Deck 10: The Collective Agreement

Question 1

What is the major negative implication of seniority- based provisions from an equity perspective?

A)They force older workers to stay in jobs they don't like in order to collect their pensions.
B)There are no negative equity implications.
C)They discriminate against women,minority group members,and people with disabilities.
D)They push people to do jobs they aren't capable of.
E)They discriminate against young people.

Answer 1

C

Question 2

Collective agreement provisions with rigid limitations tend to indicate which of the following?

A)a growing industry
B)a positive union- management relationship
C)a first- time collective agreement
D)a stable industry
E)a highly adversarial union- management relationship

Answer 2

E

Question 3

Agreement terms phrased in a general way allowing some latitude in interpretation could best be described as

A)co- operative.
B)egalitarian.
C)reasonable.
D)exploitive.
E)accommodative.

Answer 3

E

Question 4

All but which one of the following is a valid criticism of collective bargaining and collective agreements?

A)Many agreements are interpreted far too legalistically.
B)They assume a "level playing field" between management and unions-something which in fact does not exist.
C)The basic aim of collective bargaining may be incompatible with today's globalized economy.
D)Many agreements are extremely complex and difficult to understand.
E)They haven't evolved very much over time.

Question 5

Which of the following best sums up Canadian unions' collective bargaining achievements in the area of technological change?

A)modest achievement,due both to management resistance and insufficient union attention to this area
B)minimal achievement,due entirely to fierce management resistance
C)modest achievement despite minimal management resistance
D)outstanding achievement,due in part to management's strongly cooperative attitude
E)outstanding achievement,despite fierce management resistance

Question 6

A wage premium paid to those workers who must remain on- call is called

A)on- call pay.
B)call- back pay.
C)standing call pay.
D)standby pay.
E)readiness pay.

Question 7

An agreement that replaces detailed "control" provisions with broad,rather general statements of principle,indicates an approach best characterized as

A)egalitarian.
B)exploitive.
C)reasonable.
D)accommodative
E)principled.

Question 8

Why might an IR institutionalist favour seniority as a criterion for personnel decisions such as promotions and layoffs?

A)because it eliminates the possibility of arbitrary management actions,thereby increasing workers' morale and productivity
B)because this approach is cheaper
C)because it ensures that the best person is selected to do the job
D)because IR institutionalists don't trust personnel departments
E)because management generally favours this approach

Question 9

The main purpose of pay- for- knowledge compensation schemes is

A)to get around union seniority provisions.
B)to give workers the incentive to learn a broad range of skills in workplaces which use self- directed work teams.
C)to simplify payroll administration.
D)to encourage workers to buy and read books.
E)to encourage competition between team members.

Question 10

Collective agreement provisions with a great degree of latitude for the parties tend to indicate which of the following?

A)a highly adversarial union- management relationship
B)a positive union- management relationship
C)a long- term collective bargaining relationship
D)a first- time collective agreement
E)a declining industry

Question 11

Under a "compressed" work hours system,employees normally

A)work eight or nine days,each slightly longer than normal,over a two- week period.
B)work fourteen 12- hour days per month,then take the rest of the month off.
C)work a reduced work week at a corresponding reduction in pay.
D)put in all their annual hours during the spring and summer.
E)work without any breaks but go home much earlier in the afternoon.

Question 12

Even in closed shop situations,management can still retain considerable effective control over the hiring process through

A)coercive management practices.
B)assigning supervisors to vacant positions.
C)management rights provisions.
D)the probation period.
E)not paying anyone it doesn't like.

Question 13

Conflict control provisions include all but which one of the following?

A)grievance provisions
B)provisions establishing joint union- management committees
C)union security provisions
D)provisions for handling layoffs
E)management rights provisions

Question 14

A wage premium paid to those workers who must return to work after leaving the premises is called

A)call- in pay.
B)standby pay.
C)call- back pay.
D)on- call pay.
E)return pay.

Question 15

Agreement terms phrased in a detailed or minute manner usually indicate a relationship between union and management that is

A)reasonable.
B)accommodative
C)unco- operative.
D)egalitarian.
E)exploitive.

Question 16

Why have seniority- based provisions become more controversial from an efficiency perspective?

A)because there are many fewer interchangeable jobs than there used to be
B)because older workers are less capable than younger workers
C)because most workers are staying on until an older age these days
D)because these provisions are more difficult to administer than they used to be
E)because youth unemployment is on the increase

Question 17

The major incursion on the doctrine of residual management rights has been in the area of

A)technological change.
B)discharge and discipline.
C)work rules.
D)work hours.
E)layoff notices.

