Matt Perovic
Senior Associate

Ex-Union Member & Elected Vice-President:
For 9 years Matt Perovic was an elected Vice-President, the Local’s Director of Organizing, and a Business Representative of a 7,000-member Chicago Teamsters Local Union. As the Local Union’s Director of Organizing Mr. Perovic personally directed 153 organizing campaigns. As the Local Union Business Agent, Mr. Perovic negotiated labor agreements with 210 diverse employers for over 4,700 members. As an elected Union Vice-President and Trustee of the Union’s Health & Welfare and Pension Plans, Mr. Perovic was responsible for providing benefits to over 15,000 union members, retirees, and their families. In 1995 (approx. three years after he left the union) Mr. Perovic testified before a Federal Grand Jury that was investigating Union corruption.

Management Consultant:
In 1992 Matt Perovic left the union and joined Quantum Consulting, a Management-Consulting firm, specializing in defeating union organizing campaigns using a Pro-Employee, Pro-Company perspective. Mr. Perovic’s experience and background as a Union Vice-President and Union Organizer gives him the credibility to meet directly with employees as a “persuader,” who can effectively tell the truth in the “language of the workplace” about the real reasons the union wants to represent them, and how the employees will not benefit from union membership. Mr. Perovic also specialize in representing employers in Decertification Elections. He has have never been found guilty of committing an unfair labor practice!

Negotiator:
Mr. Perovic developed his expertise as a Negotiator by negotiating over 200 first contract Agreements with employers while he was a Union Vice-President and Business Agent. Since 1992 he has used that expertise by specializing in representing companies in “hard bargaining” and “concessionary negotiations” with various unions. His ability to effectively communicate face-to-face with employees during negotiations is the additional advantage he has that he uses to succeed at the bargaining table.

Union-Proofer:
Mr. Perovic provides Union-Proofing Services to ensure that neither the organizing union nor any other union will return to harass a company by attempting to organize the employees again after the twelve (12) month bar to organizing is over. Author: Mr. Perovic has written articles on Negotiations and Arbitration for the Labor Relations Institute (LRI). He has consulted for and on behalf of LRI, and is featured in the “Interview with a Union Organizer” video series. LRI has rated him as the consultant who is most effective at defeating a union in an organizing campaign. For more information about LRI click on the link below.
                                                                        
                                                                           www.lrionline.com

Arbitrator:
Since 1998, Mr. Perovic has served as a permanent arbitrator in various Collective Bargaining Agreements. Because his experience and background allows him to see both sides of a contractual dispute, he is able to tell employers and unions when their actions are in violation.

118 Plum Street  ·  Roswell, Georgia  30075  ·   crawfordbf@gmail.com  ·   (770) 344-9799

Dedicated and highly experienced Corporate Labor Relations Professional and Chief Spokesperson in labor negotiations with over 25 years of expertise and quantifiable achievements in bargaining, union avoidance, human resources and business strategies in large national and global corporations.

SUMMARY OF QUALIFICATIONS

·         Labor Relations expert possessing vast negotiating and bargaining experience as Chief Spokesperson at Pilgrim’s Pride with 24 bargaining units and five international unions,  Hanson North America with 20 bargaining units and six international unions, and Gold Kist with ten bargaining units and four international unions

·         Knowledgeable and effective across the Human Resources spectrum with executive level achievements as a strategic advisor and team member for corporate change, successful recruitment plans, and program implementations

·         Experienced in execution of additional corporate initiatives; served four years as key team member on Strategy Overview Subcommittee to evaluate and effect change for a captive finance company successfully resulting in 24.1% increase in shareholder equity

·         Led from positions of strength, focus and results with demonstrated abilities to leverage professional relationships with executives and key stakeholders to meet strategic objectives

·         Possesses strong ability to quickly assess situations and respond quickly and appropriately in tense situations; effective management of work stoppages

·         Highly detail-oriented with refined assessment, analytical, and problem solving abilities; expertise in consistently building relationships and eliminating roadblocks

·         Superb communication and negotiation skills; capable of providing high impact presentations, developing positive and productive rapport, and achieving optimum outcomes

LABOR NEGOTIATIONS AND COLLECTIVE BARGAINING

·         Demonstrated skills and highly effective negotiator serving as Chief Spokesperson for multiple multinational corporations.

