Question 1

Under the Homeland Security Act of 2002,the President may waive employee and union rights granted under the Civil Service Reform Act.

Accepted Answer

The Homeland Security Act of 2002 allows the President to waive certain employee and union rights granted under the Civil Service Reform Act in order to enhance national security.

Question 2

If a subject of collective bargaining is permissible,both parties are required to negotiate in good faith,even though an agreement may not be reached.

Accepted Answer

False

Question 3

A major advantage of the Civil Service Reform Act (CSRA)was that it established the framework for labor relations in the federal government by legislation,instead of by Executive Order.

Accepted Answer

The CSRA did establish the framework for labor relations in the federal government by legislation. Prior to the CSRA, labor relations were governed by Executive Order.

Question 4

Under the Civil Service Reform Act (CSRA),management is prohibited from assisting a labor organization.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Under the Civil Service Reform Act (CSRA),management...

Question 5

Like in the private sector,the market economic system controls the price,quality,and availability of most services in the public sector.

Accepted Answer

In the public sector, prices, quality, and availability of services are often determined by government policies and regulations rather than market forces.

Question 6

The so-called "free rider" issue is of little concern for public-sector unions.

Accepted Answer

The "free rider" issue is a significant concern for public-sector unions. This refers to employees who benefit from a union's collective bargaining efforts and representation without actually joining or paying for membership dues. Some states have even passed laws allowing for "right to work" which prohibits mandatory union membership or payment of dues, which exacerbates the free rider issue.

Question 7

Under final offer arbitration (FOA),the arbitrator selects the best package settlement presented by the union or management or proposes a compromise of both positions by splitting the difference.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Under final offer arbitration (FOA),the arbitrator selects...

Question 8

The Federal Service Impasse Panel (FSIP)investigates any negotiation impasse presented to it but is not authorized to take any action to settle the dispute.

Accepted Answer

The Federal Service Impasse Panel (FSIP) is authorized to take action to settle disputes and make final decisions on issues that are in disagreement between the two parties.

Question 9

If a governmental unit privatizes a government service to a private business,the private employer is likely to be covered under the Labor Management Relations Act.

Accepted Answer

The answer of If a governmental unit privatizes a government...

Question 10

The threat of a strike seems to encourage voluntary settlement efforts at the bargaining table while the availability of interest arbitration may reduce such incentive producing a "chilling effect" on negotiations.

Accepted Answer

The statement is true. The threat of a strike puts pressure on both parties to come to a voluntary settlement, while the availability of interest arbitration can reduce this pressure and make negotiations less productive. This is because if either party knows that an arbitrator will make the final decision, they may be less willing to compromise and may hold out for their ideal outcome.

Question 11

The Civil Service Reform Act (CSRA)makes it an unfair labor practice for a party to refuse or fail to cooperate in impasse procedures.

Accepted Answer

The CSRA does make it an unfair labor practice for a party to refuse or fail to cooperate in impasse procedures.

Question 12

Public-sector unionization is highest in the Northeastern,Northern,and Western regions of the United States.

Accepted Answer

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2020, the Northeast, Northern, and Western regions of the United States had the highest rates of public-sector unionization, with rates ranging from 28% to 37.4%.

Question 13

Union negotiators have more difficulty determining "who speaks for management" in public-sector bargaining as compared to private-sector negotiations.

Accepted Answer

In public-sector bargaining, there may be multiple levels of management or individuals with decision-making authority, making it more difficult to determine who has the final say in negotiations. In private-sector negotiations, the decision-making power is typically more centralized within the company's leadership or management team.

Question 14

Favorable public-sector labor laws appear to be a significant factor encouraging growth in public-sector labor relations.

Accepted Answer

Favorable labor laws make it easier for public-sector workers to join unions and negotiate for better wages and benefits, which in turn can lead to higher job satisfaction and employee retention, as well as better economic performance for the public sector.

Question 15

Like the private sector,federal sector labor relations has adopted the exclusive bargaining representation principle.

Accepted Answer

The exclusive bargaining representation principle is applied in both the private and federal sector labor relations, allowing a single union to represent a group of employees in negotiating with management.

Question 16

Supervisors and managers have been granted the right to engage in collective bargaining in some states.

Accepted Answer

Some states have given the right to supervisors and managers to engage in collective bargaining. However, this is not universally true across all states or countries.

Question 17

While strikes have been outlawed for most public employees,they still occur in some states.

Accepted Answer

While strikes are illegal for most public employees under federal law, there are some states that allow strikes for certain public employees such as teachers or transportation workers.

Question 18

The budget tends to play a more conspicuous role in private-sector collective bargaining than it does in public-sector bargaining.

Accepted Answer

The answer of The budget tends to play a more...

Question 19

A majority of teachers,firefighters,and police are represented by public-sector unions.

Accepted Answer

A significant number of teachers, firefighters, and police officers are represented by public-sector unions. Public-sector unions are unions whose members work for the government, and they negotiate with employers over working conditions, wages, and benefits. These unions are prevalent in a variety of industries, but they are especially common in the public sector.

Question 20

The "sovereignty doctrine" means that elected officials retain the authority to make decisions.

Accepted Answer

The sovereignty doctrine asserts that elected officials possess the ultimate authority to make decisions on behalf of their constituents. As such, it is true that elected officials retain decision-making authority when applying the sovereignty doctrine.

Quiz 13: Labor Relations in the Public Sector