Question 18

Canadian collective agreements generally contain provisions covering all but which one of the following areas?

A)control of conflict between union and management
B)the rights of non- unionized workers
C)the work environment,broadly defined
D)wages and hours of work
E)work rules

Question 19

All but which one of the following is a cause of the great and increased)length and complexity of Canadian collective agreements?

A)the political weakness of the Canadian labour movement
B)employers' resistance to unions
C)recent increase in the number of management IR staff
D)the increased diversity of the Canadian workforce
E)the need for agreements to conform to a broad range of employment- related legislation

Question 20

The following new benefit reflects the growing stresses faced by workers in today's tough economy:

A)dental and medical plans.
B)pension plans.
C)life insurance.
D)sick leave.
E)employee assistance plans.

Question 21

Can a union truly meet the definition of democracy as described in the Edelstein- Warner definition quoted in the text given its inherent contradiction of a majority ruled collective that must also advocate for its individual members' rights?

Question 22

In what ways does union structure in Quebec differ from that in other provinces?

Question 23

Some of the least important clauses in a collective agreement are those concerning management and union rights.

Question 24

Do most unionized Canadian workers enjoy significant protection against the possible adverse effects of technological change?

Question 25

What are COLA clauses,and why don't we hear very much about them these days?

Question 26

What is the difference between "standby pay" and "call- back pay"?

Question 27

Why are workload restrictions an important part of bargaining in education?

Question 28

Why would we be most unlikely to find detailed work rule provisions in socio- technical systems agreements?

Question 29

Of the activities engaged in by union locals,municipal and district labour councils,and provincial and national labour federations,which is are the most important? Justify your answer.

Question 30

What function do union rights and security provisions serve?

Question 31

How does their interpretation of the provisions in a collective agreement provide insight into the relationship of the parties to one another?

Question 32

Why are clauses detailing management and union rights so important in a collective agreement?

Question 33

Why are collective agreements so important to the Canadian IR system?

Question 34

Why do managers generally dislike "bumping" provisions,and what do they often do to mitigate some of their effects?

Question 35

Why would institutionalist and reformist IR academics generally view the evolution of lengthy and detailed Canadian agreements as healthy?

Question 36

Given that there already exists legislation protecting women against sexual harassment,why would unions bother to negotiate sexual harassment provisions into collective agreements?

Question 37

What do the results of unions' efforts to achieve a greater say in workplace decision- making suggest about management's position on this issue?

Question 38

List the main types of provisions included in most Canadian collective agreements.

Question 39

What are some important differences between collective agreements and ordinary commercial contracts?

Question 40

Why do many IR and HR managers have a mixed response to collective agreements?

Question 41

Management resistance has been an important factor driving the increased length and complexity of today's collective agreements.

Question 42

"Standby pay" and "call- back pay" are the same thing.

Question 43

Which union membership growth prompted by PC1003 or the PSSRA,has had the most profound effect on the Canadian labour movement?

Question 44

COLA clauses deal with access to pop machines at work.

Question 45

Union security provisions deal with the safety of union members while at work.

Question 46

Conflict- control provisions are the only procedure in a collective agreement,detailing how a dispute will be handled.

Question 47

Seniority is based on total service with one organization,regardless of whether it has been continuous or not.

Question 48

Discuss the factors which have led to a growing divergence of Canadian and American union membership rates since 1965,despite roughly similar economic experiences in the two countries,and indicate whether or not you expect the pattern of growing divergence to continue.

Question 49

Today's collective agreements aren't much different from those of 100 years ago.

Question 50

Despite their seeming complexity,most Canadian collective agreements follow a similar pattern

Question 51

Over the issue of contracting out,unions have had a moderate success rate in recent years.

Question 52

Discuss the reasons for the early internationalization and much more recent nationalization of the Canadian labour movement.

Question 53

There is some reason to believe that collective bargaining over technological change should be replaced or at least supplemented with some kind of legislative mechanism.

Question 54

It is normally assumed by arbitrators that any right not specifically claimed by the union through a collective agreement provision is reserved to management.

Question 55

Seniority provisions governing promotions and those governing layoffs are about equally controversial.

Question 56

The handling of discipline and discharge cases by arbitrators has resulted in a significant modification to the doctrine of residual management rights.

Question 57

Collective agreements following an egalitarian approach are common in Canada.

Question 58

The interpretation of clauses in a collective agreement can be insightful into the relationship between the parties to the agreement.