Question 1

At the first negotiation session the union and employer bargaining teams are determined.

Accepted Answer

The union and employer bargaining teams are typically determined before the first negotiation session, as both sides need to organize their representatives and establish their negotiation teams in advance to prepare for the discussions.

Question 2

Whipsawing is a negotiation problem associated with centralized bargaining.

Accepted Answer

False

Question 3

The phrase "industry bargaining" refers to a decentralized bargaining structure.

Accepted Answer

"Industry bargaining" refers to a centralized bargaining structure where unions and employers negotiate at the sector or industry level, rather than at individual company level, which is a decentralized bargaining structure.

Question 4

Distributive bargaining is negotiation in which the party's objectives are not in conflict and joint gain is possible.

Accepted Answer

Distributive bargaining is negotiation in which the parties have opposing interests and the goal is to divide a fixed amount of resources between them. The parties compete for the largest share of the resources, and there is not necessarily a possibility for joint gain.

Question 5

Pattern bargaining involves the union negotiating an agreement with one employer and then presenting it to other employers seeking to have it copied.

Accepted Answer

Pattern bargaining involves the union negotiating an agreement with one employer and then using this agreement as a model to negotiate similar agreements with other employers in the same industry or sector.

Question 6

Bargaining structure could affect the bargaining power of the union or the employer.

Accepted Answer

The bargaining structure can affect the bargaining power of the union or employer in several ways. For example, a centralized bargaining structure can give more power to the union as it can bargain with one entity representing all employers, while a decentralized bargaining structure can give more power to individual employers as they can negotiate separately with each union. Similarly, a sectoral bargaining structure can give more power to the union in a particular industry, while an enterprise bargaining structure can give more power to the employer within a specific organization.

Question 7

An employer would be in breach of the duty to bargain in good faith if it failed to provide information to the union that affected the bargaining unit even though the union has not requested the information.

Accepted Answer

The duty to bargain in good faith includes an obligation to provide information that is relevant and necessary to the bargaining process, even if the union has not specifically requested it. Failure to provide such information would be a breach of the duty to bargain in good faith.

Question 8

Distributive bargaining is the basis for interest-based or mutual gains bargaining.

Accepted Answer

Distributive bargaining is the opposite of interest-based or mutual gains bargaining. In distributive bargaining, there is a fixed amount of resources to be divided, and the goal is for one party to get as much as possible, while the other party gets as little as possible. In interest-based or mutual gains bargaining, the goal is to find creative solutions that expand the resources available to both parties, leading to a win-win outcome.

Question 9

The union-management relationship that is most likely to establish a foundation for interest-based bargaining is a co-operative relationship.

Accepted Answer

A co-operative relationship between union and management means that they work together towards common goals and have a mutual understanding of each other's needs and interests. This type of relationship is more likely to establish trust and open communication necessary for interest-based bargaining, which emphasizes finding mutual solutions that benefit both parties.

Question 10

Any communication from an employer to bargaining unit employees during contract negotiations is a breach of the duty to bargain in good faith.

Accepted Answer

While there are restrictions on what an employer can communicate during contract negotiations, not all communication is a breach of the duty to bargain in good faith. Employers are allowed to provide information, clarification, or proposals as long as they don't interfere with the bargaining process or intimidate employees. However, employers must be careful not to engage in bad-faith bargaining tactics or unilateral changes to working conditions.

Question 11

In the most centralized bargaining structure contract negotiations occur between one union and one employer for one location.

Accepted Answer

In the most centralized bargaining structure, negotiations typically occur between a single union (or a coalition of unions) and an employers' association or multiple employers, covering a large number of employees across various locations or even sectors, rather than just one employer at one location.

Question 12

Bargaining structure refers to the number of unions, employers, and locations involved in contract negotiations.

Accepted Answer

Bargaining structure refers to the various parties involved in contract negotiations, including unions, employers and locations.

Question 13

The most hostile union-management relationship is one of collusion.

Accepted Answer

The most hostile union-management relationship is one of conflict, not collusion. Collusion implies cooperation and secret agreement between the two sides, which is not characteristic of a hostile relationship.

Question 14

The relationship between the parties is important because it could affect their ability to move from integrative to adversarial bargaining.

Accepted Answer

The answer of The relationship between the parties is important...

Question 15

A union's demands in contract negotiation could be based upon input from the bargaining unit and arbitration decisions.

Accepted Answer

A union's demands in contract negotiation often include input from the bargaining unit members and past arbitration decisions. The goal is to secure better wages, benefits, working conditions, and job security for the members.

Question 16

Bargaining structure in Canada is generally decentralized.

Accepted Answer

In Canada, bargaining structure is typically determined by sector and industry, with different unions or organizations negotiating for their members. This means that there is no centralized bargaining system in place, but rather a decentralized approach where negotiations happen at a company or industry level.

Question 17

A certification by a Labour Relations Board grants a union the right to bargain for employees situated at one or more locations of an employer.

Accepted Answer

This is true, as the certification grants the union the exclusive right to negotiate with the employer on behalf of the employees.

Question 18

Intraorganizational bargaining includes the concept that negotiators must be concerned with the demands made by the other side and the demands made by their own constituents.

Accepted Answer

Intraorganizational bargaining refers to the negotiation within an organization or group, where negotiators must consider the demands made by their own members as well as the demands made by the other side.

Question 19

Bargaining structure in Canada tends to be decentralized because unions perceive that this structure allows them to achieve their economic goals.

Accepted Answer

Bargaining structure in Canada is generally more centralized, with many sectors engaging in sector-wide or industry-wide bargaining, which is believed to provide unions with greater leverage and uniformity in negotiations across employers.

Question 20

The negotiation of a collective agreement is more complex than other business negotiations.

Accepted Answer

The negotiation of a collective agreement involves discussions and agreements between a union and an employer on behalf of a group of employees. This negotiation involves various legal requirements, such as bargaining in good faith, fair representation, and consideration of mandatory subjects of bargaining. Additionally, a collective agreement has a broader impact on multiple parties, including employees, management, and the broader labor market, making the negotiation process more complex than other business negotiations.

Quiz 8: Negotiation of the Collective Agreement