Deck 9: The Process of Negotiation

Question 1

Centralized bargaining often makes negotiations go more smoothly because

A)of its greater involvement of local union representatives.
B)of the larger number of people involved.
C)it is conducted in convenient locations readily accessible to all participants.
D)of its use of more experienced and highly skilled negotiators.
E)of its greater speed.

Answer 1

D

Question 2

Which of the following is not an approach used to conflict resolution in collective bargaining?

A)integrative bargaining
B)principled bargaining
C)objective bargaining
D)mutual gains/interest- based bargaining
E)distributive bargaining

Answer 2

C

Question 3

What's the best explanation of why bargaining power shifted markedly toward workers and unions during World War II?

A)patriotic fervour on the part of employers
B)sympathetic government policy
C)Mackenzie King's sudden conversion to socialism
D)a shortage of workers
E)increased female participation in the labour force

Answer 3

D

Question 4

Distributive bargaining is best described as a approach.

A)collaborative
B)honest
C)Integrative
D)competitive
E)principled

Question 5

For a management team preparing for negotiation,the overall objectives of preparation do not include

A)obtaining a thorough knowledge of general economic environments.
B)obtaining a thorough knowledge of workers' attitudes.
C)obtaining a thorough knowledge of general political environments.
D)obtaining a thorough knowledge of specific political environments.
E)meeting as many of the needs of employees as possible.

Question 6

The shared understandings around expected levels of trust,information sharing and mutual commitment between the parties best describes

A)objective goals.
B)interaction systems.
C)social contract outcomes.
D)substantive goals.
E)a mixed strategy.

Question 7

In which of the following industries has pattern bargaining survived more or less intact?

A)auto
B)trucking
C)meatpacking
D)rubber
E)pulp and paper

Question 8

All but which one of the following have been associated with decentralized bargaining structures?

A)greater union/non- union wage differentials
B)increased use of two- tier wage schemes
C)higher strike rates internationally)
D)lower inflation
E)greater wage dispersion overall

Question 9

For a union team preparing for negotiation,the overall objectives of preparation do not include

A)obtaining a thorough knowledge of general economic environments.
B)obtaining a thorough knowledge of specific political environments.
C)obtaining a thorough knowledge of workers' attitudes.
D)obtaining a thorough knowledge of specific economic environments.
E)obtaining a thorough knowledge of general political environments.

Question 10

Which of the following best explains why unions' preparation for bargaining tends to be a longer and more complex process than that of management organizations?

A)Union officials are poorer researchers than their management counterparts.
B)Union officials enjoy holding frequent membership meetings.
C)Unions,as political organizations,must at least be perceived as addressing the needs of all major constituencies within the organization.
D)Union officials lack training in economics and finance.
E)There is a paralysis of will within the labour movement.

Question 11

The strategic approach of forcing change focuses on

A)integrative bargaining with attitudinal structuring emphasizing trust.bargaining with attitudinal structuring emphasizing trust.
B)intra- organizational bargaining building internal solidarity.
C)systematically increasing investments in non- union locations.
D)sequentially mixing integrative bargaining with distributive bargaining.
E)distributive bargaining and attitudinal structuring emphasizing hostility.

Question 12

The strategic approach of escaping change may focus on

A)intra- organizational bargaining building internal solidarity.
B)distributive bargaining and attitudinal structuring emphasizing hostility.
C)systematically increasing investments in non- union locations.
D)sequentially mixing integrative bargaining with distributive bargaining.
E)integrative bargaining with attitudinal structuring emphasizing trust.bargaining with attitudinal structuring emphasizing trust.

Question 13

All but which one of the following has been identified as a cause of Canada's relatively decentralized bargaining structure?

A)labour boards' desire to facilitate unionization wherever employees wish it
B)labour boards' desire to promote harmonious bargaining relations between the parties
C)provincial jurisdiction over most labour legislation
D)labour boards' emphasis on "community of interest" in determining appropriate bargaining units
E)the attitude of many employers toward broader- based bargaining

Question 14

Rushing the negotiating process by skipping one or more of the four stages may well result in all but which one of the following?

A)increased resistance from the other side
B)rejection of the tentative agreement by one's constituents
C)a quicker or perhaps even superior agreement
D)failure to learn the other side's true bottom line
E)increased intraorganizational conflict

Question 15

During World War II,the government tried to mitigate the shift in bargaining power by all but which of the following?

