Labor Relations
Putting the Pieces Together
for Public School Districts
The mission of Erie 2-Chautauqua-Cattaraugus BOCES Labor Relations Services is to provide leadership and service to component districts to aid and enable them to function economically, efficiently and harmoniously in their relationships with their employee unions. 
Labor Relations General Service Tier
Labor Relations Services focuses on equipping school districts and their administrative teams with the tools and knowledge to empower these leaders to confront challenges in a proactive and deliberate manner. Our depth of experience supports critical needs, gaps, and emerging trends in the complicated overlaps of labor, employment, and education.
Advice and Guidance
As part of the Labor Relations General Service tier the professional and experienced staff of Labor Relations Services works closely with superintendents, business officials, and other administrators from subscribing school districts to provide advice and guidance through many facets of employment-related issues, including seniority and tenure issues, the implementation and interpretation of collective bargaining agreements, hiring and termination of employees, and counseling and disciplinary proceedings. Labor Relations Services will also assist with the grievance process, including developing strategies and preparing responses to grievances.
Training and Support
Labor Relations Services provides frequent professional development opportunities on a variety of topics for school districts’ administrative team members, including student discipline, civil rights compliance, drafting effective counseling memoranda, progressive discipline, personnel and negotiations issues frequently encountered by the business office, strategies for addressing absenteeism, the interactive process pursuant to the ADA, and best practices for conducting investigations. Subscribing school districts’ administrative team members may register and attend these training sessions at no additional charge.
Analysis
As part of the Labor Relations General Service tier, superintendents will have access to a robust database containing comparative data for salary, benefits and other terms and conditions of employment for instructional, non-instructional, and administrative employees within the region. This data has proven to be an invaluable resource when negotiating with collective bargaining units. In addition, the Labor Relations staff is available to provide analysis of your collective bargaining agreements and offer suggestions and guidance for negotiations.
Labor Relations Extended Service Tier
The Labor Relations Extended Service tier is available to those school districts enrolled in the General Service tier. As part of the Extended Service tier, the experienced and knowledgeable Labor Relations Services staff are available to serve as at-the-table negotiators to represent school districts in negotiations with collective bargaining units, and to represent and advocate for school districts in arbitrations and during proceedings before administrative agencies, such as the Public Employment Relations Board (PERB). In addition, our professionals conduct independent investigations into employee and/or student complaints of discrimination or allegations of misconduct, and serve as impartial hearing officers in a variety of administrative hearings, including, but not limited to, Section 71, 73, and 75 hearings.
Listserv
This benefit is offered exclusively to members of the Labor Relations CoSer. The Listserv is designed to instantly bring our subscribing districts together for a convenient virtual roundtable discussion. Have a unique issue, question, comment, or concern you would like to share with the other Districts subscribing to the Labor Relations Service? Send a message using the below email address and your email will be distributed to your colleagues in the CoSer and the Labor Relations Office for comment and discussion.
Resources For Subscribing Districts
The Labor Relations SharePoint system provides component superintendents with a comprehensive resource hub designed to support district leadership in navigating key employment and labor matters. By following the link below, you will gain access to essential materials such as Rules for the Classified Civil Service, district contracts, settlement reports, data books, and survey results. Additionally, the SharePoint includes a library of Labor Relations presentations, workshops, and seminars to help districts stay informed and prepared for negotiations, compliance, and other labor-related issues.
Resources
The Labor Relations SharePoint system provides component superintendents with a comprehensive resource hub designed to support district leadership in navigating key employment and labor matters. By following the link below, you will gain access to essential materials such as Rules for the Classified Civil Service, district contracts, settlement reports, data books, and survey results. Additionally, the SharePoint includes a library of Labor Relations presentations, workshops, and seminars to help districts stay informed and prepared for negotiations, compliance, and other labor-related issues.
Meet Our Team
Brian R. Liebenow
Executive Director of Labor Relations and General Counsel
Brian R. Liebenow is an attorney licensed to practice in all New York State Courts, the U.S. District Courts for the Northern and Western Districts of New York, and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. Brian has represented clients in all types of civil litigation in both the private and public sector. Brian joined Labor Relations Services in January 2012 and has worked closely with our subscribing districts on their labor and employment issues, including successfully negotiating numerous contracts on behalf of districts with their bargaining units. Prior to joining E2CCB Labor Relations Services, Brian served as an Assistant County Attorney in the Erie County Attorney’s Office where he defended Erie County, its officers and employees in state and federal courts, including in complex federal litigation and general labor and employment disputes.
Please contact Brian at (716) 672-4371 ext. 2050 or via email at BLiebenow@e2ccb.org.
Brian Hartmann
Senior Labor Relations Specialist and Deputy General Counsel
Brian Hartmann is an attorney licensed to practice in all New York State Courts and the U.S. District Courts for the Western and Northern Districts of New York. Brian has experience assisting school districts with a wide range of legal issues. Most recently, Brian was employed by Erie 1 BOCES as a Senior Coordinator in the Management Services Division with a focus on Policy Services, as well as Finance and Legislative Services. In his role with Erie 1, Brian developed policies and procedures for school districts, and assisted school districts in complying with legislative and regulatory changes. Prior to joining Erie 1, Brian was in private practice where he assisted in the representation of school districts in a wide range of issues, including litigation in state and federal courts, responding to complaints before the EEOC and Division of Human Rights, and providing counsel on general school law matters.
Please contact Brian at (716) 672-4371 ext. 2128 or via email at BHartmann@e2ccb.org.
Kurt D. Gustafson
Labor Relations Specialist
Kurt D. Gustafson is an attorney licensed to practice in New York Courts, U.S. District Court Western District of NY and Western District of PA and the Second Circuit Court of Appeals. Kurt has represented clients in all types of civil litigation in both the private and public sector. Prior to joining Labor Relations, Kurt most recently served as the First Assistant County Attorney in the Chautauqua County Law Department, where he represented the County in a variety of matters, including labor and employment issues, such as negotiations and grievance arbitrations. Before joining the Chautauqua County Law Department in 1999, Kurt was a Judge Advocate in the United States Marine Corps. He has also provided legal counsel to school districts and their Boards of Education while in private practice as a partner at the law firm of Lundberg & Gustafson. In addition, Kurt has demonstrated a strong commitment to public education over the years by serving as a member of the Southwestern Central School District Board of Education.
Please contact Kurt at (716) 672-4371 ext. 2060 or via email at KGustafson@e2ccb.org.
Amy Mullen
Typist II, Confidential
Amy Mullen has been with E2CCB since 2004. Prior to joining Labor Relations Services in 2017, she worked in the District Superintendent’s Office. Amy has an Associate Degree in Administrative Assistant Secretarial – Legal. Amy handles the day-to-day operations and gathers and assembles the data and statistics contained in the Labor Relations Website. If you have any questions regarding this website, please contact Amy.
Please contact Amy at (716) 672-4371 ext. 2057 or via email at AMullen@e2ccb.org.
Brooke Kelly
Typist II, Confidential
Brooke Kelly has been with E2CCB since 2018. Prior to joining Labor Relations Services, she worked in the Human Resources Office. Brooke has a Bachelor’s Degree in Communication. Brooke handles the day-to-day operations and gathers and assembles the data and statistics contained in the Labor Relations Website.
Please contact Brooke at (716) 672-4371 ext. 2048 or via email at BKelly@e2ccb.org.
