Deck 14: The Dynamics of Labor Relations

Question 1

Because SignalCorp is nonunion, its employees do not have the right to file unfair labor practice charges against the firm.

Answer 1

False

Question 2

Employees at SignalCorp are holding a labor organizing drive. It is appropriate for supervisors to meet individually with members of their staff to learn their positions regarding the possibility of unionizing.

Answer 2

False

Question 3

In an attempt to thwart efforts to unionize, the management at SignalCorp announced a new benefits plan including an additional 5 days of paid leave that would be implemented if employees voted against the union. SignalCorp is not allowed to do this.

Answer 3

True

Question 4

The agency responsible for administering and enforcing the Wagner Act is the National Labor Relations Board.

Question 5

Steve has brought a grievance to his union, which plans to arbitrate it on his behalf. Management has proven conclusively that the grievance is groundless and, therefore, does not have to arbitrate the grievance.

Question 6

Joining a union is a way for employees to put leadership skills to use.

Question 7

In the field of labor relations, unfair labor practices (ULPs) involve violations of safety practices.

Question 8

During a labor organizing drive, members of management are not allowed to make any public statements critical of unions.

Question 9

A union wishes the National Labor Relations Board to hold a representation election. The NLRB will hold the election only if the union has 50 percent of signed authorization cards collected.

Question 10

To reenergize the labor movement, some union funds are given to political candidates who specifically pledge support for prolabor legislation.

Question 11

Dmitri is an active union member and is highly critical of SignalCorp, his employer. At the same time, Dmitri has a poor work record, consistently falling short of established goals for his position. Because of his union activism, SignalCorp is not able to legally discharge Dmitri.

Question 12

Union officials have begun to meet with employees at SignalCorp to explore the possibility of unionization. This is the first step in unionizing.

Question 13

SignalCorp is antiunion. The company noted whether job applicants were union supporters, and then distributed the list of union supporters to other antiunion companies in its region. This is a violation of the law.

Question 14

Larissa is a manager at SignalCorp. During the recent labor organizing drive, she was overheard expressing negative opinions regarding unions and the officials who ran them. Her comments were illegal.

Question 15

The agency responsible for enforcing the Wagner Act is the Department of Labor.

Question 16

Union members who work at SignalCorp began wearing their union buttons at work. Management can bar them from wearing those buttons while on duty.

Question 17

The Taft-Hartley Act was passed to place certain restraints on union practices.

Question 18

Employees are most likely to seek unionization if they believe that doing so will achieve results that they cannot achieve acting individually.

Question 19

In about 25% of unionizing campaigns, unions are unable to secure a contract after winning a representation election.

Question 20

An electrician applied for a job at an HVAC company. The company can refuse to hire him because of his union membership.

Question 21

Employers can express their views about the disadvantages of being represented by a union.

Question 22

Pam is a supervisor at SignalCorp. In order to better meet the needs of her staff, she should attend union meetings.

Question 23

Unionization may restrict the freedom of management in many areas.

Question 24

Organizing campaigns are often begun by employees rather than by union organizers.

Question 25

Public employee unions contend that denying their legal right to strike reduces their power during collective bargaining.

Question 26

During a labor organizing drive, perhaps the most effective, and legal, way for an employer to defeat the union is to promise improvements in wages or benefits if the union is defeated.

Question 27

The collective bargaining process may include activities such as strikes and boycotts.

Question 28

NLRB election statistics show that currently unions win approximately 30 percent of representation elections.

Question 29

Kylie is a carpenter. As a skilled worker, the union that Kylie is a member of is a craft union.

Question 30

A recent employee survey revealed that many employees at SignalCorp are dissatisfied with their jobs. One step the firm could take to increase employee satisfaction is to introduce job rotations.

Question 31

Employees can be disciplined, or even discharged, for work-related misconduct even if they are affiliated with a union.

Question 32

Unions that represent various groups of professional and white-collar workers are called industrial unions.

Question 33

Public sector collective bargaining falls within the separate jurisdiction of each state.

Question 34

Unionization restricts the freedom of management to formulate HR policy unilaterally.

Question 35

The bargaining unit is that group of employees who have similar working conditions, and who are grouped together for the purpose of collective bargaining.

Question 36

Management prerogatives are those decisions over which management claims exclusive rights.

Question 37

When the NLRB certifies a union as the bargaining representative, the union is certified for a period of at least three years.

Question 38

Union stewards are full-time employees at the workplace and generally are not paid by the union.

Question 39

Employee associations may function in the same way as unions, being just as aggressive in organizing and representing their members.

Question 40

During collective bargaining, each side normally places only their primary negotiator at the table.

Question 41

SignalCorp intentionally adopts practices that will decrease the chances that employees will want to unionize. One of those practices is likely to promote employees from within.

Question 42

U.S. labor-management negotiations are adversarial.

Question 43

Bargaining power consists of economic, political, and social influence to achieve demands.

Question 44

One of the disadvantages of interest-based bargaining as an approach to labor-management negotiations is that it leads to suspicion and compromise.

Question 45

Once a union is certified, an employer is obligated to begin negotiations leading toward a labor agreement.

