Labor Relations Specialists
Resolve disputes between workers and managers, negotiate collective bargaining agreements, or coordinate grievance procedures to handle employee complaints.
- Median pay
- $95,420
- Doing it now
- 66,300
- By 2035
- Up 2.1%
- Usually needs
- Bachelor's degree
a year
across the country
4,800 openings a year
to get in
What the work involves
- Call or meet with union, company, government, or other interested parties to discuss labor relations matters, such as contract negotiations or grievances.
- Draft contract proposals or counter-proposals for collective bargaining or other labor negotiations.
- Draft rules or regulations to govern collective bargaining activities in collaboration with company, government, or employee representatives.
- Identify alternatives to proposals of unions, employees, companies, or government agencies.
- Interpret contractual agreements for employers and employees engaged in collective bargaining or other labor relations processes.
- Investigate and evaluate union complaints or arguments to determine viability.
- Mediate discussions between employer and employee representatives in attempt to reconcile differences.
What to study
The fields of study the Department of Education links to this occupation, most widely taught first.
- Human Resources Management and ServicesSee 433 colleges that teach it
- Dispute ResolutionSee 3 colleges that teach it
Who it suits
O*NET scores every occupation on six interest dimensions. This one leans hardest on these three.
Leading and persuading
Organised and precise
Helping and teaching
Careers like this one
Where this comes from: the description and the task list are O*NET, which the Department of Labor maintains. Pay, workforce size, outlook and the education normally needed are the Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections programme, 2025 wages and 2025 to 2035 projections. Half of them earn more than $95,420 a year, which means half earn less, and what you would earn depends on where you work and how long you have been doing it. The fields of study come from the National Center for Education Statistics crosswalk.