Deck 13: Labor Unions and Employee Management

Question 1

Employees in a right to work state:

A) can join a union once their employer has approved their membership.
B) must join the union within 90 days of employment.
C) do not have to join a union because unions are illegal in those states.
D) must join a union as a condition of employment.
E) have the right not to join a union.

Answer 1

E

Question 2

Which of the following types of union shops was made illegal because it required employees to join the union before they were even hired?

A) Employer shop
B) Agency shop
C) Union shop
D) Closed shop
E) Open shop

Answer 2

D

Question 3

Right to work laws exist in ________ states.

A) 13
B) 22
C) 25
D) 30
E) 50

Answer 3

B

Question 4

All of the following actions are considered an unfair labor practice EXCEPT:

A) interfering with the formation of a labor organization.
B) restraining or coercing employees as part of a union campaign.
C) terminating an employee for expressing their support of the union.
D) giving presentations to employees in order to campaign against the union.
E) refusing to use good faith bargaining when negotiating with the union.

Question 5

If the dietary workers in a school cafeteria were to unionize they would most likely be represented by a:

A) craft union.
B) industrial union.
C) international union.
D) closed union.
E) open union.

Question 6

The Norris-LaGuardia Act of 1932:

A) is no longer in effect.
B) gave employers full power over how employees could be treated.
C) made it easier for employees to engage in union-organizing activities.
D) eliminated the right of employees to strike.
E) holds unions liable for any unlawful activities by its members.

Question 7

The Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service:

A) is an agency that deals with unfair labor practices and secret ballot elections.
B) handles strikes which impact an entire industry and threaten the economy.
C) establishes the employee "bill of rights."
D) is monitored by a board of union stewards from across the country.
E) prevents labor-management disputes from impeding the free flow of commerce.

Question 8

All of the following statements about the NLRB are accurate EXCEPT:

A) the NLRB conducts secret ballot elections for employees when required.
B) the NLRB is focused on giving unions more power over employers.
C) the NLRB works to prevent and address any unfair labor practices.
D) the NLRB decides whether groups of employees want a labor union to represent them so that they can engage in collective bargaining.
E) the NLRB made up of 5 members appointed by the President of the United States and approved by the Senate.

Question 9

The reason(s) the President of the U.S. would consider a strike to be a national emergency strike is/are:

A) an entire industry is affected.
B) national health and safety are at risk.
C) wages are dramatically cut.
D) Both A and B
E) All of the above

Question 10

Union membership has declined over the past several years for all of the following reasons EXCEPT:

A) jobs that have been traditionally unionized are moving overseas.
B) small businesses and the service industry have grown which are both typically non-union environments.
C) local unions have lacked the money to spend money on organizing efforts.
D) employees felt that unions were not doing a good enough job of representing them.
E) union member wages are significantly lower than non-union employees.

Question 11

ABC Industries had 142 employees sign union authorization cards. ABC has 800 employees, 450 of which are eligible to be unionized. Based on this information which of the following statements is most accurate?

A) 18% of the eligible employees agree that a union is needed.
B) Based on the number of signatures, ABC is now a unionized work place.
C) The union cannot proceed with an election because they needed 98 more cards to be signed.
D) Enough eligible employees have signed union authorization cards to hold a secret ballot election.
E) ABC only needed 240 eligible employees in order for the union to be able to hold an election.

Question 12

The Teamsters are attempting to unionize the warehouse workers at Bruce's employer. One of the union representatives has called Bruce repeatedly at home to convince him the union is a good thing and told him that if he does not support them there is the potential he could lose his job. This statement made by the union representative is known as a/an:

A) unfair labor practice.
B) union right.
C) employee requirement.
D) right to work law.
E) collective bargaining.

Question 13

One reason why employees join labor unions is:

A) to negotiate lower wages.
B) there are less safety regulations in a union environment.
C) to get improved work schedules.
D) to decrease the choice in benefit offerings.
E) to avoid industry specific regulations on how the work is done.

Question 14

Jake works for an employer who has a union but he is not interested in becoming a member. However, he is still required to pay the initiation fee an on-going dues because he is part of a/an:

A) employer shop.
B) agency shop.
C) union shop.
D) closed shop.
E) open shop.

Question 15

The National Labor Relations Act provides all of the following EXCEPT:

A) encourages both the union and management to engage in collective bargaining.
B) requires both union and management to control their activities so that it doesn't have a negative impact on the economy.
C) protects the rights employees.
D) protects the rights of employers.
E) All of the above are correct.

