Question 1

The union stresses seniority as a means of reducing the tendency for discrimination and favoritism in HRM decision making.

Accepted Answer

The use of seniority can reduce the potential for discrimination and favoritism in HRM decision making because it provides a fair and objective standard for determining how employees are treated, regardless of personal relationships, biases, or other factors that could influence decision making. By giving preference to those who have been with the company longer or have more experience, seniority-based systems can help to ensure that HRM decisions are based on merit and qualifications rather than personal biases or preferences.

Question 2

Over 95 percent of labor contracts call for a strike if a deadlock occurs during the handling of a grievance.

Accepted Answer

Most labor contracts include procedures for resolving grievances without resorting to strikes, especially during the term of the contract. Strikes are more commonly associated with disputes during negotiations for new contracts rather than the handling of grievances under an existing contract.

Question 3

National unions have no control over local unions.

Accepted Answer

National unions have control over local unions through their constitutions and bylaws. They can take actions such as enforcing discipline or imposing trusteeships on locals that do not comply with the national organization's policies. However, this control is not absolute, and local unions still have some autonomy in their day-to-day activities.

Question 4

The Massachusetts Supreme Court case Commonwealth v.Hunt ____________.

Accepted Answer

Commonwealth v. Hunt was a landmark case that established the legality of labor unions in the United States. The court ruled that organizing a union and going on strike was not a criminal conspiracy as long as the union did not use violence or illegal tactics to achieve their goals. Therefore, choice B is the best answer. Choice A is incorrect because it suggests that criminal conspiracy existed in this case, which is not true according to the court's ruling. Choice C is also incorrect, as there were no fines imposed on the striking employees in this case.

Question 5

Members of __________ are all employees in a company or industry,regardless of occupation.

Accepted Answer

An industrial union is a type of labor union that represents all employees, regardless of their occupation, within a particular industry or sector. This is in contrast to craft unions, which only represent workers in a specific craft or trade, or occupational consortiums, which are not generally recognized labor organizations. The term "labor union" is a more general term that can refer to any type of organization that represents workers, but an industrial union would be the most specific answer to the given question.

Question 6

In a tight economy,a union's push for higher wages is more likely to succeed.

Accepted Answer

In a tight economy, employers may be less willing or able to offer higher wages, making it more difficult for unions to successfully negotiate for higher wages. Employers may also be more willing to outsource jobs or use automation to reduce labor costs.

Question 7

A preferential shop is one in which there is neither a union present nor an effort by management to keep the union out.

Accepted Answer

A preferential shop is one in which union membership is not a requirement for employment, but the employer may still hire union members before non-union members. This is different from a union shop where union membership is a requirement for employment.

Question 8

The Taft-Hartley Act guaranteed employees' right to strike.

Accepted Answer

The Taft-Hartley Act of 1947 restricted the activities and power of labor unions, including imposing limits on the right to strike, especially in the case of federal injunctions against strikes that could endanger national health or safety.

Question 9

If the union can demonstrate that it represents a majority of the firm's employees,management can voluntarily recognize the union as the exclusive bargaining representative.

Accepted Answer

This is the process of voluntary recognition, where if the union can demonstrate majority support, the employer can voluntarily recognize the union as the exclusive bargaining representative without the need for a certification vote or election by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB).

Question 10

Justification of the Wagner Act was based upon the notion that an individual employee has unequal bargaining power when compared with the position of the employer.

Accepted Answer

The Wagner Act, also known as the National Labor Relations Act, was passed in 1935 and aimed to protect the rights of workers to organize and collectively bargain with their employers. The justification for the Act was that employees, as individuals, had less power in negotiations with employers, and therefore needed legal protection in order to ensure fair working conditions and wages. Overall, the Act sought to balance the power dynamic between employers and employees and promote a more equitable workplace environment.

Question 11

If the labor market has a surplus and the demand for goods is soft,the union has a bargaining advantage.

Accepted Answer

When there is a surplus in the labor market and the demand for goods is weak, employers have less incentive to agree to union demands as they have a larger pool of potential employees to choose from. This weakens the union's bargaining power and puts them at a disadvantage.

Question 12

An objectives of the Knights of Labor was ________________.

Accepted Answer

The Knights of Labor aimed to create one large union for all workers, regardless of their trade or profession, and they also had ambitions that leaned towards replacing capitalism with a system that could be considered more socialist in nature.

Question 13

It is a violation of labor laws for a union to cause an employer to discriminate against an employee,other than for nonpayment of dues or initiation fees.

Accepted Answer

This statement is true. It is prohibited by labor laws for a union to engage in discriminatory practices against an employee, especially if the reason for discrimination is not related to nonpayment of dues or initiation fees. Such discriminatory behavior is considered a violation of the employee's rights and can result in legal action against the union.

Question 14

The first union to achieve significant size and influence was the __________.

Accepted Answer

The Knights of Labor was the first union to achieve significant size and influence. It was founded in 1869 and grew rapidly in the 1870s and 1880s, reaching a peak membership of nearly 800,000 in 1886. The Knights of Labor paved the way for other labor unions and played an important role in the early history of the labor movement in the United States.

Question 15

In right to work states,resignation from a union does not affect the resigning employee's benefits,even if they are provided for under a collective bargaining agreement.

Accepted Answer

In right to work states, an employee's resignation from a union does not affect their benefits, even if those benefits are provided for under a collective bargaining agreement. This is because these states have laws in place prohibiting unions from requiring membership as a condition of employment.

Question 16

Competition for new union members led to bitter conflicts between the AFL and CIO until they merged.

Accepted Answer

This statement is true. The AFL and CIO had a rivalry over organizing and recruiting new union members, which created tensions and conflicts between the two organizations. However, they eventually merged in 1955 to form the AFL-CIO.

Question 17

Workers who are locked out,unlike those who strike,can be permanently replaced.

Accepted Answer

Workers who are locked out cannot be permanently replaced because a lockout is initiated by the employer, not the workers. In contrast, workers who go on strike for economic reasons can be permanently replaced.

Question 18

Picketing can be used,without a strike,to publicize a union's viewpoints about an employer.

Accepted Answer

Picketing is a form of protest where union members stand outside an employer's workplace holding signs, banners, and placards to publicize their views on issues such as wages, benefits, working conditions, and labor practices. Picketing can be used as a tool to pressure the employer to make changes or come to the negotiating table. It can be conducted even without a strike happening.

Question 19

Members of a ___________ belong to one craft or to a closely related group of occupations.

Accepted Answer

A craft union is a type of labor union where the members all belong to a single craft or a closely related group of occupations. This differs from an industrial union, which includes members from a wide variety of industries and occupations, and a labor union, which can refer to any organization of workers that seeks to improve their conditions and rights. There is no such thing as an occupational consortium.

Question 20

Public employees first organized during the early 1800s in federal steel mills.

Accepted Answer

Public employees did not begin to organize until the late 1800s, and their first major union was the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) which was founded in 1932. There were no federal steel mills during the early 1800s.

Quiz 15: Labor Relations and Collective Bargaining