Emma has never had to manage a union contract before. As the HR Manager, she is involved with the grievance handling process as the third step in the process. At her first meeting with the union steward, the steward began yelling at Emma and telling her what she had to do to satisfy the union in this situation. Emma was stunned. What should she do?

Employee and labor relations are complex issues. They often require HR personnel to understand complex legal requirements. They depend on talented and skilled management personnel to guide employees and the organization through all requirements of day-to-day concerns. In today’s employment world, HR professionals must have a great depth of legal knowledge because they will need to use that knowledge every day.