Question 1

What is the term for an employment arrangement that requires the employer to hire only workers who already belong to the union?

Accepted Answer

A closed shop is an employment arrangement where the employer can only hire workers who are already members of the union. This was once a common practice in many industries, but it is now illegal in the United States under the Taft-Hartley Act of 1947.

Question 2

Which of the following is shown by a comparison of union membership in the private sector with union membership in the public sector?

Accepted Answer

A comparison of union membership in the private sector with union membership in the public sector shows that a much higher percentage of workers in the public sector belong to unions. According to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2019, 33.6% of public sector workers were members of unions, while only 7.1% of private sector workers were members of unions. This difference can be attributed to a number of factors, including different laws and regulations affecting union membership in the two sectors.

Question 3

Which of the following involves bringing in an outsider who attempts to help two sides of a dispute reach an agreement?

Accepted Answer

Mediation involves bringing in an outsider (the mediator) to help two parties in a dispute reach a mutually acceptable agreement. The mediator does not impose a decision but rather facilitates communication and negotiation between the parties. Distributive bargaining is a negotiation strategy where each party tries to maximize their share of the resources. Arbitration involves a third party making a decision for the parties in a dispute. Collective bargaining involves negotiations between employers and employees (usually through their union) to reach an agreement on terms and conditions of employment.

Question 4

What is suggested by a comparison of wages and benefits of unionized workers with those of nonunion workers with similar qualifications and performing similar jobs?

Accepted Answer

Studies have consistently shown that unionized workers tend to have higher wages and better benefits than their nonunion counterparts with similar qualifications and performing similar jobs. Unionized workers are able to negotiate better wages and benefits through collective bargaining and have greater job security due to their protected status under the union.

Question 5

Kyle Woolery just joined a company that has a union that will represent him.The company operates under an open shop arrangement.What do these circumstances suggest?

Accepted Answer

In an open shop arrangement, employees are not required to join the union or pay union dues, although they may choose to do so if they wish.

Question 6

Which of the following employment arrangements is most likely to result in a "free rider" problem for a union?

Accepted Answer

In an open shop, employees are not required to join the union or pay union dues. This can lead to a "free rider" problem where some employees benefit from the union's negotiations and representation without contributing to the union's costs.

Question 7

The union representing hourly workers at the Hilltown Auto Plant is gearing up for negotiations.The negotiating team is working on a list of demands.They intend to use whatever tactics are necessary to get the company to accept these demands.For its part,the management team plans to push hard to get the union to give up many of its benefits in order to cut costs.The attitudes of the two sides suggest this negotiating process will be an example of which of the following?

Accepted Answer

Distributive bargaining involves each side trying to maximize its share of the resources, usually through a process of give-and-take concessions. This type of bargaining is characterized by a zero-sum game, in which any gain for one side is a loss for the other. The fact that the union intends to use "whatever tactics are necessary" to get its demands met suggests a competitive, win-lose approach. Similarly, the management's focus on cutting costs by reducing benefits implies a similar approach to bargaining.

Question 8

Which of the following is a union composed of workers employed in the same industry?

Accepted Answer

An industrial union is composed of workers employed in the same industry, regardless of their specific skills or job titles. These unions are focused on representing workers within a particular industry, such as steelworkers or auto workers. This is in contrast to a craft union, which is based on specific trades or skills, or a general union, which includes workers from various industries.

Question 9

Which of the following is a group of workers who have organized in order to pursue common work-related goals,such as better wages and benefits,safer working conditions,and greater job security?

Accepted Answer

A labour union is a group of workers who have organized in order to pursue common work-related goals, such as better wages and benefits, safer working conditions, and greater job security. Labour federations and collectives may also exist, but they are broader organizations that may include multiple unions. Cooperatives are businesses that are owned and operated by their members.

Question 10

Which of the following about union membership in recent years is true?

Accepted Answer

According to recent statistics, union membership has been growing in many areas of the public sector, such as education and healthcare, but declining in most parts of the private sector. Overall, there has been a slight decline in union membership in recent years.

Question 11

Unions representing workers in construction trades and the National Hockey League Players' Association are examples of which of the following?