A)imposing wage controls
B)limiting the rights of employees to shift jobs
C)imposing price controls
D)limiting the rights of employees to quit
E)freezing workers in essential employment

Question 16

A settlement zone is

A)the room to which exhausted negotiators can go to recover.
B)the room in which final terms for collective agreements are negotiated.
C)the area of intersection between the union and management teams' bottom lines.
D)a piece of land where workers displaced by the collective agreement can set up huts in protest against the agreement.
E)a neutral territory in the hotel in which negotiations are being conducted,and where neither side is allowed to talk about negotiations.

Question 17

At the simplest level,the term "bargaining structure" refers to

A)who bargains with whom.
B)the type of building in which negotiations are held.
C)the seating pattern for negotiations.
D)the format of the collective agreement which the parties eventually sign.
E)the type of table around which negotiations are conducted.

Question 18

Environmental factors influencing bargaining outcomes do not include

A)current economic situation
B)legislation prohibiting replacement workers
C)hostile public opinion
D)sympathetic public opinion
E)the weather

Question 19

Collective bargaining can best be defined as

A)the terms and conditions of employment unilaterally established by unions.
B)the negotiation process through which the terms and conditions of employment for non- unionized workers are determined.
C)the negotiation process through which the terms and conditions of employment for unionized workers are determined.
D)the terms and conditions of employment established by employers.
E)the terms and conditions of employment jointly established by employers and workers.

Question 20

One way around some of the representational problems raised by centralized bargaining systems is

A)two- tier or multi- tier bargaining systems.
B)voluntary arbitration.
C)single- team bargaining.
D)mediation.
E)binding arbitration.

Question 21

Which of the following is not usually an influence on the process and outcome of collective bargaining?

A)union goals and strategies
B)relative bargaining power of the parties
C)bargaining structure
D)management goals and strategies
E)time available to negotiate

Question 22

Distributive bargaining is a more collaborative approach.

Question 23

In good times,unions generally favour decentralized structures.

Question 24

One fundamental criticism of collective bargaining is which of the following?

A)ability of the parties to strike or lockout the other
B)lack of regulation from government
C)the assumption of equal bargaining power
D)length of time it needs
E)interference from government

Question 25

Which of the following is an important determinant in reaching a bargaining outcome?

A)zone of potential agreement
B)zone of unlikely agreement
C)resistant point
D)opening offer
E)target point

Question 26

Why aren't manipulative individuals apt to fare well in labour- management negotiations over the long term?

Question 27

Distinguish between centralized and decentralized bargaining structures.

Question 28

Why,despite the loss of their ability to whipsaw,might unions be willing to go along with centralized structures in good times?

Question 29

List some reasons for Canada's generally decentralized bargaining structure.

Question 30

What is a settlement zone,and what are some issues to which it would generally not apply?

Question 31

The collective bargaining process is the best way to give the employee a voice in the management of the company.

Question 32

Why have pattern bargaining arrangements become rarer in Canada in recent years?

Question 33

The strategic approach of fostering change focuses on

A)sequentially mixing integrative bargaining with distributive bargaining.
B)systematically increasing investments in non- union locations.
C)integrative bargaining with attitudinal structuring emphasizing trust.
D)distributive bargaining and attitudinal structuring emphasizing hostility.
E)intra- organizational bargaining building consensus.

Question 34

Why would a shift to more centralized bargaining structures not,in itself,be enough to reduce industrial conflict in Canada?

Question 35

Why do employers generally favour more centralized structures in good times?

Question 36

The losses which a union can impose on management as the result of a strike include all but which one of the following?

A)increased grievances
B)increased public sympathy for the strikers
C)lost profit
D)an increase in spoiled goods
E)the elimination of management rights clauses from collective agreements

Question 37

Target and resistance points are usually the opposite of the opening offer.

Question 38

Why is multi- employer,multi- establishment,multi- union bargaining rare in Canada?

Question 39

Finalization is normally the longest of the four stages of negotiation.

Question 40

Whipsawing may be engaged in by either unions or management.

Question 41

Intraorganizational conflict refers to conflict between the union and management teams.

Question 42

The negotiation process is as dependant on intangible as on tangible factors for success.

Question 43

The breakdown of pattern bargaining arrangements is one of the causes of Canada's bargaining structure becoming more centralized.

