Deck 10: Understanding Labour Relations and Collective Bargaining

Question 1

What was the Canada Industrial Relations Board (CIRB) established to do about the Canada Labour Code?

A) supersede it
B) replace it
C) enforce it
D) police it

Answer 1

C

Question 2

Except for Quebec, which of the following administers labour law at the provincial level?

A) unions
B) court system
C) premier of the province
D) labour relations board

Answer 2

D

Question 3

Which elements make up the labour relations "system"?

A) unions, the judiciary, and labour legislators
B) federal government, employees, and trade workers
C) government, unions, and employers
D) provincial governments, employers, and employees

Answer 3

C

Question 4

Employees cite favouritism shown by managers as a major reason for joining unions. In which HR areas are employees particularly sensitive to favouritism?

A) promotions and wage increases
B) training and development opportunities
C) rewards and recognition
D) transfers and promotions

Question 5

What is the main reason for employees to join a union?

A) Union membership is a status symbol in Canada.
B) It is a way to achieve results they cannot achieve individually in the workplace.
C) Labour regulations mandate union membership in all industrialized organizations.
D) Unions help individuals to fulfil their political ambitions.

Question 6

What kind of shop makes joining the union a condition of employment?

A) agency
B) closed
C) dues
D) union

Question 7

Unions are generally concerned with which of the following business practices?

A) outsourcing
B) marketing
C) employee onboarding
D) ergonomics

Question 8

Which statement best describes labour relations legislation in Canada?

A) Several different laws at the federal and provincial levels currently regulate labour relations.
B) The model for labour relations legislation across Canada was The Wagner Act.
C) Canada's labour relations system is highly centralized.
D) Ninety percent of the workforce is governed by federal legislation.

Question 9

Which group begins most union organizing campaigns?

A) employees
B) union organizers
C) rival unions
D) the CLC organizing department

Question 10

What percentage of the workforce is governed by provincial legislation?

A) 50 percent
B) 78 percent
C) 85 percent
D) 90 percent

Question 11

What appears to be the strongest reason to join a union?

A) the need to fraternize with similar employees and assert personal leadership skills
B) dissatisfaction with wages, benefits, and working conditions
C) favouritism shown by supervisors in promotions, shift assignments, and transfers
D) personal preference for a union and social pressure to join

Question 12

In Canada, what does the labour relations board typically do if the majority of employees sign authorization cards?

A) Hold a secret ballot vote.
B) Notify the employer that a vote will be held.
C) Review the union application form and then decide whether or not to hold a representation vote.
D) Certify the union without a vote.

Question 13

What was the first piece of labour relations legislation?

A) Canada's Labour Code
B) The Wagner Act
C) Trades Unions Act
D) Labour Relations Act

Question 14

Unions are generally concerned with which of the following business practices?

A) corporate orientation
B) sales and marketing strategies
C) product research and development
D) paying lower wages to immigrant workers

Question 15

All labour legislation, whether federal or provincial, has certain features in common. Which of the following is one of these features?

A) gives unions the right to strike
B) processes union applications
C) hears unfair labour practice complaints
D) terminates union bargaining rights

Question 16

What provides the framework for Canada's labour relations system?

A) environment, employers, and nationality
B) people, process, and results
C) process, nationality, and results
D) employers, equity and rights

Question 17

Which of the following features is common to all federal and provincial labour legislation?

A) processing union applications
B) identifying unfair labour practices
C) hearing unfair labour practice complaints
D) terminating union bargaining rights

Question 18

What type of companies are governed by the Canada Labour Code?

A) federally regulated companies
B) provincially regulated companies
C) small businesses
D) Canadian companies

Question 19

What legislative act exempted unions from charges of criminal conspiracy?