Question 16

Which of the following statements is most accurate regarding the Landrum-Griffin Act?

A) Union leaders are selected by the union, not employees.
B) Unions cannot be sued by their members.
C) Union members have the right to due process in disciplinary actions.
D) Copies of the collective bargaining agreement are provided only to the employer.
E) Closed shops may be used in certain industries.

Question 17

Which of the following people is a member of the union and also an employee of the company which has been unionized?

A) HR Manager
B) Line supervisor
C) Union steward
D) President of the board of directors
E) Union president

Question 18

Which of the following acts established the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service?

A) Taft-Hartley Act
B) National Labor Relations Act
C) Landrum-Griffin Act
D) Norris-LaGuardia Act
E) Wagner Act

Question 19

All of the following are accurate about the Railway Labor Act EXCEPT:

A) it defines major and minor disputes.
B) it applies to only common carrier rail services.
C) it created the National Mediation Board to settle disputes.
D) the National Railroad Adjust Board is used to settle minor disputes.
E) lockouts can be used to settle major disputes.

Question 20

The Taft-Hartley Act of 1947:

A) has a provision that employees cannot be forced to join a union.
B) is also known as the National Labor Relations Act.
C) requires all major disputes to use a mediator to be resolved.
D) established the National Labor Relations Board.
E) gives more power to unions rather than employers.

Question 21

A union is permitted to:

A) have other employees lobby their coworkers throughout the work day to support the union.
B) require the employer to hire more employees than are typically needed to perform the work.
C) require only union members be hired to work for the employer.
D) campaign on company property no matter what type of employer it is.
E) dismiss any grievances it believes have no merit.

Question 22

All of the following are accurate statements in regard to neutrality agreements EXCEPT:

A) employers prefer this process because the union loses its rights.
B) the NLRB does not get involved in certifying the union when this agreement exists.
C) management is prevented from speaking to employees about the impacts a union can have.
D) more than 30% of eligible employees must sign cards in order for the bargaining unit to be recognized.
E) this process has a high success rate for the unions.

Question 23

The union and management could not agree on two major issues related to overtime and work schedules, therefore an outside party has been called in to facilitate discussions. This is an example of a/an:

A) interest based bargaining.
B) distributive bargaining.
C) integrative bargaining.
D) impasse.
E) grievance.

Question 24

All of the following are important to a successful negotiation process EXCEPT:

A) continually being prepared with statistical and financial information to support your side of the bargaining.
B) understand the expectations of the other party.
C) accepting that when an impasse occurs facilitation is not an option.
D) realizing that failure to agree may result in a strike.
E) knowing that arbitration may need to be used if neither party can agree.

Question 25

Some bargaining methods result in win-win situations where both parties attempt to get what they want by coming to the best solution for both. Which type of bargaining has this result?

A) Distributive
B) Interest-based
C) Integrative
D) Both B and C
E) All of the above

Question 26

Which of the following must happen first before a certification petition is filed with the NLRB?

A) The vote is positive and the union is certified.
B) 30% of eligible workers sign authorization cards.
C) A secret ballot election is held.
D) Employer bargains with the union.
E) Votes are tallied to determine if a majority voted for the union.

Question 27

During a unionizing attempt the employer is allowed to:

A) show preference to those employees who are against the union.
B) inform employees about the history of the union and the negative consequences of joining.
C) question employees about union events they have attended.
D) conduct surveillance on employees who attend union activities.
E) only let those employees who are against the union to work overtime.

Question 28

Which of the following is an example of bad faith bargaining?

A) Holding a meeting at 8 p.m. to negotiate the contract terms.
B) Management meets with a small group of employees to determine what they need.
C) Scheduling multiple bargaining sessions even though all of them may not be necessary.
D) Coming to the negotiation with market information to support compensation proposals.
E) Disagreeing with the union about rate employees should pay for their health insurance.

Question 29

The facilitator between the union and management has met individually with each side to determine what they are looking for and now both groups are back at the table to discuss the best way to reach an agreement that will meet both of their needs. This is an example of:

A) mediation.
B) distribution.
C) arbitration.
D) conciliation.
E) integration.

Question 30

All of the following are mandatory bargaining topics EXCEPT:

A) health insurance.
B) grievance process.
C) wages.
D) retiree benefits.
E) pension plan.

