Deck 13: The Union-Management Framework

Question 1

Unions are open social systems that are affected by their external environment.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

Unions do not carry out the responsibilities of the Human Resource department.

Answer 2

True

Question 3

Labour unions alter the work environment as they change the relationship between employees and the organization.

Answer 3

True

Question 4

Union grievances often arise because supervisors don't understand the terms of the collective agreements.

Question 5

Secession refers to the growing trend of Canadian workers belonging to international unions.

Question 6

International unions are those whose headquarters are located outside of Canada.

Question 7

After a strike is settled,relationships change between co-workers but there is little effect on labour-management relationships.

Question 8

A study of the history of unions indicates that they usually just happen,and are seldom the result of any perceived management action or inaction.

Question 9

In organizations that are unionized,Human Resources are not limited in their role because there is a more structured framework to work in.

Question 10

Many Canadians view union workers as being a blue-collar or government occupation so there is a growing need to appeal to other employees.

Question 11

In 2012,about 70 percent of paid workforce in Canada belonged to unions.

Question 12

Historically,the two major types of (local)unions were craft unions and industrial unions.

Question 13

Even though the workers in an organization have the right to form a union,management by law does not have to recognize it.

Question 14

Unions that are composed of workers who possess the same skills or trades,usually within a certain geographical area,are called industrial unions.

Question 15

A union in the workplace changes much about the work environment,though it does not noticeably change the relationship between supervisors and the human resource department.

Question 16

A labour contract negotiated between the union and the employer,outlining terms and conditions of employment is officially called a labour management agreement.

Question 17

Successful companies have only one union representing their employees.

Question 18

In comparing unionism across the provinces,Newfoundland has the highest rate (of paid workforce),closely followed by Quebec,while Alberta has the lowest rate.

Question 19

Social unionism is the term applied to unions that create a friendly and interactive social environment within their own ranks and encourage good relationships with the employer.

Question 20

One reason that employees might have for not wanting to join a union is that they see it as simply adding "one more boss" to the ones they already have.

Question 21

Ratified union contracts are approved by management before they are formally a collective agreement.

Question 22

The Canadian government has jurisdiction over all unions organized in Canada.

Question 23

Arbitration cases are lost by management because they neglect to document disciplinary procedures.

Question 24

Most grievances are filed by management because union members are violating the collective agreement.

Question 25

One difficulty with management attempting to predict the outcome of a labour relations board decision is that the board(s)are not bound by their own prior decisions.

Question 26

Conciliation and mediation in labour negotiations are similar in meaning.

Question 27

One similarity between Canadian and American labour legislation is that Canadian labour law also allows employers a great amount of freedom and leeway in countering a union organizing drive.

Question 28

Three common elements of all provincial labour legislation are the right to join a union,good faith bargaining,and the prohibition of unfair labour practices.

Question 29

Under current legislation,in all jurisdictions a decision of the labour relations board may be appealed to a court of law by the union,but not by the employer.

Question 30

The average hourly wage for both unionized full- and part-time workers is notably better than for either group of nonunionized workers.

Question 31

A new standard for behaviour that arises from allowed past practices of either management or workers is referred to as a precedent.

Question 32

Unfair labour practices by unions can include both campaigning for or against union membership at the workplace during working hours,and failing to represent employees fairly.

Question 33

Within the union management framework,those rights that are within the collective agreement and that are reserved for management are known as management rights.

Question 34

Types of union security include ALL four of the following "shops": union,closed,open,and checkoff.

Question 35

For management to decide on employee discipline,their starting point is to use the terms laid out in the collective agreement.

Question 36

In all jurisdictions labour relations statutes require the union and the employer to bargain "in good faith."

Question 37

Depending on the jurisdiction,unions are typically certified by the number of signatures collected,by a majority vote of eligible employees,or (in rare cases)automatically by the labour relations board,usually due to employer actions deemed as unfair labour practices.

Question 38

Unfair labour practices by management can include contributing financially to the formation or operation of a union.

Question 39

Generally,union employees have better benefits (e.g.pensions,health,paid vacation,and sick leave)than non-union employees.