A) Trades Unions Act
B) The Wagner Act
C) Canada's Labour Act
D) Union Relations Act

Question 20

Yolanda is an electrician in a medium-sized manufacturing company. While the company's revenues and staffing levels have increased steadily over the past three years, none of the skilled labourers have received a wage increase during this time. She has discussed this issue with her colleagues and her supervisor; however, nothing ever changes. What can Yolanda consider in order to improve everyone's situation?

A) Look for a new position outside the company.
B) Refrain from complaining to her peers.
C) Start the process to form a union.
D) Stop criticizing her employer with the supervisor.

Question 21

To avoid potentially critical situations, different arbitration methods are used to resolve collective-bargaining deadlocks in the public sector. Which of the following is an arbitration method?

A) mediation
B) mandatory grievance resolution
C) rights arbitration
D) compulsory binding arbitration

Question 22

What does a bargaining unit consist of?

A) only employees below the management level
B) any employee being recruited by the union
C) all employees in a company that holds a union campaign
D) all employees covered by the collective agreement

Question 23

What is the employer required to do once a bargaining unit becomes certified?

A) sign a collective agreement
B) deduct union dues from the employees' pay cheques
C) begin negotiations leading toward a collective agreement
D) notify employees of the bargaining relationship

Question 24

Which unionization process is relatively rare except in the construction industry?

A) certification based on majority vote
B) certification without a representation vote
C) voluntary recognition
D) a prehearing vote

Question 25

In which situation are prehearing votes held?

A) when the union has a great deal of support early in the campaign
B) if the potential bargaining unit members petition the labour relations board to hold such an election
C) when the union wants a secret ballot election right away
D) if there is evidence of irregularities

Question 26

Mitchell is part of his local union, which is currently in talks concerning wage increases. His supervisor has just scheduled a one-on-one meeting with him to review his earnings. How can the supervisor's behaviour be described?

A) work to rule
B) good-faith bargaining
C) bad-faith bargaining
D) good intentions

Question 27

A supervisor has suspended an employee covered by a typical collective agreement. In a grievance hearing, what will the supervisor be called upon to demonstrate in support of the suspension?

A) reasonable review
B) equity and fairness of treatment
C) just cause
D) documented evidence

Question 28

Why do unionized employees pay union dues?

A) to finance the operation of the local union
B) to compensate the union steward
C) to pay the bargaining agent
D) to contribute to health benefits

Question 29

The Canadian Union of Postal Workers and the Ontario Secondary School Teachers' Federation are examples of which type of union?

A) mixed
B) craft
C) industrial
D) skilled

Question 30

What is one of the responsibilities of a business agent?

A) to note unfair labour practices
B) to resolve grievances that cannot be settled by the union stewards
C) to renew union membership cards
D) to terminate union bargaining rights

Question 31

What is the minimum amount of time for the terms of a collective agreement?

A) six months
B) one year
C) two years
D) five years

Question 32

Historically, unions have been politically active. Which party have unions shown the most support for?

A) Liberals
B) NDP
C) Conservatives
D) Green

Question 33

Management generally claims exclusive rights to decisions regarding issues relating to subcontracting, productivity standards, and job content. What is management's claim properly called?

A) management rights
B) provisional rights security
C) decision rights
D) company rights

Question 34

Which of the following is an example of bargaining in good faith for unions?

A) postponing bargaining sessions
B) adhering to previous agreements
C) changing bargaining topics
D) refusing to meet with employer representatives

Question 35

Which of the following is considered an essential public service?

A) public transit
B) walk-in health clinics
C) driver's license testing
D) street vendors

Question 36

What percentage of employees in the public sector are unionized?

A) approximately 50 percent
B) between 60 and 65 percent
C) more than 70 percent
D) at least 90 percent

Question 37

What type of association are the Federation of Quebec Nurses and the Alberta Teachers' Association?

A) employee
B) union
C) labour
D) industrial

Question 38

What strike status do public-sector employees have?

A) They are usually denied the right to strike.
B) They generally have the right to strike.
C) They cannot strike if the services they provide are considered essential.
D) They may strike if they give enough notice, regardless of the services they provide.