Question 31

In order for a union to be recognized by an organization:

A) the Department of Labor must rule in the union's favor.
B) the employer writes a letter to the FEderal Mediation and Conciliation Services.
C) all of its employees must sign a letter requesting to be unionized.
D) a secret ballot election must result in a majority of the employees voting for the union.
E) at least a third of the employees must sign a petition which is sent to the NLRB.322

Question 32

Which of the following determines whether a bargaining unit is made up of the appropriate employees?

A) Employer's management team
B) Union steward
C) Arbitrator
D) President of local union
E) NLRB

Question 33

The employees which are represented by the union are known as the:

A) bargaining unit.
B) salts.
C) scabs.
D) union stewards.
E) agency.

Question 34

An organization has decided to not hold an election, but rather recognize a union because the union has shown evidence that the majority of workers have signed cards and want the union to represent them. This is known as a:

A) neutrality agreement.
B) secret ballot.
C) card check.
D) mandatory bargaining.
E) bad faith bargaining.

Question 35

At what point in the labor union certification process does the contract negotiation occur?

A) Before the union is certified.
B) After the votes are counted and a union win is affirmed.
C) Before the certification petition is filed with the NLRB.
D) Before eligible workers sign union authorization cards.
E) As soon as workers express an interest in being unionized.

Question 36

PQR Manufacturing has a secret ballot election coming up on Friday morning at 9 a.m. Thursday night the management team of PQR holds one final presentation to explain to employees why they should against the union. Based on this information which statement is most accurate?

A) Employees are required to attend this meeting.
B) Union literature can be displayed at the meeting to present the union's view.
C) Employees must attend the meeting during their break time.
D) The employer is not permitted to have this meeting since it is less than 24 hours until the election.
E) Employees must inform the employer as to how they intend to vote.

Question 37

The third party that has been called in to help the union and management come to an agreement has asked that they continue to negotiate late into the evening as it appears they may be getting closer to an agreement. This is an example of:

A) mediation.
B) distribution.
C) arbitration.
D) conciliation.
E) integration.

Question 38

Which type of bargaining would an organization want to use when it is bargaining about compensation?

A) Grievance
B) Arbitration
C) Interest-based
D) Integrative
E) Distributive

Question 39

Both the labor and management have presented the items they would like to see included or excluded from the contract. A third party has reviewed all of the information and determined what items will be part of the final contract and their decision cannot be altered. This is an example of:

A) mediation.
B) distribution.
C) arbitration.
D) conciliation.
E) integration.

Question 40

Which of the following acts requires management and unions to use good faith bargaining when dealing with each other?

A) Landrum-Griffin Act
B) Taft-Hartley Act
C) Wagner Act
D) Norris-LaGuardia Act
E) Labor Management Relations Act

Question 41

The employer can require employees to attend meetings so that management can present its side about the unionization attempt.

Question 42

If a neutrality agreement is signed neither the union or employer will discuss the unionization attempt while authorization cards are being signed.

Question 43

Wages and work schedules are considered permissive topics in collective bargaining.

Question 44

Jacob works in a union shop. He and his supervisor have a disagreement over his work schedule so he goes to his union steward to complain. Which of the following is most likely going to be the outcome?

A) The union steward will act as an arbitrator in the dispute.
B) Jacob's coworkers will go on strike in support of him at the union steward's request.
C) Union steward can agree with the supervisor.
D) Jacob can ask for a decertification of the union.
E) The supervisor will be disciplined for disagreeing with the employee.

Question 45

In order for decertification to be considered:

A) the petition can only be filed within 90 days of the contract expiration.
B) more than 50% of the employees in the bargaining unit must sign a petition.
C) more than 50% of the employees in the bargaining unit must vote the union out.
D) a secret ballot election does not need to occur.
E) a labor contract currently must be in place.

Question 46

All of the following are global trends EXCEPT:

A) Great Britain has experienced a surge in union membership.
B) Each country must have its own unique unions which are not permitted to operate on a global level.
C) Wages in China have decreased due to recent legislation there related to union contracts.
D) In Mexico, there are less non-union workers than union workers.
E) Unions in Korea are reported to represent their workers well.

Question 47

Labor-management issues at a federal level are handled by the:

A) National Labor Relations Board.
B) Occupational Health and Safety Administration.
C) Weingarten Act.
D) Federal Labor Relations Authority.
E) AFL-CIO.

Question 48

Which of the following statements about worker-management groups is most accurate?

A) They originated as a result of the Taft-Hartley Act.
B) The group's purpose is to enhance productivity improvements within an organization.
C) They are permitted to set employee wages and working conditions.
D) Participation on the group can be limited to those in a union.
E) The NLRB monitors each group's activities through a formal reporting structure.