Question 46

Good faith bargaining requires that employers and union counterparts be willing to meet at any time and place to discuss proposals.

Question 47

The assembly line workers at SignalCorp are on strike. SignalCorp has the legal right to hire replacement workers.

Question 48

In the context of a labor agreement, management rights include the specific provisions agreed to by the union and which are not restricted by law.

Question 49

A strike vote by union members does NOT mean that a strike will actually take place.

Question 50

A grievance procedure is a formal representation process that is often considered the heart of a bargaining agreement.

Question 51

An employer's bargaining power may rest on its ability to continue its operations despite a strike by its workers.

Question 52

The petition to hold representation elections usually is initiated by the union.

Question 53

Pickets may further disrupt an employer's business because one union member, such as a truck driver, may refuse to cross another union's picket line.

Question 54

Management rights exclude any issues that it has specifically conceded as part of the labor agreement.

Question 55

An employer's bargaining strategy must include a contingency plan in the event of a strike.

Question 56

The electrical workers union at SignalCorp have coordinated a boycott. This means that all union members, regardless of their actual union affiliation, will refuse to cross their picket line.

Question 57

Mandatory bargaining subjects include pay, conditions of employment, and any other issue that both parties agree to discuss.

Question 58

When the employees at SignalCorp went on strike, the firm hired replacement workers. This is called a lockout.

Question 59

A number of HVAC companies in the region are concerned about the entrance of unions into their markets, as they feel this will raise their costs, which will then be passed on to the consumer. As a way to keep unions out, these companies have created a list of job applicants who are known to be union supporters. All the companies have access to the list, and they update it as appropriate. This activity is illegal.

Question 60

Because unions represent all members of a bargaining unit, whether or not they are members of the union, they often negotiate a union security agreement that covers issues such as compulsory membership provisions and dues collection.

Question 61

The employees at Wegners Market were interested in unionizing because they saw statistics showing that union workers are more likely to have guaranteed pensions than nonunion employees. They were motivated by

A)economic needs.
B)dissatisfaction with management.
C)social needs.
D)status needs.

Question 62

Technological advances in computer science and automated operating systems have lowered the demand for certain types of employees, who have traditionally been unionized.

Question 63

Supervisors may express antiunion opinions as long as those statements are not coercive. However, they may not question employees individually about their union involvement.

Question 64

Rights arbitration is provided for the determination of conflicting interests.

Question 65

The fair representation doctrine settles disputes over the meaning of contract terms.

Question 66

Energized organizing results in unions targeting recent immigrants, among other ignored work groups.

Question 67

Terry Moser, an organizer for the Teamsters, gives five progressive steps that can lead to unionization. Which step has as one of its purposes to identify employees who can help the organizer direct the campaign?

A)Employee/union contact
B)Election petition and voting preparation
C)Initial organizational meeting
D)Formation of in-house organizing committee

Question 68

Illegal acts by either employers or unions that deny employees their rights and benefits are called

A)discrimination complaints.
B)violation and resolve charges.
C)unfair labor practices.
D)representation charges.

Question 69

Elaine saw statistics showing that union employees make an average of 30 percent more than nonunion workers, so when she was looking for a new job, she looked for one at a company that was unionized. Elaine was motivated by

A)economic needs.
B)social needs.
C)status needs.
D)dissatisfaction with management.

Question 70

A union member brought a grievance to the union rep. Because the union considered it to be a weak case that it would probably lose, the union most likely will not take it to arbitration for the fear of losing member support.

Question 71

In an attempt to increase unionism, unions are now targeting low-wage service workers.

Question 72

Joe wanted to join a union so that he could take advantage of the equality and teamwork brought about through union membership. Joe was motivated by

A)dissatisfaction with management.
B)political needs.
C)economic needs.
D)social and status needs.

Question 73

Employees at Wegners Market began unionizing activities after a series of promotions and job transfers at the firm were handled in a biased manner. They were motivated by

A)dissatisfaction with management.
B)economic needs.
C)political needs.
D)social and status needs.

Question 74

An arbitration award should include not just a decision, but the rationale for it, in order to provide guidance for future interpretation.

Question 75

Arbitration hearings are formal court proceedings held in a court of law.

Question 76

Employees at Seyall Industries felt that they didn't have enough opportunity to participate in decisions that affected their welfare. This led to unionizing efforts, which were motivated by

A)economic needs.
B)social needs.
C)dissatisfaction with management.
D)status needs.

Question 77

It is the arbitrator's responsibility to ensure that each side receives a fair hearing.

Question 78

Which of the following is NOT a reason that employees may want to unionize based on economic needs?

A)Promotions, transfers, and shift assignments are handled in an unfair or biased manner.
B)Union employees on average make more than nonunion employees.
C)A larger percentage of union workers have health coverage as compared to nonunion workers.
D)Union workers are more likely to have guaranteed pensions than nonunion workers.

Question 79

Employees who want to unionize to get the opportunity to fraternize with other employees who have similar concerns are motivated by

A)dissatisfaction with management.
B)economic needs.
C)social and status needs.
D)political needs

Question 80

Recent statistics show total union membership to be about 33 percent of the civilian labor force.