Clients

Running Deer Resources develops Customized Engagement Strategies to maximize opportunities for indigenous people and industry. Working Warriors is wholly owned by Running Deer and is a cloud-based management platform that assists Indigenous communities with identifying their workforce, assets related to economic development as well as managing their industry partnerships.

Oakbridges is retained to provide counsel to owners regarding the interaction of Labour laws, union practices, contractor and workforce practices on mega construction projects in Canada.  Also to assist with setting strategy and plans to achieve these two organizations goals. Oakbridges services included negotiation of province wide enabling agreements with Unions on behalf of the owners.

Assisted Owners and Management of a ServiceMaster Clean company in GTA prepare for bargaining with their employees’ union.  Acted as chief spokesperson.  Provided labour relations counsel in support of key business plans.

The Mearie Group provides insurance, financial and business solutions to the energy sector in Ontario.  This member driven organization is closely aligned with the Electrical Distributors Association.  Oakbridges joined Mearie’s Human Capital Risk Management Team in late 2018 as the exclusive Labour and Industrial Relations consultants to Mearie and its members.  Oakbridges supplies consulting and training services to all members in this heavily unionized sector.

Provided on demand Labour Relations consulting service to Chief Administrative Officer for Municipality.

Engaged to develop a Project Industrial and Labour Relations Strategy and Execution Plan for the construction of the Cote Mine in Northern Ontario.

Engaged to develop an Industrial and Labour Relations Strategy and Execution Plan for all Ontario facilities. This assignment was following a strike and involved establishing the desired industrial relations climate and culture for the future.

Engaged to develop a Project Industrial and Labour Relations Strategy and Execution Plan for the construction of a new green field Pea Processing Plant in Portage la Prairie. Manitoba.

Reviewed Operations and Technical Service Department structure and processes and made recommendations to improve decision making at their Trail B.C. smelting operations. This work has developed into a major study of all functional areas.

Provided Labour Relations consulting services to senior leadership team related to a significant jurisdiction grievance received from the Power Workers Union. Advised on longer term Labour Strategy.

Prepared a Labour Market Study for a construction project taking place in southern Manitoba. The Study provided data for use in preparing the construction estimate and risk and benefits management plans.

Provided Labour Relations counsel to senior leaders regarding the establishment of construction and services joint venture companies. Ensured Impact Benefit Agreements for the gold mine project in the region were adjusted to guarantee beneficial labour outcomes aligned with community interests.

Currently we are working with Seven Generations (co-owned by Rainy River First Nations (FN) and Big Grassy FN) to develop an online Aboriginal Cultural Awareness training product.

Working with the Aboriginal Skilled Workers Association we advised leaders of a joint venture between Carry The Kettle First Nation and BEMAC construction. Nakota has since secured Tier 1 supplier status with Potash Corp and awarded a substantial maintenance package. The company is also actively pursuing major work with BHP’s Jansen project and Enbridge’s Line 3 pipeline.

Developed Labour Relations strategy and assisted company in preparation of collective bargaining with a mandate to address changes needed in a highly competitive consulting marketplace in the Nuclear Sector in Ontario. Note: The company was acquired by Kinetrics in 2018.

Provided industrial relations (IR) strategy development and execution support pre-construction and during construction for the $1B Rainy River mine site located in northern Ontario. Also provided industrial relations (IR) strategy support during the feasibility and identification stages for the New Gold Blackwater mine project in BC.

Provided on demand Industrial and Labour Relations consulting services to strategy to SVP HR and Director of Labour Relations. Conducted workshops and planning meetings with senior operations and HR/LR leaders to review and adjust business strategy and plans to ensure compliance with Labour Relations strategy.

Worked with North American leadership team to establish a labour relations (LR) strategy and governance structure. Created bargaining strategy and provided LR oversight for union negotiations related to 2015-2016 $50M new capital investment project in Kentucky. Also provided collective bargaining support for facilities in Calgary (Alberta Distillers Ltd.) and in St. Croix (Cruzan Rum Distillery).

Worked with Project leadership team to develop the Industrial and Labour Relations Strategy for the Energy East project. Developed Rev 1.0 of the project Labour Relations Project Execution Plan.

Over a two year period, worked with the Canadian leadership team to create and execute a Labour Relations Strategy following a recent merger and acquisition.

Provided Labour Relations workshops to entire City management team: Preparation for Collective Bargaining, Managing in a Union Environment, and Performance Management in a Union Environment

Developed a long term Industrial Relations strategy with the Senior Executive team, supported the development of the collective bargaining mandate for Ekati mine site, aided in preparation for bargaining and supported the negotiating team and provided supervisory training.

Conducted strategy and bargaining preparation workshop with Management Bargaining Team and related consulting services following a recent merger and acquisition.

Conducted a cultural analysis to determine the efficacy of Human Resources and Industrial Relations programming and reported findings on how to improve program delivery with emphasis on improvements to the Human Resources Partners’ model.

Developing a strategy to explore a shared-services model that enables the power distribution company (LDC) to diversify its revenue streams and reduce operating costs by offering common core services to other LDCs and organizations outside the sector that have similar needs. Also facilitated a Business Strategy workshop for the senior management team.

Prepared the Project Industrial and Labour Relations Strategy for the construction of the world’s most northern operating mine located on Baffin Island.

Worked with senior leaders to preparations for renewal collective bargaining acted as chief negotiator on behalf of management.

Conducted a Preparation for Bargaining Workshop with Senior Leadership team and all members of the bargaining team.

Provided on demand Labour Relations consulting services to Head of HR and Labour Relations.

Facilitated the formation of the union’s long-term strategy for the union that contemplated a management and business owners point of view.

Reviewed Fort Hills construction project team’s Project Labour Cost assumptions for input to the Fort Hills Project Estimate.

Developed Industrial Relations strategies for four distinct operations in Saskatchewan and Washington State including providing labour relations governance over two “managed open site” construction projects worth in excess of $5B, establishing a bargaining strategy to introduce a new operating model with the ILWU (Longshoremen) and operating a state of the art mining operation in Saskatchewan union-free.

Provided Labour Relations consulting services related to Power Sector projects.

Conducted a situational assessment and prepared a Labour Relations Report and recommendations as input to business planning.

Conducted a situational assessment and prepared a Labour Relations Report and recommendations as input to business planning.

Developed long term labour relations plan to regain management rights and contain union jurisdictions by examining all processes involved in the administration, application and interpretation of the collective agreements. Successes included suspending the Society of Energy Professionals veto authority over contracting out and eliminating mandatory interest arbitration (in order to fully leverage future collective bargaining opportunities).

Created a comprehensive training program for managers to strengthen the front line capabilities to handle labour relations issues in a decentralized environment where contact with employees was infrequent (Ready Mix drivers). Also developed and executed a plan to convert the defined benefit pension plan to a defined contribution plan resulting in a landmark arbitration award in favour of the company.

Designed a downsizing plan in a non-union environment (the first lay-offs in the company’s 40 year history) and executed the plan during a union organizing drive. The results were to thwart the union’s organizing efforts, reduce manpower by 15% with a subsequent increase in total productivity and moving the company back into a profitable position.

Moved operations 1 km from a unionized location (USW) to a non-union operation. Transferred 90% of existing staff and established a skills based pay structure. Successfully defended union objections at arbitration and defended against organizing drive. Resulted in the original unit decertifying and to date later the company remains union-free.

Developed an outsourcing strategy that resulted in over $5 million per year in savings for the company’s maintenance functions and effectively eliminated unions from the company’s lead properties.

Worked with senior leaders to preparations for renewal collective bargaining acted as chief negotiator on behalf of management