Question 49

Pensions, insurance and the discipline process are all examples of mandatory bargaining topics.

Question 50

A bargaining unit does not have to include every employee and can be limited to those in a specific group or department.

Question 51

Employees can lobby their coworkers to vote for the union, but lobbying can only occur during meal and break periods.

Question 52

If a union member and their employer have a disagreement who should be involved in attempting to resolve the dispute first?

A) HR Manager
B) Vice President of the employees department
C) Union steward
D) Committee of union members
E) Union president

Question 53

Good faith bargaining requires that the union and management representatives meet at reasonable times and come to the collective bargaining table ready to reach an agreement.

Question 54

With the card check process an election is required to be held after workers have signed authorization cards indicating that they are in favor of the union.

Question 55

Community Hospital recently hired two RNs who are now promoting a union to their coworkers. The hospital recently found out that these two employees were actually employees of the union paid to organize their hospital. The two RNs are known as:

A) scabs.
B) salts.
C) free riders.
D) union stewards.
E) union shoppers.

Question 56

In the union organizing process at least 51% of the eligible employees must provide a union authorization card in order for the NLRB to consider the their petition to unionize.

Question 57

A trend happening now with regard to labor unions:

A) eliminating perks to save money.
B) using only Gen Xers as union stewards to get a fresher approach to grievance handling.
C) discontinuing targeted outreach so as to not be viewed as discriminating against any one group.
D) is consolidating and merging to pool union resources.
E) placing less focus on health care benefits due to the increasing costs.

Question 58

Due to changing economic conditions unions are:

A) offering fixed salaries to union members.
B) paying a portion of union member dues.
C) using more variable pay plans in their contracts.
D) requiring mandatory overtime as part of their contracts.
E) decreasing their involvement in political campaigns to save costs.

Question 59

The Civil Service Reform Act:

A) requires union contracts to include a pension benefit.
B) lifted the prohibition of federal employees to unionize.
C) prohibits employers with union contracts from requiring employees to work overtime.
D) created the employee "bill of rights."
E) defines the guidelines for decertification.

Question 60

To certify the union process, the regional office of the NLRB holds a secret ballot election and then the union files a petition with the NLRB.

Question 61

Unionization in the manufacturing industry has seen a dramatic increase over the past few years both in the number of unions and the number of people joining unions.

Question 62

In order to file a grievance an employee must go to the union steward to get immediate representation by the union.

Question 63

Unions are trying to reach more minority populations to educate them about the benefits of joining a union.

Question 64

Using technology to reach potential union members via the web and gather employer data through electronic sources is on the rise by the unions.

Question 65

When using the distributive bargaining strategy the outcome is generally win-win so that both parties get what they came to the table expecting to receive.

Question 66

In a country such as Mexico, unions are on the rise, however employee turnover has also increased as a result of union presence.

Question 67

The ________ Act applies to common carrier rail service and commercial airline employees.

Question 68

When mediation is used a third party makes the final decision rather than the parties involved in the disagreement.

Question 69

A decertification petition must be filed within 100 days of the expiration of the current collective bargaining agreement if the employees no longer what to be represented by the union.

Question 70

Using a worker-management committee in the work place could be deemed illegal if they engage in activities dealing with wages or conditions of employment.

Question 71

Interest based bargaining is a win-lose approach because each party is after what is in their best interest and each disregards what the other party may want.

Question 72

The Civil Service Reform Act of 1978 makes it illegal for employees of the federal government to form or join a union.

Question 73

In order to "salt" an organization the union must be successful at getting its union-paid organizers hired to work for the company that they want to organize.

Question 74

When both parties reach an impasse, conciliation can be used which keeps both parties at the table working on the issues until they reach an agreement.

Question 75

The ________ Act was passed to protect the rights of employees and make the NLRB more impartial when handling employee and union issues.

Question 76

Any violation to the NLRA which denies rights and benefits to employees is considered a/an ________.

Question 77

The ________ Act outlines the process to be followed for hearings and granted workers the right to collective bargain.

Question 78

When preparing to negotiate it is important to use information from front line supervisors to get a read on what employees want and need.

Question 79

The ________ Act established the ________ which oversee compliance with the act and handle issues related to unfair labor practices.

Question 80

The Supreme Court case NLRB v. Weingarten, Inc. gave employees the right to have a union representative preset whenever a supervisor conducts an investigatory interview.