Employment Relations

The Employment Relations team at EMA (Central) is made up of eleven employment relations specialists based in Wellington, Nelson, Napier and Palmerston North.

We’re not HR generalists – we’re employment relations specialists.

Collective bargaining – We believe that the best collective bargaining advocates are those who have plenty of experience and are regularly putting their expertise to use. EMA only certifies its consultants to carry out collective bargaining after comprehensive training and supervision, and only where the consultants will be advocating collective bargaining on a regular basis. EMA consultants advocate a wide range of collective agreements, including MECAs (Multi Employer Collective Agreements), and can assist employers with strategy, planning, advocating during collective bargaining, and dealing with any industrial action.

Investigations – our consultants carry out often complex, large scale investigations into harassment, bullying, incompatibility and other similar issues on behalf of employers.

Restructurings – our consultants are experienced in advising about, preparing and managing restructuring processes – helping you to ensure that a difficult high risk situation runs as smoothly as possible.

Disciplinaries – the Employment Relations team is frequently involved with working through complicated disciplinary processes with employers to make sure all of the legal and procedural requirements are met. We will assist you during meetings to take the difficulty out of potentially stressful situations.

Personal grievance and dispute resolution – employers frequently call on us to represent them in personal grievances and disputes. We represent employers in mediation regularly. Advice and opinions – Our consultants are constantly advising and providing opinions about every aspect of employment law and employment relations practice.

Employment relations audits and reviews – employers concerned about their employment relations history or a string of personal grievances or other problems can seek our assistance in reviewing or auditing what’s going wrong.