Labour Relations Specialist

The Dufresne Group is the largest licensee of Ashley in Canada, with locations from B.C. to Ontario. Our distribution teams play an important role in getting the home furnishings our guests love to them.

We’re looking for a Labour Relations Specialist to support respectful, productive relationships between our leaders, team members and union partners. If you value fair and consistent workplace practices and want to Make Life Better for our teams and communities, we’d like to hear from you. This role is based at 333 Matheson Blvd W, Mississauga, ON L5R 3G3.

In this role, you will advise leaders on labour and employee relations matters, support the consistent application of collective agreements and workplace policies, and help resolve workplace concerns.

The Dufresne Group is committed to investing in our team members; we offer:

Annual salary of $60,000–$80,000

Comprehensive benefits plan, educational assistance program and team member discounts

Employer Sponsored Retirement Savings Plan

• A collaborative working environment
• Opportunities for learning and professional development
• The opportunity to work with a purpose-driven organization that is consistently ranked as one of Canada’s Best Managed Companies

As a Labour Relations Specialist, you will

• Support the interpretation and consistent application of collective agreements, company policies and applicable employment legislation
• Advise leaders on labour relations and employee relations matters
• Support the grievance process, including reviewing concerns, gathering information and preparing responses
• Assist with workplace investigations and the resolution of employee concerns
• Build and maintain effective working relationships with union representatives, leaders and team members
• Coach leaders on documentation and consistent practices when addressing workplace matters
• Support labour relations meetings and prepare related materials and follow-up actions
• Identify recurring workplace issues and share recommendations with HR and business leaders
• Maintain accurate, confidential records and prepare reports as required
• Travel within Canada approximately 10–20% of the time

As a successful candidate, you will have the following

• Progressive Human Resources experience, including 2–3 years of hands-on labour relations experience in a unionized environment
• Experience with collective agreement interpretation, investigations, grievance management, conflict resolution and problem-solving
• Sound judgment and objective analysis, with the ability to develop practical recommendations and recognize matters requiring escalation
• Strong working knowledge of Ontario labour and employment legislation, including the Labour Relations Act, 1995, Employment Standards Act, 2000, Human Rights Code, Occupational Health and Safety Act, and applicable workers’ compensation requirements
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to prepare clear grievance responses, investigation documentation and decision rationales
• Ability to build credibility and productive relationships with leaders, HR partners, team members and union representatives
• High discretion, professionalism, organization and attention to detail, with the ability to manage multiple sensitive files and competing deadlines
• Self-direction and accountability in managing routine and moderately complex work, while collaborating with and seeking guidance from the Senior HR Business Partner on higher-risk matters
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and the ability to learn internal systems
• A post-secondary education in Human Resources, Labour Relations or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and experience
• AI tools may be used during the hiring process to screen, assess or select applicants for the position.
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