Question 39

What type of unions are the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers and the International Brotherhood of Boilermakers classified as?

A) apprenticeship
B) industrial
C) craft
D) mixed

Question 40

During the union certification process, which employer activity is prohibited, according to Canadian labour relations legislation?

A) stressing the favourable employee-employer relationship in the past without a union
B) expressing views about the disadvantages of unions
C) presenting unfavourable publicity that the organizing union has received concerning corruption
D) increasing wages unilaterally

Question 41

Why is a strike authorization vote usually undertaken?

A) to determine if the union is being truthful about striking
B) to signal that a union has gone on strike
C) to indicate that management is now ready to take a strike
D) to increase pressure on the employer by raising the potential for a strike

Question 42

Which term refers to the written document prepared by management that includes a contingency operating plan in case of a strike?

A) bargaining book
B) bargaining conditions book
C) contingency operating plan
D) bargaining strategy plan

Question 43

Which of the following are typically found in a collective agreement?

A) pay and benefits, social committee guidelines, and legislated holidays
B) staff charitable donations, shift schedules, and vacation policies
C) vacation policies, pay and benefits, and shift schedules
D) strike guidelines, shift schedules, and lockout notices

Question 44

Which term refers to subcontracting and transferring work to other locations?

A) production continuation
B) outsourcing
C) work transfer
D) production shifting

Question 45

What must the employer's bargaining strategy address when preparing for negotiations?

A) the number of initiatives the union will table
B) the deadline for establishing the bargaining zone
C) the organization's willingness to lock out employees or accept a strike
D) the anticipated support for management's bargaining proposals

Question 46

How are union leaders established?

A) volunteered
B) hired
C) elected
D) appointed

Question 47

What is the largest union in Canada representing public employees?

A) National Union of Provincial Government Employees
B) Canadian Union of Public Employees
C) Canadian Auto Workers
D) Paperworkers Union of Canada

Question 48

Which term best describes the situation when employees are strictly following the terms of the collective agreement?

A) walk-out
B) picket
C) strike
D) work to rule

Question 49

Jocelyn works in a busy manufacturing company. She belongs to a union and the collective agreement states that she is to have a 15-minute break in the morning and another one in the afternoon. She, and most of the people on her team, typically don't take a morning break. However, the union is currently in negotiations and has instructed the employees to take all their allotted breaks. Which term best describes this situation?

A) walk-out
B) work to rule
C) deadlock
D) slowdown

Question 50

The textile workers at a local company have had a stressful weekend. Their union has been engaged in contract negotiations for the past 72 hours. When those on the 6
A) walk-out

A)m. shift arrive at the factory the doors are chained and they cannot get in. What is this situation called?
B) lock-out
C) deadlock
D) slowdown

Question 51

Management's authority is supreme on all issues except those explicitly given up in the collective agreement. What is the name of this concept?

A) contractual rights
B) residual rights
C) applied rights
D) defined rights

Question 52

If the ability of the employer to continue operations during a strike is great, how likely is it that the union will finally win on its strike issues?

A) about the same
B) no impact on likelihood
C) less likely
D) more likely

Question 53

What is the neutral third-party role that suggests compromises or concessions to the parties that have reached a bargaining deadlock?

A) negotiator
B) facilitator
C) arbitrator
D) mediator

Question 54

What are the three categories of proposals one side makes during negotiation?

A) mandatory/are permissive/are important
B) must be achieved/are just for trade/are designed to provoke
C) must be achieved/need to be achieved/should be achieved
D) must be achieved/are just to trade/they would like to achieve

Question 55

The contract between the City of Toronto and the firefighters' union requires that unresolved contract terms be settled by arbitration. Which term best describes this arbitration process?

A) interest arbitration
B) fact-finding arbitration
C) grievance arbitration
D) compromise arbitration

Question 56

Which term refers to the concept that is spelled out by an article in the collective agreement that lists the various rights of management?

