Labor relations specialists held about 79,200 jobs in 2018. The largest employers of labor relations specialists were as follows:
| Labor unions and similar labor organizations | 77% |
| Government | 3 |
| Management of companies and enterprises | 2 |
Labor relations specialists generally work in offices. Some may travel for arbitration meetings or to discuss contracts with employees or management. The work of labor relations specialists can be stressful because negotiating contracts and resolving labor grievances can be tense.
Work Schedules
Most labor relations specialists work full time during regular business hours. Some specialists work longer periods when preparing for meetings or settling disputes.
Applicants usually have a bachelor’s degree in labor relations, human resources, industrial relations, business, or a related field. However, the level of education and experience required to become a labor relations specialist varies by position and employer.
Education
Labor relations specialists usually have a bachelor’s degree. Some schools offer a bachelor’s degree in labor or employment relations. These programs focus on labor-specific topics such as employment law and contract negotiation.
Candidates also may qualify for labor relations specialist positions with a bachelor’s degree in human resources, industrial relations, business, or a related field. Coursework typically includes business, professional writing, human resource management, and accounting.
Work Experience in a Related Occupation
Many positions require previous work experience. Candidates can gain experience as human resources specialists, compensation, benefits, and job analysis specialists, or human resources generalists before specializing in labor relations.
Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations
Some colleges and universities offer labor relations certificates to specialists who prefer greater specialization in certain topics, such as mediation. Earning these certificates give participants a better understanding of labor law, the collective bargaining process, and worker grievance procedures.
Advancement
Labor relations specialists who seek further expertise in contract negotiation, labor law, and similar topics may become lawyers. They will need to earn a law degree and pass their state’s bar exam.
Labor relations specialists typically have an interest in the Helping, Persuading and Organizing interest areas, according to the Holland Code framework. The Helping interest area indicates a focus on assisting, serving, counseling, or teaching other people. The Persuading interest area indicates a focus on influencing, motivating, and selling to other people. The Organizing interest area indicates a focus on working with information and processes to keep things arranged in orderly systems.
If you are not sure whether you have a Helping or Persuading or Organizing interest which might fit with a career as a labor relations specialist, you can take a career test to measure your interests.
Labor relations specialists should also possess the following specific qualities:
Decisionmaking skills. Labor relations specialists use decisionmaking skills to help management and labor agree on decisions when resolving grievances or other disputes.
Detail oriented. Specialists must be detail oriented when evaluating labor laws and maintaining records of an employee grievance.
Interpersonal skills. Interpersonal skills are essential for labor relations specialists. When mediating between labor and management, specialists must be able to converse and connect with people from different backgrounds.
Listening skills. Listening skills are essential for labor relations specialists. When evaluating grievances, for example, they must pay careful attention to workers’ responses, understand the points they are making, and ask relevant follow-up questions.
Writing skills. All labor relations specialists need strong writing skills to be effective at their job. They often draft proposals, and these proposals must be able to convey complex information to both workers and management.
The median annual wage for labor relations specialists was $69,020 in May 2019. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $19,230, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $124,380.
In May 2019, the median annual wages for labor relations specialists in the top industries in which they worked were as follows:
| Management of companies and enterprises | $87,130 |
| Government | 72,980 |
| Labor unions and similar labor organizations | 65,870 |
Most labor relations specialists work full time during regular business hours. Some specialists work longer periods when preparing for meetings or settling disputes.
Employment of labor relations specialists is projected to decline 8 percent from 2018 to 2028. The rate of union membership in 1983 was 20.1 percent; the current rate is about half that. The number of wage and salary workers who are union members is likely to continue declining. This will result in less demand for the services of labor relations specialists.
Job Prospects
Job prospects for labor relations specialists are expected to be less than favorable because there will be less demand for their work. Overall, candidates with a bachelor’s degree, related work experience, and professional certificates should have the best job prospects.
For more information about labor relations careers and certification, visit
Society for Human Resource Management
Federal Labor Relations Authority
CareerOneStop
For a career video on labor relations specialists, visit