Question 44

More fundamentally,collective bargaining assumes at least rough equality between the parties.Particularly in a difficult economy like the present one,this may not be a safe assumption.When power is tilted strongly toward employers as at present),unions find it harder to negotiate effectively,and the collective bargaining process does less well than it otherwise would at defusing workplace conflict,leading to an increase in other types of conflict such as increased grievance rates and increased absenteeism and sick leave.

Question 45

Accommodative provisions are those which,without in any way suggesting a fundamental shift in the balance of workplace power,seek to promote better union- management relations,normally by moving beyond extremely detailed delineation of union and management "territory." An example is the Bell Canada health and safety provision which states that "Both parties...recognize the need to ensure the safety and protect the health of all employees." Such provisions are most often characteristic of mature and stable bargaining relationships and are typically found in industries like telecommunications)which are at least stable,if not growing.

Question 46

Internationally,bargaining structures appear to have had a significant impact on such macro- economic indicators as unemployment and inflation levels.

Question 47

The excessively legalistic interpretation of such agreements,particularly in exploitive relationships.This can be costly and time- consuming and lead to further deterioration of the union- management relationship.

Question 48

Even the most detailed agreement can't cover all possible workplace situations.

Question 49

The best way to reduce strikes in Canada would be to centralize all bargaining structures.

Question 50

List the various types of wage and benefit provisions.

Question 51

Consolidation is usually the quickest stage.

Question 52

In particular,technological change seems to have proven ill- adapted to collective bargaining perhaps because it is fundamentally incompatible with it).The aim of collective bargaining is to fix terms and conditions of employment for a set period,while the effect if not the aim of technological change is to destabilize conditions.Arbitrators and labour boards have proven very reluctant to enforce tech change provisions and legislation; unions have often been reluctant to negotiate them.

Question 53

Egalitarian provisions are rare in Canada and are probably most often found in organizations which have adopted a socio- technical systems approach.In general,such agreements tend to feature broad,rather general statements of principle rather than detailed delineations of union and management territory.Such provisions suggest the granting of a considerable measure of control to workers and their unions.An example would be the Shell Sarnia preamble stating that the agreement's purpose is to "develop an enabling framework within which an organizational system can be developed and sustained that will ensure an efficient and competitive world- scale Chemical Plant operation and provide meaningful work and job satisfaction for employees." What is perhaps most notable about the Shell Sarnia agreement is what it doesn't contain: a management rights provision,a formal grievance procedure,or specific work rules or job control provisions beyond a stipulation that layoffs will be made in order of reverse seniority.In general,the aim of such agreements is to promote trust and empower workers.

Question 54

Because collective agreement provisions are often so complex that even experienced managers and union officials have difficulty understanding them,the agreements tend to be unevenly enforced in the workplace.Union officials and managers may simply decide to ignore certain provisions and/or not avail themselves of all the rights allowed them by the agreement.Such laxness could come back to haunt them later on should the other side decide to start sticking more closely to the "letter of the law."

Question 55

Explain why union- management negotiations are almost invariably longer and more complex than ordinary commercial negotiations.

Question 56

Social contract outcomes are a type of substantive goal.

Question 57

More generally,it isn't clear how well collective bargaining can be expected to operate in an increasingly global economy marked by almost instantaneous transmission of information,constant fluctuations in exchange rates,and the rapid movement of goods,services,and capital across international borders.

Question 58

Most non- unionized employees possess sufficient bargaining clout to demand superior working conditions.

Question 59

Discuss the effects of centralized vs.decentralized bargaining structures on wages,inflation,strikes,the bargaining process,and the negotiation process.

Question 60

The overall objective of preparing for negotiation is substantially different for management and union teams.

Question 61

What is packaging,and why is it often a good way to end a negotiation?

Question 62

Discuss the pros and cons of seniority as a criterion for layoffs,recalls,and promotions.

Question 63

Define "bargaining power" and discuss the sources of union and management bargaining power.

Question 64

Has the evolution of lengthy and detailed agreements been healthy for the Canadian IR system?

Question 65

Discuss the reasons for the evolution of longer,more complex,and more legalistic Canadian collective agreements.

Question 66

List and briefly discuss the four stages of negotiation,and explain why it's important to take enough time to go through all the stages.

Question 67

Discuss the reasons for the shift away from centralized structures toward more decentralized ones both in Canada and internationally.

Question 68

Discuss some ways of improving the bargaining process.