Question 1

Solidarity unionism is very consistent with a servicing model of union representation.

Accepted Answer

Solidarity unionism emphasizes direct action and organizing among workers, rather than relying on legal representation or collective bargaining with employers. It is a form of unionism that emphasizes building worker power and solidarity rather than simply serving the needs of individual union members.

Question 2

Nonmajority unions seek the support of a minority of workers, rather than trying to represent a majority of employees, with the primary purpose of gaining a foothold in the new, nonunion workplace.

Accepted Answer

This statement is true. Nonmajority unions focus on organizing a smaller group of workers in order to establish a presence in workplaces where the majority of employees are not unionized.

Question 3

Proponents of labor-management cooperation programs believe current U.S. labor law provides sufficient support and guidance for effectively managing such programs.

Accepted Answer

Proponents of labor-management cooperation programs generally believe that current U.S. labor laws are too rigid and do not provide enough support or guidance for effective management of such programs. They argue for changes to labor laws to make it easier for employers and unions to collaborate and work together.

Question 4

Organized labor has been very proactive in using ESOPs as a strategy for improving worker representation.

Accepted Answer

Organized labor has historically focused on collective bargaining and unionization as primary strategies for improving worker representation, rather than employing Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPs), which are more commonly used by companies as a way to give employees a stake in the business, potentially aligning their interests with those of the company.

Question 5

Fortress unionism refers to a labor strategy where unions aggressively try to bring new unions into one "fortress" or one large union.

Accepted Answer

Fortress unionism refers to a labor strategy where unions focus on protecting the rights and benefits of their current members, often prioritizing the interests of a core group of workers over expansion or organizing new workers.

Question 6

Proposals to revitalize the labor movement by increasing the traditional bargaining power of U.S. and unions fall into the category of solidarity unionism.

Accepted Answer

Solidarity unionism focuses on strengthening the collective power of workers and unions, often through traditional bargaining and collective action strategies.

Question 7

Employee ownership unionism seeks to represent workers by making it easier and more common for employees to own a portion of companies.

Accepted Answer

Employee ownership unionism is a model of unionism that advocates for workers to become co-owners of their workplaces, typically through the formation of employee-owned cooperatives or the establishment of employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs). This model is based on the belief that workers have a greater stake in their workplaces when they have a financial interest in the success of the company, and it aims to promote greater economic democracy by giving workers greater control over the means of production.

Question 8

Social movement unionism rejects the narrow business unionism focus on collective bargaining and instead increases labor union's focus on working class issues such as improving community, society and worker voice in politics.

Accepted Answer

Social movement unionism emphasizes working towards broader societal and political goals beyond just collective bargaining, such as fighting for social justice and advocating for policy changes that benefit the working class.

Question 9

A proposed change in union strategy that is consistent with a solidarity model of unionism is to increase occupational unionism.

Accepted Answer

Occupational unionism focuses on organizing workers by their occupation or industry rather than by specific workplaces. This approach can help build solidarity among workers within a particular industry and lead to broader collective bargaining power. Therefore, increasing occupational unionism would align with a solidarity model of unionism.

Question 10

Training programs put on by unions to improve the skill sets of workers are an example of the tactics used by solidarity movement unionism.

Accepted Answer

Solidarity movement unionism focuses on collective action and mobilizing around broader social and economic issues, rather than solely on improving individual skill sets through training programs.

Question 11

The Justice for Janitors campaigns are an example of social movement unionism in which organized labor championed workers' issues that extended beyond the workplace.

Accepted Answer

The Justice for Janitors campaigns were a prime example of social movement unionism, where the union movement advocated for workers' issues beyond their immediate employment concerns, such as immigrant rights and affordable housing.

Question 12

Grassroots mobilization of the working class cannot serve the goals of both social movement unionism and solidarity unionism.

Accepted Answer

Grassroots mobilization of the working class can indeed serve the goals of both social movement unionism and solidarity unionism, as both approaches rely on direct action and collective organizing to achieve broader social and economic justice, beyond traditional workplace issues.

Question 13

Under the solidarity unionism model, unions are seen as a needed force of worker power and protection whose job it is to mobilize workers to fight for a larger share of the returns of business.

Accepted Answer

Under the solidarity unionism model, unions are viewed as a necessary tool for empowering workers and safeguarding their rights, and their primary responsibility is to collaborate with workers to advocate for equitable distribution of business profits.

Question 14

While labor unions and workers are frustrated with the current state of efficiency, equity and voice in the U.S. employment relations, employers are generally quite satisfied.

Accepted Answer

Employers may not be entirely satisfied with the current state of employment relations, as they also face challenges such as labor shortages, rising costs, and demands for better working conditions, which can affect their satisfaction levels.

Question 15

The job of a labor union is to shape the interests and aspiration of workers.

Accepted Answer

Labor unions primarily aim to protect and advance the rights and interests of workers, not to shape their interests and aspirations.

Question 16

Solidarity unionism generally relies on increasing labor power by building the cohesiveness of workers across and within workplaces and championing worker interests that contradict management desires.

Accepted Answer

Solidarity unionism focuses on building solidarity among workers and advocating for worker interests that may go against the desires of management. This approach is in contrast to traditional unionism, which focuses on bargaining for better wages and benefits within a specific workplace or industry.

Question 17

Social movement unionism generally achieves its goals using structural power alone.

Accepted Answer

Social movement unionism involves using both structural power (such as the power to negotiate labor contracts) and relational power (such as building alliances with community groups and using collective action) to achieve its goals. This means that it is not solely reliant on structural power and may also use other strategies to create change.

Question 18

Social movement unionism attempts to increase its bargaining leverage by changing shared meanings and values.

Accepted Answer

Social movement unionism aims to broaden the scope of union work and incorporate social justice issues into its bargaining goals, which involves changing shared meanings and values to gain more support and influence in negotiations.

Question 19

Nonmajority unionism and fortress unionism strategies employ opposite strategies for strengthing the labor movement.

Accepted Answer

Nonmajority unionism focuses on organizing workers outside of traditional majority-based union structures, while fortress unionism emphasizes strengthening and protecting existing unions through strict membership requirements and exclusionary tactics. These strategies are indeed opposite approaches.

Question 20

Alt-labor seeks to win gains for nonunion workers through education, protest, lobbying, lawsuits, and corporate campaigns.

Accepted Answer

Alt-labor, also known as worker centers, is a movement that aims to improve working conditions and wages for nonunion workers through various tactics such as education, protest, lobbying, lawsuits, and corporate campaigns.

Quiz 13: What Should Labor Relations Do