Deck 13: What Should Labor Relations Do?

Question 1

Union pension funds are prohibited from using their standing as stockholders to influence corporate strategies and governance.

Answer 1

False

Question 2

Social movement unionism attempts to increase its bargaining leverage by changing shared meanings and values.

Answer 2

True

Question 3

Grassroots mobilization of the working class cannot serve the goals of both social movement unionism and solidarity unionism.

Answer 3

False

Question 4

The union model typically used in professional sports and entertainment is employee empowerment unionism.

Question 5

Proponents of labor-management cooperation programs believe current U.S.labor law provides sufficient support and guidance for effectively managing such programs.

Question 6

Unions are starting to push their agendas by pursing investment strategies that reinforce a broader social agenda rather than just simple short-term profits.

Question 7

Under the solidarity unionism model,unions are seen as a needed force of worker power and protection whose job it is to mobilize workers to fight for a larger share of the returns of business.

Question 8

Social movement unionism generally achieves its goals using structural power alone.

Question 9

Training programs put on by unions to improve the skill sets of workers are an example of the tactics used by solidarity movement unionism.

Question 10

Solidarity unionism is very consistent with a servicing model of union representation.

Question 11

Employee ownership unionism seeks to represent workers by making it easier and more common for employees to own a portion of companies.

Question 12

The job of a labor union is to shape the interests and aspiration of workers.

Question 13

Organized labor has been very proactive in using ESOPs as a strategy for improving worker representation.

Question 14

The Justice for Janitors campaigns are an example of social movement unionism in which organized labor championed workers' issues that extended beyond the workplace.

Question 15

Solidarity unionism generally relies on increasing labor power by building the cohesiveness of workers across and within workplaces and championing worker interests that contradict management desires.

Question 16

Employee empowerment unionism uses the solidarity of employee to negotiate explicit wage rates tied to jobs,not individuals.

Question 17

Proposals to revitalize the labor movement by increasing the traditional bargaining power of U.S.and unions fall into the category of solidarity unionism.

Question 18

Social movement unionism rejects the narrow business unionism focus on collective bargaining and instead increases labor union's focus on working class issues such as improving community,society and worker voice in politics.

Question 19

While labor unions and workers are frustrated with the current state of efficiency,equity and voice in the U.S employment relations,employers are generally quite satisfied.

Question 20

A proposed change in union strategy that is consistent with a solidarity model of unionism is to increase occupational unionism.

Question 21

Workers with multiple interests often join professional associations to serve their interests,rather than labor unions.Professional associations,however,usually lack the power or an interest in improving the workplace.

Question 22

Financialization is a term used to describe the shareholder models' emphasis on short term profits rather than,say,the delivery of valued or needed goods and services.

Question 23

Organized labor and workers' rights advocates attributed a significant part of the decline in unionization to deficiencies in the NLRA.

Question 24

Associational unions can strike but they also use political pressure and poor publicity to pressure employers to meet their demands.

Question 25

A stakeholder model of corporate governance is consistent with the current adversarial model of U.S.employee relations.

Question 26

From a legal perspective,corporations are not required to serve the public interest because they are purely private rather than social institutions.

Question 27

When unions are weak,a willingness to cooperate with management will probably be a very effective way to increase efficiency,equity and voice.

Question 28

A utilitarian and libertarianism ethics point of view is likely to see business' sole concern as profit generation rather than maximizing stakeholder interests.

Question 29

Executive stock option plans encourage businesses to take a more long run approach to profit maximization.

Question 30

Businesses that adopt the shareholder model must,by definition,pursue short-run profits.

Question 31

Financialization is a business strategy that focuses on implement cost-cutting measures followed by leveraged buyouts.

Question 32

The principle of exclusive representation is inconsistent with the associational model of unionism.

Question 33

The model of shareholder value maximization and financialization has resulted in increased capital investment or a "retain and reinvest" strategy.

Question 34

A stakeholder perspective argues that while shareholders have important rights,there are other constituents toward whom a company should demonstrate responsibility and concern.

Question 35

Stakeholder theory asserts that while there are other stakeholders in business,the most important is still the shareholder and their needs should take precedence of the needs of other stakeholders.

Question 36

In the shareholder model of corporate governance,shareholder satisfaction should be the primary concern of a company.

Question 37

Strong,institutionally secure unions are more likely to engage in militant,adversarial and potentially violent acts than weak,insecure unions.

Question 38

The view that the primary concern of business should be to maximize shareholder wealth is rooted in the belief that property rights should take precedence over other types of rights (e.g.human rights).

Question 39

More information would be shared with employees and their representatives under a shareholder model than under a stakeholder model of company action.

Question 40

The associational unionism model is based on a model of exclusive representation.

Question 41

Giving employees explicit rights to free speech,just cause dismissal,and information are three possibilities for transforming U.S.labor law.

Question 42

Proponents of deregulating the NLRA believe workers prefer a system of individual,rather than collective,representation.

Question 43

The TEAM Act is an example of legislation proposed that would "loosen" the NLRA by making it easier to form labor-management committees.

Question 44

One key proposal for transforming U.S.and labor law is to replace the certification process with works councils such as those found in Germany and other European countries.

Question 45

The TEAM Act would have made it easier to form nonunion employee representation plans.

Question 46

Advocates of a total transformation of the NLRA point to declining union density rates as the main reason for a complete overhaul of the law.

Question 47

Proponents of NLRA deregulation are most likely to look to Great Britain's system of voluntarism as a model for labor law reform.

Question 48

One key proposal for transforming U.S.and labor law into something that better meets the needs of our modern society is to prohibit majority unions and replace them with nonmajority unions.

Question 49

Among critics of the NLRA,the most common belief is that the NLRA is vulnerable to management efforts to exploit deficiencies in the law to their own advantage.

