THOMAS JOHN PRESCOTT

**** **** *** *****

Riverside, CA 92508

C: 951-***-****

H: 951-***-****

E

E-mail: abnqsw@r.postjobfree.com

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SKILLS PROFILE

P

Passion for labor/employee relations.

Highly skilled in negotiation and administration of collective bargaining

agreements, including advocacy work, in a broad range of industries including:

public sector, retail foods, forestry, mining, manufacturing, trucking, healthcare,

law enforcement, and service.

Twenty years experience representing management with major unions such as

Teamsters, UFCW, SEIU, LIUNA, IUOE, IWA, USWA, CAW, and others.

Thorough knowledge of labor/employee relations laws and issues in USA and in

Canada.

Most recently worked in California public sector (MMBA, PERB, DFEH). Previously

worked 14 years, exclusively in the private sector. Familiar with NLRA, FMLA,

FLSA, EEOC, Canada Labor Relations Board, British Columbia Labor Relations Board,

Canada Labor Code, Labor Code (British Columbia), and other state and federal labor

laws.

E

Extensive arbitration, labor relations board, and trial experience.

Excellent advocacy skills, analytical ability, written and oral communication, and

negotiation skills.

S

Strong leadership skills.

A

Ability to drive execution in a team environment.

Strategic thinker with sound, logical judgment and proven ability to achieve

continuous improvement and results.

S

Strong ethics and integrity.

Demonstrated ability to build strong relationships and to achieve positive employee

and labor-management relations.

Ability to resolve complex issues in difficult situations while maintaining working

relationships.

Proven record of mentoring labor/employee relations staff and delivering effective

solutions for a wide variety of industries.

S

Speak and write French.

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WORK HISTORY

O

Oct. 2002 present County of Riverside, California

Employee Relations Division Manager (since March 2005)

Responsible for employee/labor relations in the fastest growing county in

California, with more than 19,000 employees and an annual payroll in excess of $1.1

billion.

The face of employee/labor relations for the County both internally and externally.

Act as chief negotiator for labor agreements with five County labor unions.

Administer five labor contracts covering 11 bargaining units and agreements related

to non-union employees.

Manage employee relations staff of 10, with five direct reports and five reporting

through a subordinate manager, as well as thirty indirect reports through other HR

managers.

O

Oversee and evaluate County s employee/labor relations performance.

Manage the grievance procedure including contract interpretation, investigations,

analysis, and arbitration.

Advise Board of Supervisors, CEO, CFO, department heads, and County management on

labor/employee relations and personnel policy issues.

Develop and achieve management concurrence on labor/employee relations issues.

Counsel HR and management staff on labor contact provisions and County policies to

ensure labor agreement and policy compliance.

Counsel County managers on handling employment law and labor/employee relations

matters.

Responsible for compliance with state and federal labor and employment laws

including Americans with Disabilities Act, Fair Labor Standards Act, Family and

Medical Leave Act, Age Discrimination in Employment Act, Fair Employment and

Housing Act (CA), California Family Rights Act, Pregnancy Disability Leave Act

(CA), Meyers-Milias Brown Act (CA), and California Labor Code.

Manage internal and external discrimination complaints and issues. Interface with

EEOC and DFEH (CA).

Review County policies and procedures to ensure compliance with labor contracts, as

well as state and federal employment laws.

D

Develop, implement, and enforce labor and employment policies for the County.

D

Develop short-term and long-term labor relations strategies for the County.

Actively participate in and champion labor/management committees between unions and

County management.

Collaborate with management and unions to achieve successful results and build

effective relationships with internal and external stakeholders.

O

Oversee the training of employees related to County personnel policies.

Prepare, manage, evaluate, and conduct training programs on labor and employment

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Eelated topics.

Advise and train management on the administration of labor agreements and on the

handling of grievances.

M

Mentor - and oversee mentoring - of HR staff related to employee relations issues.

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Provide appropriate professional development opportunities to subordinate staff.

D

Develop talent within HR and other County departments.

Recommend and implement appropriate disciplinary actions for both union and non-

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union employee.

Monitor labor relations trends, developments, case law, and statutory changes and

report key changes to County management and staff.

Coordinate and monitor in-house and outside counsel on employment related

litigation.

A

As appropriate, develop union avoidance plans in conformance with prevailing laws.

Represent the County before the Public Employment Relations Board in cases

involving union organizing and unfair labor practice.

Prepare for arbitration and present case at hearing. Mentor subordinate staff in

the preparation and presentation of arbitration cases.

Key achievements include: renegotiating overtime rules, resulting in annual savings

of more than $13 million; streamlining grievance procedures; reducing timeline for

employee misconduct investigations; developing a corrective rather than punitive

approach to employee discipline; and establishing educational incentives/programs

to develop in-house talent.

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Senior Employee Relations Representative (10/02-03/05)

F

First or second chair on negotiations of labor contracts.

C

Conducted sensitive employee misconduct investigations.

Advised departmental management on employee discipline, interpretation of

collective bargaining agreements, and employment laws.

Prepared arbitration cases and conducted presentation on behalf of County at

hearings.

Represented County at unfair labor practice hearings before the Public Employment

Relations Board.

Advised on the application of the Fair Labor Standards Act, Family and Medical

Leave Act, Americans with Disabilities Act, and other federal and state

legislation.

Represented County in dealings with government agencies such as the Public

Employment Relations Board, the EEOC, and California labor department.

A

Assisted in the administration of the County s labor relations policies.

Researched developing issues and directions in labor relations to provide

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management with information for decision making.

Researched, evaluated, and resolved labor and employment issues with management and

union.

M

Mentored HR staff related to employee relations issues.

June 1995 Oct. 2002 Prescott & Company, Attorney at Law, Washington

Sept. 1988 May 1995 R

Russell & DuMoulin, Barristers & Solicitors, Canada

L

Labor and Employment Law Attorney

Represented employers in grievance arbitration, local and federal labor relations

board hearings, employment standard complaints, and discrimination claims.

Negotiated approximately 50 collective bargaining agreements, more than half of

which involved concessionary bargaining.

H

Highly sought after chief negotiator, particularly in the retail food sector.

Key bargaining achievements included: loosened seniority rules for the assignment

of work and other purposes, implemented two-tier wage scales resulting in 50% wage

reductions, introduced employee buy-out agreements to replace higher cost employees

with lower cost employees, obtained significant concessions from industry

standard agreements in wages, benefits, and other working conditions that resulted

in savings of thousands of dollars in operating costs.

Extensive arbitration and trial experience related primarily to labor/employment

law issues but also general commercial litigation.

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PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS AND CERTIFICATIONS

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State Bar of California (#231460)

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Washington State Bar Association (#27404)

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Law Society of British Columbia (membership not renewed since 2003)

Certified Human Resources Professional (1995) - BC Human Resources Management

Association

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EDUCATION

Simon Fraser University, Canada Masters of Business Administration (M.B.A.) 1992,

Bachelor of Business Administration (B.B.A.) 1984.

University of British Columbia, Canada Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) 1988

[equivalent to Juris Doctor degree (J.D

Snow College, Utah Associate of Science (A.S.) 1980.

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