Question 1

The initial objective of the American Federation of Labor (AFL) was to provide union membership to workers in all industries.

Accepted Answer

The initial objective of the AFL was to provide union membership to skilled workers in craft unions, not all industries.

Question 2

The Knights of Labor and the American Federation of Labor were actually very similar in their aims, tactics, and membership. The only major difference was in the effectiveness of their leaders.

Accepted Answer

While both organizations aimed to improve the lives of workers, their tactics, membership, and goals were actually quite different. The Knights of Labor were more radical and inclusive, seeking to organize all workers regardless of race, gender, or skill level. They also advocated for more fundamental changes to the economic system, including worker ownership of industries. The American Federation of Labor, on the other hand, focused on organizing skilled workers in specific trades and industries and negotiating with employers for better wages, hours, and working conditions. Additionally, the AFL was generally seen as more effective due to the strong leadership of individuals like Samuel Gompers.

Question 3

The Industrial Revolution slowed the growth of unions by creating a rapidly rising standard of living for most workers.

Accepted Answer

The Industrial Revolution actually sparked the growth of unions as workers faced poor working conditions, long hours, and low wages. The rise of factories and large corporations also created a power imbalance between workers and employers, leading workers to form unions to negotiate for better pay and conditions.

Question 4

A major difference between early labor organizations in the United States and today's labor unions is that the early labor groups often were temporary organizations that disbanded after achieving a short-range goal, while today's unions are permanent organizations.

Accepted Answer

Early labor organizations in the United States, such as the Knights of Labor and the American Federation of Labor, were often formed to achieve specific goals, such as better wages or working conditions, and disbanded once these goals were met. Today's labor unions, on the other hand, are permanent organizations that continue to work on behalf of their members even after achieving short-term goals.

Question 5

A yellow-dog contract required workers to agree not to join a union as a condition of their employment.

Accepted Answer

A yellow-dog contract was a document that an employer made a worker sign as a condition of employment that the worker would not join a union or participate in any union-related activities. It was used to prevent unionization of a workforce and to discourage any collective bargaining. The practice was outlawed by the Norris-LaGuardia Act in 1932.

Question 6

In 1955, after the passage of the Taft-Hartley Act, the AFL and CIO merged to create the AFL-CIO.

Accepted Answer

The AFL and CIO merged to create the AFL-CIO in 1955, but it was not specifically because of the Taft-Hartley Act.

Question 7

John L. Lewis broke with the American Federation of Labor (AFL) in 1935 over membership issues and formed a rival group known as the Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO).

Accepted Answer

This statement is true.

Question 8

The Norris-LaGuardia Act prohibits firms from requiring workers to agree not to join a union as a condition of their employment.

Accepted Answer

The Norris-LaGuardia Act, passed in 1932, protects workers' rights to join unions and engage in collective bargaining. One of the key provisions of the Act is that it prohibits firms from requiring workers to sign "yellow-dog contracts" that include a provision forbidding them from joining unions as a condition of their employment.

Question 9

Membership in industrial unions was strictly limited to skilled craftspeople.

Accepted Answer

Membership in industrial unions was open to all workers, regardless of skill level or trade. Industrial unions aimed to unite all workers in a particular industry or sector, including both skilled and unskilled laborers.

Question 10

The Norris-LaGuardia Act made it more difficult for unions to legally recruit new members.

Accepted Answer

The Norris-LaGuardia Act, passed in 1932, actually made it easier for unions to recruit new members by prohibiting employers from using injunctions to prevent peaceful strikes and boycotts. It also protected workers' right to form and join unions and engage in collective bargaining.

Question 11

For 20 years, the CIO was a major rival of the AFL in the contest for leadership of the labor movement.

Accepted Answer

The CIO (Congress of Industrial Organizations) was formed in 1935 as a separate organization from the AFL (American Federation of Labor) and quickly became a major rival in the labor movement. This competition lasted for about 20 years until the two groups merged to form the AFL-CIO in 1955.

Question 12

Outspoken critics of today's labor unions believe that these organizations have lost their focus. They contend that they no longer represent the rights of workers, as much as they are concerned with the vitality and strength of the union itself.

Accepted Answer

The statement claims that "outspoken critics" believe labor unions have lost their focus and are more concerned with their own strength than workers' rights.

Question 13

Today, more than 55 national and international labor unions are affiliated with the AFL-CIO.

Accepted Answer

This statement is true, as per the official website of the AFL-CIO.

Question 14

Union membership is likely to rise in the coming decade, because the same economic and political conditions that gave rise to unions in the late 19th and early 20th centuries are now reappearing.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Union membership is likely to rise in...

Question 15

The growth and strength of organized labor has always depended on one thing: the state of the economy.

Accepted Answer

While the state of the economy can influence organized labor, other factors such as political support, labor laws, social movements, and union leadership also play significant roles in its growth and strength.

Question 16

Abraham was an unskilled worker who toiled 10 hours a day on an assembly line during the early and mid 1930s. His hours were long, his wages were low and his working conditions were unsafe and unpleasant. Abraham would probably be more sympathetic to the views of John L. Lewis than to those of Samuel Gompers.

Accepted Answer

John L. Lewis was a labor leader who fought for better working conditions, higher wages, and shorter work hours for workers like Abraham. Samuel Gompers, on the other hand, was a labor leader in the late 1800s and early 1900s, when working conditions were even worse, and his focus was on organizing and advocating for skilled workers. Therefore, Abraham would be more sympathetic to John L. Lewis's views.

Question 17

The National Labor Relations Act gave labor the legal justification to pursue collective bargaining and other key labor issues.

Accepted Answer

The National Labor Relations Act (also known as the Wagner Act) was signed into law by President Franklin D. Roosevelt on July 5, 1935. It guaranteed workers the right to organize and join unions, engage in collective bargaining, and take collective action without fear of retaliation. This law essentially gave labor the legal justification to pursue key labor issues.

Question 18

The Zendor Corporation operates a manufacturing plant in Bellridge. The work is arranged in an assembly line and is performed by semiskilled and unskilled workers. These workers are looking into obtaining union representation. The type of union they would belong to would be classified as an industrial union.

Accepted Answer

An industrial union represents workers across multiple industries or occupations, while a craft union represents workers with a specific skill or trade. As the workers in the Zendor Corporation's manufacturing plant come from different skill levels and perform various tasks on the assembly line, they would fall under the category of an industrial union.

Question 19

The process by which a union is recognized by the NLRB as the authorized bargaining agent for a group of workers is called collective bargaining.

Accepted Answer

The statement describes the process of union certification, not collective bargaining. Collective bargaining is the process where the union and management negotiate a contract for the terms and conditions of employment.

Question 20

Samuel Gompers believed that collective bargaining was likely to be an ineffective way for unions to achieve their objectives.

Accepted Answer

Samuel Gompers was a strong advocate for collective bargaining as a way for unions to achieve better wages, working conditions, and benefits for their members. He saw it as a means for workers to negotiate with their employers and to exert their collective power to achieve their goals.

Quiz 12: Dealing With Union and Employeemanagement Issues