Question 50

Critics of the NLRA believe the culture of adversarial conflict is a result of the exclusion representation and majority support provisions.

Question 51

Some critics of the NLRA believe that the primary culprit is not the law itself,but rather,that the courts' have used case law to distort the original intent of the law.

Question 52

The TEAM Act would have made it easier to form nonunion employee representation plans.

Question 53

One of the key reasons advocates for transforming the NLRA give to justify their position is the culture of conflict or adversarialism that exists in the U.S.

Question 54

Substantive changes to the NLRA would include expanding NLRA coverage,removing restrictions on secondary boycotts,and widening the scope of bargaining items.

Question 55

Proponents of NLRA deregulation believe that unions should be subject to the same antitrust regulations as employers.

Question 56

One proposed reform to the NLRA would allow for employee committees focused on monitoring employers' compliance with employment laws.

Question 57

For workers who are already unionized,one of the biggest weakness in the NLRA is the failure to prohibit the use of all strike replacements.

Question 58

If the TEAM Act were passed,it would make it easier to form labor-management committees but present greater risks of employer dominated unions.

Question 59

Remedial changes proposed for the NLRA include increasing penalties and reducing delays in organizing.

Question 60

Under current U.S.labor law,employers are required to give unions access to employees that matches their own.

Question 61

Efficiency-enhancing unionism sees labor union as:

A)Strategic business partners
B)Adversaries of business
C)Reformist organizations
D)Activist organizations

Question 62

The Justice for Janitors Campaigns:

A)Embrace a business union model
B)Focus on political lobbying and campaign funding
C)Try to create a broad social movement to raise public awareness.
D)All of the above.

Question 63

It is essential for the NLRA to be modified to allow employees who support a union but do not constitute a majority to be represented by a union.

Question 64

Proponents of solidarity unionism:

A)Are very concerned about the impact of unions on company efficiency and profits
B)Are focused on improving the relationship between management and labor
C)Are focused primarily on making legislative changes that will favor the union movement and increase the voice of the worker in government
D)Are primarily concerned with developing a strong labor movement whose primary role is to protect worker interests in opposition to management's interests

Question 65

Solidarity unionism is most closely aligned with the:

A)Organizing model of unionism
B)Servicing model of unionism
C)German model of code-termination
D)Free market

Question 66

Which of the following is not a likely strategy of solidarity unionism:

A)Widespread rank and file participation
B)Nonmajority unions
C)Strikes,sit-ins,and civil disobedience
D)Organizing concentrated on traditional American workers

Question 67

Which of the following unionism models is most likely to collaborate with management:

A)Solidarity unionism
B)Social movement unionism
C)Efficiency-enhancing unionism
D)Associational unionism

Question 68

Unions are beginning to use their power as pension fund investors to support the labor movement by doing all of the following except:

A)Submitting shareholder proposals to limit executive compensation
B)Investing in companies that support workers or are unionized
C)Submitting shareholder proposals to ensure the independence of outside board members
D)Investing in companies overseas to protest the actions of U.S.companies

Question 69

Which of the following is true about employee ownership unionism:

A)It has been very successful at getting employee representation on corporate boards.
B)It has generally been adopted as a proactive representation strategy.
C)It has generally been adopted as a defensive strategy.
D)It has been largely unable to leverage pension investments to promote workers' interests.

Question 70

Employee ownership unionism is intended to improve:

A)Alignment between employer and employee interests
B)Employee interests such as job security
C)Employee representation on corporate boards of directors
D)All of the above

Question 71

Of the possible directions for 21^st century labor unions,which is most closely aligned with business unionism?

A)Citizen unionism
B)Solidarity unionism
C)Efficiency-enhancing unionism
D)Employee empowerment unionism

Question 72

If the trend toward increased use of contingency and temporary workers continues,the _________________ model of unionism might be very appropriate.

A)Occupational unionism.
B)Nonmajority unionism.
C)Solidarity unionism.
D)Employee ownership unionism.

Question 73

A union that negotiates "members-only" agreements on behalf of workers who want a union where there is not yet full support is a:

A)Members-only union
B)Exclusive union
C)Nonmajority union
D)Minority union

Question 74

The traditional bargaining power or leverage stemming from a union's ability to impose costs on an employer is sometimes referred to as:

A)Moral legitimacy
B)Structural power
C)Political influence
D)Business influence

Question 75

Professional sports,entertainers,and other occupations with high individual bargaining power tend to organize under:

A)Employee ownership unionism.
B)Employee empowerment unionism.
C)Solidarity unionism.
D)Associational unionism.

Question 76

An enterprise contract provides a statement of an employer's commitment to allow the union and employee to be involved in ____________________,in exchange for a statement of the union/worker's commitment to ____________________.

A)Business decision making;competitiveness
B)Setting wages,hours,and working conditions;follow company rules
C)Volunteerism;the community
D)Board meetings;act in the best interest of the company

Question 77

Employee empowerment unionism encourages individual employees to negotiate:

A)Their own working conditions within certain constraints negotiated by the union and management.
B)Detailed,legalistic contracts that cover the entire bargaining unit.
C)Their own,individual contracts with management,unconstrained by any union contract.
D)Any of the above,depending upon the employee's preference.

Question 78

The most challenging role that human resource managers play is that of "navigator" because they must manage labor relations in a way that creates balance between competing internal and external needs.

Question 79

Social movement unionism would serve employee interests by:

A)Capitalizing on workers' identification with their occupations,rather than their industry or employers
B)Encouraging employees to have ownership control over their organizations they work for
C)Cooperating with management to look for ways to improve efficiency
D)Using social and political means to improve rights of workers

Question 80

Union leaders are faced with several roles which,at times,conflict with each other,placing them in the role of "navigator."
TRUE