Question 1

Mason is part of the union negotiating team. He is gathering information about accident records, employee performance reports, absenteeism and transfers. What step of collective bargaining is he performing?

Accepted Answer

Mason is in the preparation stage of collective bargaining, gathering information and data to use in negotiations.

Question 2

Workers in an automotive plant are threatening to strike. Management has given executives huge pay raises. The current contract expires in eight months, but work has already begun on the new contract. Management wants to give smaller raises to the union than has been given in contracts for the past 20 years. Lambert has been hired to make sure that negotiations don't break down, that management and labor keep talking to each other. What is Lambert doing?

Accepted Answer

Lambert is involved in conciliation, which involves facilitating communication between management and labor to prevent a breakdown in negotiations.

Question 3

ONYX, a manufacturing firm wants to open a facility in a right-to-work state. Currently, the union is an agency shop to eliminate free riders. Olivia, the HR union expert, offers which of the following advice to ONYX?

Accepted Answer

In right-to-work states, agency security arrangements are illegal, and the only option is an open shop arrangement. Therefore, Olivia should advise ONYX to opt for an open shop arrangement. Choice A is incorrect because agency security arrangements are illegal in right-to-work states. Choice B is incorrect because Olivia cannot advise ONYX to opt for a union shop arrangement as it defeats the purpose of opening a facility in a right-to-work state. Choice D is irrelevant to the question, and Choice E is incorrect because ONYX can opt for an open shop arrangement, which is legal in right-to-work states.

Question 4

A major tire manufacturer nearly did not reach agreement with one of its major unions last time over health care coverage and retirement provisions. The contract has 10 months to go before expiration, but both sides are hard at work on the new contract. The Detroit Free Press had a lead article that health care would be further reduced under the new agreement. At noon, after the workers had read and discussed the matter, they walked off the job to demonstrate their dissatisfaction with the proposed management action. What kind of technique is being used?

Accepted Answer

A wildcat strike is when workers go on strike without the approval or authorization of their union. In this scenario, the workers walked off the job to protest the proposed reduction in healthcare coverage, without waiting for the union to negotiate or approve a strike action.

Question 5

Leandro works in a union shop, but he has refused to join the union. He pays the union a sum of money equal to union fees and dues as a condition of continuing employment. These monies are used exclusively for collective bargaining purposes. Leandro is working in a(n)

Accepted Answer

Leandro is working in an agency shop. In an agency shop, employees are not required to join the union, but they must pay an amount equal to union fees and dues as a condition of employment. These funds are used for collective bargaining purposes only.

Question 6

Which of the following countries has the lowest unionization rate?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which of the following countries has the...

Question 7

Howie is a new supervisor in the can manufacturing area. In the last two months, seventeen grievances have been filed against him. Although he listened to the employees, investigated the complaints, and provided a response to the employees, he judged the grievances to have no merit and to require no action on his part. Howie has kept complete documentation of these actions. Several of the grievances have already been heard several levels up. You, the labor relations specialist, might offer Howie which of these suggestions?

Accepted Answer

The question suggests that there have been multiple grievances filed against Howie, indicating that there might be an underlying issue with the way he is managing his employees. Asking Howie if he is treating his employees fairly and with respect will help him reflect on his management style and identify any potential issues he might need to address. Options A, C, D, and E are irrelevant or inappropriate in this context.

Question 8

Which of the following was the most influential labor relations law in the United States?

Accepted Answer

The Wagner Act, also known as the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) of 1935, was the most influential labor relations law in the United States. It guarantees workers the right to form and join unions, to engage in collective bargaining, and to go on strike. The NLRA also creates the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) to enforce these rights and regulate unfair labor practices by employers. The other laws listed were also important in shaping labor relations in the US, but the Wagner Act had the greatest impact on workers' rights and unionization.

Question 9

Which of the following has the highest unionization rate?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which of the following has the highest...

Question 10

When did union membership reach its pinnacle in the United States?

Accepted Answer

The answer of When did union membership reach its pinnacle...

Question 11

Jordan joined the union when he was hired, but has decided the benefits are not worth the dues. He can drop his union membership and keep his job, but he has to wait until the next contract negotiation period. Jordan works in a(n)

Accepted Answer

The answer of Jordan joined the union when he was...

Question 12

Peyton has just been hired to administer a union contract. She will be involved all of these activities EXCEPT:

Accepted Answer

Negotiating pay rates would fall under the responsibility of a union representative or negotiator, not an administrator of a union contract. The other activities listed are all typical duties of a union contract administrator.

Question 13

A teachers' union has been trying to negotiate a new contract with school officials for thirty days. The old contract expires in two months, the day before school starts for the year. To resolve the contract negotiation disputes, a panel has been formed to decide on how to settle the contract dispute. The three-member panel consists of a teacher, a school superintendent, and a local businessman. They are listening to testimony from both sides before rendering their decision. What kind of impasse resolution technique is being used?

Accepted Answer

The panel consisting of a teacher, a school superintendent, and a local businessman listening to testimony from both sides before rendering their decision is indicative of fact-finding, where an impartial third party seeks to gather information and facts on the dispute to create a report that can aid in reaching a resolution. The other techniques listed do not involve the formation of a panel or gathering of information in the same way as fact-finding.

Question 14

Cahir works in HR for a union shop. He is adjusting the pay system to the new rates that have just been set as part of the union negotiating team. What step of collective bargaining is Cahir performing?

Accepted Answer

Cahir is performing contract administration, which involves implementing the negotiated terms and conditions of employment, including changes to pay rates.

Question 15

An ironworkers union has been trying to negotiate a new contract with the contractor for months. The contract expired last night at midnight. All the workers showed up, on time, this morning, then walked off the site. What kind of technique is being used?

Accepted Answer

The workers walking off the site after the contract expired is indicative of an economic strike, where workers refuse to work until a new contract is negotiated.

Question 16

What is currently the overall unionization rate in the United States?

Accepted Answer

The unionization rate in the United States was 11% in 2020, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. This represents a decline from previous decades, as the unionization rate was as high as 20% in the 1980s.

Question 17

Which of the following is NOT an impasse-resolution technique?

Accepted Answer

Conciliation, mediation, fact-finding, and interest arbitration are all impasse-resolution techniques aimed at resolving conflicts between two parties. Lockout, on the other hand, is a tactic used by one party to force the other into negotiating a settlement. Therefore, lockout is not an impasse-resolution technique but rather a preemptive move before reaching an impasse.

Question 18

Union negotiations begin with the delivery of "demands" by the union. What goes on behind closed doors during the real negotiations?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Union negotiations begin with the delivery of...

Question 19

Rhonda is a supervisor in the plastics manufacturing area. When a grievance is filed against her, what should she do first?

Accepted Answer

The best choice would be for Rhonda to try to reach a settlement with the employee and the union steward. This shows that she is willing to address and resolve the issue, and it can potentially prevent the grievance from escalating further. It is important for Rhonda to also review company policies and procedures related to the grievance process and ensure that she is following them accordingly.

Question 20

A teachers' union has been trying to negotiate a new contract with school officials for 30 days. The old contract expires in two months, the day before school starts for the year. To resolve the contract negotiation disputes, a third party has been hired to pull together the common ground that exists and to make recommendations in the settlement that would overcome barriers that exist between the two sides. What kind of impasse resolution technique is being used?

Accepted Answer

The fact that a third party has been hired to pull together the common ground and make recommendations indicates that mediation is being used as an impasse resolution technique. In mediation, a neutral third party helps to facilitate negotiations between the two sides and find a mutually acceptable solution.

Quiz 14: Labor Relations and Collective Bargaining