A) agreed rights
B) applied rights
C) defined rights
D) residual rights

Question 57

Weber Can Co. has made an initial wage offer of two percent for a one-year contract with the International Canworkers Union. The Canworkers have demanded a ten percent increase but will accept an increase as low as six percent. What will most likely happen if Weber feels that the most it can offer is four percent?

A) A deadlock will result.
B) The Canworkers will have to live with four percent.
C) The parties will have to compromise.
D) Weber will have to raise its offer to six percent.

Question 58

What does the bargaining zone refer to?

A) points on which management can agree
B) rooms where the negotiations take place
C) point at which it costs the union less to agree than to disagree
D) area within which the union and management are willing to agree

Question 59

During the arbitration process, what is the purpose of the arbitration hearing?

A) to establish the rights of all parties involved effectively
B) to discipline union members and leaders not showing good faith
C) to gather necessary information for the arbitrator to resolve problems
D) to resolve unclear or incorrect wording in a collective agreement

Question 60

Which term refers to the formal process that provides unions with a way to handle a complaint that one of the terms within a collective agreement has been violated?

A) contract negotiations
B) collective bargaining
C) grievance process
D) arbitration hearing

Question 61

A manager is preparing an arbitration case involving the dismissal of her employee. According to one study in your text, what should she do to prevent the arbitrator from overturning the case?

A) Select the arbitrator based on the type of prior cases handled.
B) Make sure the evidence supports the charge of wrongdoing.
C) Determine whether the case is timely under the contract.
D) Prepare her case based upon leading arbitration cases of this nature.

Question 62

A yellow-dog contract was an early anti-union tactic whereby employers circulated the names of known union supporters so they wouldn't be hired.

Question 63

A union shop is a provision of the collective agreement that requires applicants to join the union before they are hired.

Question 64

Which term refers to the technique sometimes used when an issue is particularly important or urgent and involves bypassing some steps in the grievance process?

A) abbreviated mediation
B) abbreviated arbitration
C) expedited mediation
D) expedited arbitration

Question 65

What must the grievance arbitrator do after listening to a dispute over administration of the collective agreement?

A) mandate a particular resolution to the grievance
B) force the parties to renegotiate the disputed language
C) nullify the collective agreement because of the dispute
D) help the two parties reach their own compromise

Question 66

The steps in a typical union organizing campaign depend on the industry in which the employees work.

Question 67

The labour relations board is a department within Human Resources Development Canada.

Question 68

Employees will join a union if they perceive inequity in pay and benefits, experience dissatisfaction with supervisors and managers, and feel that their needs for status and recognition are not being met.

Question 69

A closed shop is a provision of the collective agreement that requires employers to hire only union members.

Question 70

Today, there are more women in unions than men.

Question 71

Large national unions, such as the Canadian Auto Workers, have formal organizing departments to identify organizing opportunities and launch organizing campaigns.

Question 72

The rate of unionization among Canadian workers continues to rise.

Question 73

If an employee personally decides that the benefits will outweigh the costs of joining the union, then she or he is using the open shop provision of the collective agreement.

Question 74

One of the duties of a provincial labour board is to hear complaints and make decisions regarding strikes and lockouts.

Question 75

What is the final step in the grievance process?

A) collective bargaining
B) grievance resolution
C) rights arbitration
D) witness testimonies

Question 76

Unions are often concerned with changes in business practices, such as outsourcing work.

Question 77

The Trades Unions Act allowed unions to pursue the goals of collective bargaining without persecution and gave them the ability to strike.

Question 78

The purpose of a union organizing drive is to raise funds for the union.

Question 79

Employees might consider organizing and joining a union to be an effective alternative to quitting a job in which they feel they are being treated unfairly.

Question 80

Most of Canada's unionized workforce is under federal labour relations jurisdiction.