Question 40

A complaint by an employee or an employer that alleges that some aspect of the collective agreement has been violated is called a grievance.
Refer To:

Question 41

Unions have a major effect on the work environment and do all of the following EXCEPT:

A)provide input on company benefit plan designs
B)get involved in employee discipline concerns
C)impact the relationships between employees and the organization
D)reduce the need for effective HR policies and procedures
E)influence working conditions in the organization

Question 42

Employees help convince co-workers to join a union by doing all the following EXCEPT:

A)home visits
B)speeches
C)handing out pamphlets after work
D)conversations
E)having discussions during work meetings

Question 43

Changes occur in the human resources function when unions are present such as:

A)specialists in labour relations are added
B)line managers get increased authority
C)discipline is determined and enforced by line supervisors
D)record keeping moves to departments to ensure more accuracy
E)training becomes the responsibility of the union leadership

Question 44

In 2012,the most highly unionized industry sector was:

A)utilities
B)manufacturing
C)education
D)food and beverage
E)public administration

Question 45

Common provisions in Union-Management agreements include which of the following?

A)duration of agreement
B)management rights
C)income maintenance
D)cost of living wage increases
E)all of the choices

Question 46

From the industrial relations perspective,institutional intervention can be used to:

A)correct the power imbalance between labour and management
B)eliminate conflict all together
C)determine legally binding rules that apply to each specific workplace
D)introduce technological changes to the workplace
E)manage public perception

Question 47

Unfair labour practices by management can include which of the following?

A)contributing extensively to the formation of a union
B)interfering in the formation of a union
C)discriminating against an employee because the employee is,or is not,a member of a trade union
D)intimidating or coercing employees to join or not join a union
E)all of the choices

Question 48

The labour negotiating process whereby disputing parties voluntarily choose to reconcile their differences through a third party is called:

A)mediation
B)conciliation
C)arbitration
D)delegation
E)facilitation

Question 49

All jurisdictions require a collective agreement to include a provision for final settlement by a(n)_________,of all differences concerning the interpretation or administration of a contract,without stoppage of work.

A)mediator
B)conciliator
C)arbitrator
D)facilitator
E)operator

Question 50

Sometimes workers get together and form a union,an organization that does which of the following?

A)has the legal authority to represent workers
B)can negotiate the terms and conditions of employment
C)administers the collective agreement
D)collects dues from members
E)all of the choices

Question 51

The Canadian Labour Congress has more than 3 million members and:

A)is the only labour federation in Canada
B)influences public policy within the provinces
C)is the largest labour federation in Canada
D)is a branch of the Canadian Union of Public Employees
E)has little influence over member unions

Question 52

The International Brotherhood of Teamsters is an example of:

A)an employer-owned union
B)an international union
C)a local union
D)a craft union
E)a very small union

Question 53

Some common key aspects of labour legislation in Canada include which of the following?

A)right to join a union
B)good faith bargaining
C)conciliation
D)prohibition on unfair labour practices
E)all of the choices

Question 54

According to a recent survey of 1,400 adult Canadians,among unionized employees __________ of respondents believe unions are as relevant today as they have ever been.

A)80 per cent
B)95 percent
C)67 percent
D)71 percent
E)59 percent

Question 55

The approach to union activities that says that the labour movement has a mission to protect workers,increase pay,improve working conditions,and generally help workers is called:

A)commercial unionism
B)business unionism
C)industrial unionism
D)professional unionism
E)Soviet unionism

Question 56

Job seekers cannot get a job with a certain organization because they are not members of the union that represents the workers at that company,and they must belong to the union to be hired there.This is an example of a(n):

A)closed shop
B)union shop
C)dues checkoff shop (Rand Formula)
D)management rights
E)illegal discrimination

Question 57

Unions that attempt to influence government policies on economic issues are referred to as practicing:

A)business unionism
B)social unionism
C)commercial unionism
D)political unionism
E)policy unionism

Question 58

___________ provide management with the freedom to operate the business subject to any terms in the collective agreement.

A)Employer rights
B)Management rights
C)Contract rights
D)Employee rights
E)Bargained rights

Question 59

In a union drive,the cards that prospective union members sign to show support for a union are called:

A)preauthorization membership cards
B)paid membership cards
C)authorization cards
D)petition sheets
E)spite-management cards

Question 60

The act that regulates the right to bargain or strike for federal public employees is called the:

A)Public Service Union Act
B)Public Service Staff Relations Act
C)Canada Employees Act
D)Rand Formula Act
E)Public Service Commission Act

Question 61

When negotiations break down between management and the union:

A)strike action becomes automatic
B)mediators are required to meet with the bargaining teams together
C)mediators are approved by the provincial Ministry of Labour
D)all jurisdictions provide for conciliation and mediation services
E)conciliators will order a strike

Question 62

Issues to consider in a strike environment include all of the following EXCEPT:

A)financial pressure on employees
B)labour-management difficulties are resolved when the strike ends
C)physical and emotional harm
D)family patterns are disrupted
E)work teams get divided

Question 63

Typically,the final step in the union-management grievance procedure,should the grievance procedure not resolve the problem,is:

A)the complaint is submitted to the senior management by the union
B)arrangements are made for an arbitrator
C)management and union discuss the complaint
D)the complaint is put in writing and submitted to the supervisor
E)the employee is dismissed

Question 64

Canadian labour legislation makes company dominated unions:

A)illegal
B)legal
C)legal if it involves a recognized union
D)legal if the employees agree
E)legal if management pays the employees' union dues

Question 65

A type of union that includes both unskilled and semiskilled,usually at a particular location or industry is called:

A)craft union
B)industrial union
C)social union
D)business union
E)authoritarian union

Question 66

From the human resources perspective,workplace conflict stems from:

A)an employer-employee power imbalance
B)continuing pressures from unions
C)poor management
D)overly demanding employees
E)overly demanding unions

Question 67

A more co-operative and less conflict-oriented and adversarial approach to collective bargaining is a process called:

A)happy face bargaining
B)us-versus-them bargaining
C)mutual gains bargaining
D)manipulative bargaining
E)competitive negotiating bargaining

Question 68

The collective bargaining process can involve any (or all)of the stages below EXCEPT:

A)traditional face-to-face negotiations
B)follow-up activities of contract administration
C)preparation for negotiations
D)creation of a labour relations specialist position within the HR department
E)regular certification

Question 69

Management should consider several issues when resolving grievances EXCEPT:

A)complaints need to be carefully investigated
B)decisions need to be based on facts
C)only union members should be questioned during the investigation
D)a record of the cause of each grievance should be kept
E)final solutions should be explained to all involved

Question 70

Techniques to improve relations between employers and unions,and to increase co-operation,can include all the following EXCEPT:

A)joint study committees
B)training programs
C)sincere concern
D)prior consultation
E)union hiring committees

Question 71

The basic unit of union organization that provides members,the revenue,and the power of the entire union movement,is the:

A)local union
B)national union
C)social union
D)craft union
E)industrial union

Question 72

Which of the following is NOT true about a collective agreement?

A)it is a contract negotiated between a union and the employer
B)it outlines the terms and conditions of employment for union members
C)it is negotiated between the employer and the union
D)it is sometimes called the "rule book" by some managers and union officials
E)it is open for negotiation at any time

Question 73

Unions may obtain legal recognition or bargaining rights by:

A)persuading,at the workplace during working hours,employees to join the union
B)being certified on the basis of authorization card signatures
C)one employee making a request
D)certification by workers' compensation board when more than 60 per cent of employees sign union cards
E)threatening an illegal strike

Question 74

Though not everyone agrees,studies have shown that unions can:

A)decrease employee turnover
B)decrease employee tenure with the firm
C)lower productivity or output per worker
D)reduce the possibility of legal strikes
E)reduce employee salaries

Question 75

A collective agreement is usually negotiated between:

A)a local union's bargaining committee and the Human Resources or Industrial Relations department
B)Canadian bargaining unit and the Employee Relations department
C)management grievance committee and the local union's bargaining unit
D)the mediation board committee and the Human Resources or Industrial Relations department
E)a local union's bargaining committee and the management bargaining committee

Question 76

Since 2004,the female unionization rate:

A)has been roughly 20% of the male unionization rate
B)has been roughly 50% of the male unionization rate
C)is the same as the male unionization rate
D)has exceeded the male unionization rate
E)represents only 25% of all unionized persons (male and female)

Question 77

When employee-related decisions such as promotions,overtime,and layoffs are determined by the length of the worker's employment,this is called:

A)majority
B)maturity
C)longevity
D)seniority
E)priority

Question 78

Boards set up in the federal and provincial jurisdictions to administer labour legislation are referred to and usually officially called:

A)Labour relations boards
B)Management-labour relations boards
C)Labour committees
D)Employee relations boards
E)Labour negotiation boards

Question 79

Once a union drive is underway,management:

A)may not discipline employees for supporting the union
B)may not discipline employees for supporting the union,except for those who are actively organizing
C)may not discipline employees for supporting the union,but may legally charge outside union organizers
D)may not discipline employees,but can warn them of serious negative ramifications if they organize
E)may discipline employees for supporting the union,though may not dismiss them without warnings

Question 80

The different levels of union structure include all the following EXCEPT:

A)local unions
B)international unions
C)labour congresses/federations
D)national unions
E)multinational unions