·         Possesses depth of experience in union campaigns, unfair labor practices, grievances and arbitrations

·         Effective and productive negotiation outcomes with a wide range of international unions including United Food and Commercial Workers, International Brotherhood of Teamsters, United Steel Workers, Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union, Bakery, Confectionary, Grain Millers and Tobacco Workers,  International Union of Operating Engineers, Laborers International, International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Marine Officers Association and Seafarers

·         Comprehensive labor relations management responsibilities for Gold Kist, Inc. and Golden Peanut Company including negotiation of labor agreements with economic impact of up to $3 million in additional wages and benefits; 3,800 employees in 10 bargaining units and payrolls in excess of $63 million

·         Spearheaded efforts for three successful decertification elections and four representation elections with bargaining units represented by Teamsters, Laborers and Operating Engineers.

·         Led a campaign that defeated an organizing drive of 800 poultry processing plant employees.

·         Negotiated over 100 labor agreements with responsibility for all areas of employment law.

·         Won 77% of 34 union elections maintaining non-union status for affected plants

·         Led persuasion effort involving 800 Registered Nurses resulting in reducing union support from 85% to 53% at the final vote

HUMAN RESOURCES STRATEGIES

·         Appointed and served four years on the Gold Kist Strategy Overview Subcommittee to evaluate corporate performance of  Gold Kist captive finance company Agra Trade and finance. Provided improvement recommendations resulting in an increase of shareholder equity of 24.1% average annual rate

·         Accurately conducted the Human Resources portion of the due diligence process for three corporate acquisitions  

·         Built bench strength, recruited experienced senior managers, and effectively managed the talent pool and performance resulting in increased revenues across regions

·         Collaborated with senior management to translate division strategies into action plans impacting employee and business performance; workforce related issues included organization change, compensation, workforce planning, and staffing

·         Wide ranging human resources program initiatives included development and implementation of an improved drug screening program that reduced positive screens from 14% to 4.8% in six months, and a corporate wide INS employment verification program (Basic Pilot) to confirm U.S. employment eligibility

·         Facilitated all governmental, legal and regulatory compliance requirements with regional human resources divisions.

·         Provided functional direction for ten Gold Kist field division human resources managers

·         Key team member of corporate project teams for evaluation, revision and implementation of new human resources policies, processes, and programs

EMPLOYEE RELATIONS

·         Team leader and director of comprehensive employee programs including wages, benefits, job evaluations, employee complaints, and attitude surveys for 5,200 non-union employees with annual payroll in excess of $65 million

·         Created and launched an employee recognition program for 7,500 employees resulting in increased employee engagement, and an attitude survey program resulting in maintaining non-union status in processing plants, feed mills and hatcheries

·         Successful execution of operational and administrative initiatives to meet or exceed management expectations for improved and sustainable employee relations programs

TRAINING

·         Directed and delivered effective labor relations training to 75 supervisors in union avoidance and Employee Free Choice Act training

·         Developed and facilitated seminars in preventative labor relations and positive discipline for 125 first line supervisors

·         Created and presented seminars in labor contract administration and union avoidance for over 100 supervisors and managers; resulted in more effective and efficient management of bargaining unit locations

corporate labor relations manager                                     February 2008-January 2010

pilgrim’s pride corporation                                                                                  Atlanta, Georgia

labor relations manager                                                                    July 2007-February 2008

hanson North America                                                                                                Dallas, Texas

consultant                                                                                                         April 2007-May 2007

LRI Incorporated                                                                                        Broken Arrow, Oklahoma

regional human resources manager                                        October 2001-January 2007

apac incorporated                                                                                                    Atlanta, Georgia

consultant                                                                                               October 2000-January 2001

labor relations consulting                                                                                Atlanta, Georgia

manager, labor relations                                                            September 1979-August 2000

gold kist incorporated                                                                                          Atlanta, Georgia

manager, employee relations                                                          March 1977-August 1979

gold kist incorporated                                                                                          Atlanta, Georgia

bachelor of science – management with labor relations emphasis                

university of west florida                                                                                Pensacola, Florida

bachelor of arts – political science                                                                                  

Morehead state university                                                                           Morehead, Kentucky

training and certifications

·         Certification, Lominger 360 Degree Feedback, 2006

·         Change Management Workshop, Prosci, Inc., 2005

·         Equal Employment Opportunity Officer, APAC Southeast, Inc., Atlanta, Georgia

·         Member, Atlanta Chamber of Commerce Chairman’s Committee Campaign, Atlanta, Georgia

·         Member, Gold Kist and Golden Peanut United Way Campaign Committee, Atlanta, Georgia

·         Recipient, Ashland, Inc. 2005 Human Resources Recognition Award for Excellence, Atlanta, Georgia