That discipline decision you second-guessed. That contract interpretation you Googled. That grievance that didn’t feel “big enough yet” to justify a call to your attorney.
So you handled it yourself. Maybe it worked out. Maybe it’s still brewing.
Here’s the problem: You’re a terrible judge of when you need help. You think “This is small, I’ll call if it gets bigger.” But by the time it feels big enough, you’re not calling for advice—you’re calling for damage control.
Six months later: arbitration, $45,000 in legal fees and back pay. All because a “small” issue became a pattern that became a precedent that became a crisis.
When a GM at a Fortune 500 plant has a discipline question at 7am, she picks up the phone. Gets guidance in 10 minutes. Issue stays small. Zero hesitation.
The difference? Better infrastructure.
Fortune 500 companies have labor relations departments that handle operational questions—contract interpretation, grievance responses, supervisor coaching. The LR department catches issues early and keeps supervisors consistent.
When something crosses into legal territory—NLRB charges, arbitrations, litigation—they call attorneys. And because the LR department has everything documented properly, legal bills stay reasonable.
Two functions working together: Labor Relations (operations, 95% of issues) + Attorneys (law, 5% of issues).
You’re trying to use your attorney for both. That’s why it’s expensive and why you hesitate to call.
You need that labor relations department. You can’t afford a $200K director. That’s where fractional comes in.
Fractional labor relations gives you Fortune 500 infrastructure without the overhead. You get experienced labor relations professionals who become part of your team—scheduled touchpoints plus on-demand support when issues arise.
What changes:
Who it’s for: Mid-market unionized companies (75-500 employees, $25M-$200M revenue) who need professional LR capabilities but don’t have the volume or budget for full-time staff.
Cost: Starting at $4,000/month—typically 40-60% less than what companies spend on reactive legal fees, settlements, and management time. With significantly better outcomes.
Professional tools Fortune 500 LR departments use daily: 7 Tests of Just Cause, investigation framework, steward communication playbook.
See where you rank vs. 500+ unionized companies on costs, capabilities, and outcomes. Takes 7 minutes. Get your custom report when we hit 500 participants.
15-minute one-on-one briefing: Why companies avoid calling for help, how it costs them millions, and the economic case for proactive labor relations infrastructure.
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