Accepted Answer

Construction trades and NHL players are specific skilled crafts, and their unions would fall under the category of craft unions, which represent workers with specialized skills or training.

Question 12

Which of the following provide services to their local unions,including legal advice and leadership training,and also provide assistance to locals during collective bargaining?

Accepted Answer

National unions typically provide a range of services to locals, including legal advice, leadership training, and assistance during collective bargaining. Labour action committees, union cooperatives, and labour guilds may also provide some of these services, but they are generally more focused on specific issues or goals.

Question 13

The level at which most members interact with their union is referred to as which of the following?

Accepted Answer

The level at which most members interact with their union is referred to as the local union. This is where members participate in meetings, elect local leaders, and receive support and services from their union. The other options (A, B, and C) refer to different types of labour organizations or councils, but are not directly related to the level at which members interact with their union.

Question 14

Which of the following is the process by which representatives of labour and management attempt to negotiate a mutually acceptable labour agreement?

Accepted Answer

Collective bargaining is the process by which representatives of labour and management attempt to negotiate a mutually acceptable labour agreement. Representational bargaining refers to the representation of employees by a union or other labor organization in bargaining with management, but it is not the negotiation process itself. Unilateral bargaining is when one party, usually management, makes decisions and sets terms without negotiation with the other party. Arbitration bargaining is a process in which a neutral third party makes a binding decision on the terms of the labour agreement if the parties cannot come to an agreement through collective bargaining.

Question 15

Which of the following is a union composed of workers who share the same skill or work in the same profession?

Accepted Answer

A craft union is composed of workers who share the same skill or work in the same profession, while industrial unions are composed of workers across different industries and skill sets. Concentric and pure unions are not commonly used terms in the context of labor unions.

Question 16

Which of the following is a complaint made by a worker accusing the employer of violating the terms of a collective bargaining agreement?

Accepted Answer

A grievance is a formal complaint made by an employee or a union on behalf of an employee accusing the employer of violating the terms of a collective bargaining agreement. Mediation is a process where a neutral third party helps the two sides come to a resolution. Appeal notification refers to the notification given to an employee about the process for appealing a decision made by management. Arbitration is a process where a neutral third party makes a binding decision about a dispute. Of the given options, only a grievance involves a complaint about a violation of a collective bargaining agreement.

Question 17

Under federal laws governing the process of collective bargaining,topics dealing with wages,benefits,and working conditions are which of the following?

Accepted Answer

According to federal laws governing collective bargaining, topics related to wages, benefits, and working conditions are mandatory subjects of bargaining. This means that if either side proposes a discussion on these topics, the other party cannot legally refuse to discuss it. These topics are crucial for negotiating the terms of employment and reaching an agreement that benefits both parties.

Question 18

Which of the following is an employment arrangement in which a company may hire nonunion workers,but all workers represented by the union must become union members within a specified time period to keep their jobs?

Accepted Answer

This is the definition of a union shop arrangement. All workers represented by the union must become union members within a specified time period to keep their jobs, even if they were hired as nonunion workers.

Question 19

Jeff Biddle is a member of his union's collective bargaining team,and Bailey Sharp is on the management's bargaining team.As part of the negotiating process,Jeff and Bailey are working together to find solutions to some difficult issues involving the health care benefits the company offers employees.They hope to create a win-win solution that can be incorporated into the new labour contract.This suggests that the collective bargaining process is taking which type of approach?

Accepted Answer

Interest-based bargaining is a type of collective bargaining approach that focuses on finding mutual interests and creating solutions that benefit both parties. In this scenario, Jeff and Bailey are working together to find a win-win solution, which suggests that they are using an interest-based bargaining approach. The other options, such as mediated bargaining, distributive bargaining, and WIN, do not accurately describe the approach being used.

Question 20

What is the term for workers walking and carrying signs near the entrance of an establishment with which they have a dispute in order to publicize their position and concerns?

Accepted Answer

Picketing is the act of walking and carrying signs near the entrance of an establishment with which workers have a dispute, in order to publicize their position and concerns.

Quiz 18: Labour-Management Relations