Manager, Labor Relations in Aiken, South Carolina at AGY Holding Corp

This position will be responsible for managing the company’s day-to-day relationship with the union, administering the collective bargaining agreement, handling grievances and arbitrations, and ensuring consistent application of workplace policies and disciplinary procedures. The role will also oversee hourly workforce processes, including timecard administration, job bidding, attendance, write-ups, and other corrective actions.

Reporting to and partnering closely with the Vice President of Human Resources, the Senior Manager will serve as a trusted advisor to plant leadership and supervisors. The ideal candidate will be an experienced, hands-on labor relations professional who can build productive union relationships while maintaining accountability, consistency, and compliance across the hourly workforce.

• Serve as the company’s primary day-to-day contact with union representatives and maintain a professional, constructive labor-management relationship.
• Partner with the Vice President of Human Resources to develop and execute the company’s labor relations strategy.
• Administer and interpret the collective bargaining agreement, ensuring consistent application across departments and shifts.
• Manage the grievance process from initial filing through resolution.
• Lead arbitration preparation, including gathering documentation, interviewing witnesses, developing case strategy, and coordinating with legal counsel.
• Represent the company during grievance meetings, labor-management meetings, mediations, arbitrations, and other union proceedings.
• Support the Vice President of Human Resources during collective bargaining and contract negotiations.
• Track grievances, disputes, arbitration outcomes, and other labor relations activity to identify patterns and areas of risk.
• Maintain accurate and complete documentation related to union and employee relations matters.

• Guide supervisors and managers through employee counseling, write-ups, disciplinary actions, suspensions, and terminations.
• Review disciplinary recommendations to ensure they are supported by appropriate documentation and consistent with the collective bargaining agreement, company policy, and past practice.
• Conduct workplace investigations involving misconduct, attendance, policy violations, employee complaints, and other employee relations concerns.
• Draft disciplinary notices, investigation summaries, grievance responses, and other formal correspondence.
• Ensure disciplinary practices are fair, consistent, timely, and legally compliant.
• Provide coaching and training to supervisors on documentation, corrective action, contract compliance, and managing within a union environment.
• Partner with the Vice President of Human Resources on complex, sensitive, or high-risk employee relations matters.

• Oversee and support hourly timecard administration, including reviewing timekeeping issues, resolving discrepancies, and ensuring accurate and timely corrections.
• Work with supervisors, payroll, and HR team members to address missed punches, schedule errors, attendance coding, premium pay, and other timekeeping matters.
• Administer the hourly job-bid process in accordance with the collective bargaining agreement.
• Prepare and post job bids, verify employee eligibility and seniority, coordinate selections, and communicate bid results.
• Maintain accurate records of job bids, transfers, promotions, seniority, attendance, and disciplinary actions.
• Monitor attendance and support the consistent administration of attendance policies and contractual requirements.
• Identify recurring timekeeping, attendance, or workforce administration issues and recommend process improvements.

• Serve as a trusted labor relations advisor to the Vice President of Human Resources, plant leadership, supervisors, and HR team members.
• Maintain a visible and approachable presence across the manufacturing operation and all applicable shifts.
• Monitor developments in labor and employment law and recommend appropriate policy or practice changes.
• Partner with legal counsel and external labor consultants on grievances, arbitrations, investigations, and other labor-related matters.
• Support a workplace culture built on respect, accountability, consistency, and operational effectiveness.

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Industrial Relations, or a related field required; equivalent relevant experience may be considered.
• At least seven years of progressive human resources or labor relations experience.
• At least five years of direct labor relations experience in a unionized manufacturing or industrial environment.
• Demonstrated experience managing union relationships, grievances, arbitration preparation, and collective bargaining agreement administration.
• Strong knowledge of progressive discipline, workplace investigations, attendance administration, and hourly workforce practices.
• Experience with hourly timekeeping systems, timecard administration, seniority rules, and union job-bid processes.
• Ability to interpret complex contract language and apply it consistently to workplace situations.
• Excellent written communication skills, including experience drafting grievance responses, disciplinary notices, and investigation documentation.
• Strong negotiation, conflict-resolution, judgment, and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to establish credibility with union representatives, plant leaders, supervisors, and hourly employees.
• Ability to manage confidential and sensitive matters professionally and discreetly.
• Willingness to maintain a hands-on presence in a 24/7 manufacturing environment and provide support across shifts when necessary.

• Union and labor-management relations
• Collective bargaining agreement administration
• Grievance management and arbitration preparation
• Discipline and corrective-action administration
• Workplace investigations
• Hourly timekeeping and attendance administration
• Union job-bid and seniority processes
• Contract interpretation and compliance
• Documentation and recordkeeping
• Sound judgment, consistency, and accountability