Union Representative

**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 Union Representative delivers excellent member service and is responsible for all aspects of labor relations and member engagement in the workplaces they represent. These duties include the effective administration of collective agreements, contract negotiations, grievances, and other matters related to the employment relationship between our members and their employer.

The position is also responsible to identify and coach member leaders to become more active and capable members of the union and to support our member education and mobilization programs in support of our broader organizational strategy to strengthen a wider movement for social justice and political participation across our membership.

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

**DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES**:

- Plan, develop and execute initiatives to encourage member driven unit events, actions, and campaigns to resolve unit issues.
- Coach stewards to lead various meetings and support SEIU Healthcare in early identification and resolution of unit issues.
- Support organizational political strategies by recruiting member leaders and promoting and participating in political actions and events.
- Develop and maintain productive relationships with internal and external stakeholders (employers, members, internal departments, OLRB, arbitrators etc.).
- Facilitate and coordinate General Membership Meetings, Steward Meetings, Labour Management Meetings, Site Visits, and Departmental Meetings in assigned units.
- Lead collective bargaining for assigned units while working with the Research Department in accordance with established standards, procedures, and timelines.
- Manage the grievance process, working toward early resolution in accordance with individual collective agreements and internal processes.
- Analyze and interpret complex contract and legislative language.
- Resolve issues within units through interpretation and enforcement of contracts and related legislation.
- Work in collaboration with administrative support to ensure unit files, unit events, negotiation files, records, reports, and grievance collateral is entered in UnionWare.
- Facilitate attendance management and return to work meetings in assigned units.
- Ensure timely submission and preparation of detailed files for interest and rights arbitrations.
- Ensure required committees in assigned units have SEIU representation.
- Complete and submit monthly unit status reports and monthly expense reports.
- Ensure legal and other billing accurately reflects events as they occur and are submitted per policy.
- Manage and record expenses made during regular business using a company credit card/gas card, in accordance with SEIU financial policies.
- Other duties as assigned.

**EDUCATION BACKGROUND**

At SEIU Healthcare, we understand that the best people do not always have the same access and opportunities to education, and while post-secondary education is always preferred, we want to make sure nothing stands in the way of finding the right person.

**EXPERIENCE REQUIRED**
- Minimum of three (3) years labour relations experience, preferably in a labor union environment.
- Experience negotiating first and renewal collective agreements and administer those agreements through their life cycle.
- Experience handling and processing grievances through referral to arbitration
- Experience in the healthcare sector is an added advantage

**SKILLS & COMPETENCIES REQUIRED**:

- Proficiency in languages other than English is an asset.
- IT skills is an asset
- Working knowledge of relevant legislation (ESA, OHRC, WSIA, OHSA, OLRA).
- Ability to negotiate first and renewal collective agreements and administer those agreements through their life cycle.
- Ability to process grievances through referral to arbitration
- Proficient with Microsoft Office and Union Ware
- Strong interpersonal skills, excellent writing, and verbal skills
- Strong analytical and critical thinking skills.
- Strong conflict resolution skills and the ability to deal with tense situations.
- Self-motivated and able to work independently with mínimal supervision.
- Time management skills.
- Building and maintaining trust relationships with all stakeholder