Question 1

U.S. labor law tries to establish employer needs for efficiency as a priority over employees' need for equity and voice.

Accepted Answer

U.S. labor law, including statutes like the National Labor Relations Act, aims to balance the power between employers and employees, ensuring workers have the right to organize and bargain collectively for equity and voice in the workplace, alongside employer needs for efficiency.

Question 2

Labor relations systems around the world generally assume that corporations have significantly greater bargaining power than one individual worker.

Accepted Answer

This is generally true across many labor relations systems as corporations have access to more resources, information, and decision-making power compared to individual workers. This power imbalance can limit the ability of workers to negotiate and demand better working conditions, wages, and benefits without collective bargaining or legal protections.

Question 3

Conflicts between what the employee wants and what the employer wants are generally resolved privately between the individual and his/her employer.

Accepted Answer

Conflicts between an employee and employer are usually resolved privately between the two parties.

Question 4

The concept of employee voice suggests that employees should have the right to express their opinions in the workplace but only if they are consistent with the majority of employees or with the employer's perspective.

Accepted Answer

The concept of employee voice promotes the idea that employees should have the right to express their opinions freely, even if they differ from the majority or the employer's perspective. It is about creating a culture of open communication and dialogue, where employees feel heard and valued.

Question 5

The official policy of the Unites States is to protect workers' rights to act together for mutual aid and protection in the workplace and to promote collective bargaining as a way to resolve workplace conflict.

Accepted Answer

This statement is accurate and reflects the official policy of the United States government as stated in the National Labor Relations Act of 1935. This law guarantees workers the right to form and join unions, engage in collective bargaining, and take collective action to improve their working conditions and pay. The government has continued to promote these ideals through subsequent legislation and policies aimed at protecting workers' rights.

Question 6

Labor relations systems in other countries tend to follow a neoliberal market ideology, which sees the employment relationship as one in which balance between competing interests must be achieved.

Accepted Answer

Labor relations systems vary significantly across countries, with some following a neoliberal market ideology, while others may adopt more corporatist, social democratic, or state-interventionist approaches that do not necessarily prioritize a balance of competing interests in the same way.

Question 7

The widening gap between the richest and poorest individuals in the U.S. is in part due to the weakened position of labor unions.

Accepted Answer

Labor unions have historically played a significant role in advocating for better wages and benefits for workers, which can help reduce income inequality. However, in recent years, the power and membership of labor unions have decreased, making it more difficult for workers to negotiate for better compensation and benefits. This has contributed to the widening gap between the highest and lowest earners in the U.S.

Question 8

In the U.S., workers can generally be discharged for good cause, no cause, and even a morally wrong cause.

Accepted Answer

The U.S. is an "at-will" employment country, which means employers can terminate workers for any reason or no reason at all, as long as it does not violate any laws or employment contracts. This includes morally wrong reasons such as discrimination or retaliation, but there are legal protections in place to prevent these types of terminations.

Question 9

While voice and equity are important to the employment relationship, efficiency is really the critical component. If an employer can be efficient, equity and voice will naturally follow.

Accepted Answer

Efficiency may be a critical component of the employment relationship, but it is not the only one. Equity and voice are also important elements that cannot be neglected. Simply focusing on efficiency without considering these other factors can lead to an unsustainable and unhealthy work environment. Employers need to balance all three components to create a successful and productive workplace.

Question 10

In the U.S., an employer has a right to own property and make a profit but society has the right to place limitations and restrictions on how those profits are made.

Accepted Answer

This is a basic principle of the social contract theory, which suggests that individuals give up some of their rights in exchange for protection and benefits provided by society, such as laws and regulations that ensure fair and ethical business practices, protect the rights of workers and consumers, and promote environmental sustainability. While employers have a legitimate right to pursue their economic interests, they are also subject to the social responsibility of balancing those interests with the broader public interest.

Question 11

One important goal of U.S. labor law is to increase purchasing power of workers.

Accepted Answer

One of the main purposes of U.S. labor law is to protect the rights of workers and increase their bargaining power, which often results in higher wages and better working conditions, leading to an increase in workers' purchasing power.

Question 12

An organization that allows its employees to exercise their voice in the workplace using democratic principles similar to those that are commonly accepted in a democratic society is one that exercises industrial democracy.

Accepted Answer

Industrial democracy involves giving employees a say in the decision-making processes of an organization, similar to the principles of democracy in society. This allows employees to have a voice in the workplace and can lead to increased job satisfaction and better communication between employees and management.

Question 13

Fundamentally, a labor union is a group of workers who join together to influence the nature of their employment.

Accepted Answer

A labor union is also known as a trade union and it aims to improve the working conditions, wages, benefits, and overall treatment of its members through negotiations and collective bargaining with their employer. The collective power of workers joining together can exert more influence than an individual worker working alone.

Question 14

In 2011, the Packers beat the Chicago Bears in their bid for the Super Bowl. The next day a Chicago car salesman was fired for wearing a Green Bay Packers tie to work despite having sold 14 cars in the previous month. In the U.S. such a dismissal is considered illegal.

Accepted Answer

In the U.S., employment is generally "at-will," meaning employers can fire employees for any reason that is not illegal (e.g., discrimination based on race, religion, etc.). Wearing a sports team's tie, unless protected under a specific contract or local law, would not typically constitute an illegal reason for dismissal.

Question 15

Neoliberal market ideology places the needs and rights of workers before efficiency and profits.

Accepted Answer

Neoliberal market ideology prioritizes the efficiency of the market and profits over the needs and rights of workers.

Question 16

When an employer uses an employee suggestion box to gather ideas and concerns from its employees, it is primarily addressing the labor relations goal of efficiency.

Accepted Answer

The primary goal addressed is employee voice and participation, as it allows employees to express their ideas and concerns, contributing to better communication and engagement rather than directly aiming at efficiency.

Question 17

The goals of efficiency, equity, and voice in the workplace rarely conflict with one another.

Accepted Answer

The goals of efficiency, equity, and voice in the workplace can sometimes conflict with one another. For example, implementing more participatory decision-making processes (voice) may slow down decision-making (efficiency), while ensuring that all employees have equal access to opportunities and resources (equity) may require additional resources and time (also affecting efficiency).

Question 18

Most industrialized countries give employers wide latitude to dismiss employees "at will" .

Accepted Answer

Most industrialized countries have regulations and protections in place that prevent employers from dismissing employees "at will." Instead, there are usually specific legal grounds required for termination, such as misconduct or redundancy, and often a process that must be followed, including notice periods and severance pay. The United States is somewhat unique among industrialized nations in having a more widespread application of the "at-will" employment doctrine, which allows employers to dismiss employees for any reason that is not illegal, with some state-specific exceptions.

Question 19

In the United States, employees have broad protections against arbitrary dismissal such that employers must provide a good, business related reason for firing someone.

Accepted Answer

While some states have laws that provide limited protections against arbitrary dismissal, the majority of states operate under the doctrine of at-will employment, which means that an employer can terminate an employee at any time and for any reason, as long as it is not discriminatory or in retaliation for protected activity.

Question 20

A key role of unions is to negotiate work rules and practices that ensure fair treatment of employees by their managers and employers.

Accepted Answer

Unions negotiate collective bargaining agreements with employers that outline working conditions, pay, benefits, and other workplace policies. These agreements typically include provisions to ensure fair treatment of employees by their managers and employers, such as grievance procedures, protection against discrimination, and safety standards. Therefore, a key role of unions is indeed to negotiate work rules and practices that ensure fair treatment of employees.

Quiz 1: Contemporary Labor Relations: Objectives, Practices, and Challenges