrated experience in developing and gathering primary information from government records, interviews, online sources, annual reports, workforce data sources and other primary sources.

**SKILLS & COMPETENCIES REQUIRED**:

- Knowledge of the Ontario political system and the impact of legislative changes in the