Question 1

In a collective bargaining contract, factors related to profit-sharing and stock purchase are typically covered under the _____ provision.
A)wage determination
B)job or income security
C)special groups
D)plant operations
E)employee benefit plans

Accepted Answer

In a collective bargaining contract, factors related to profit-sharing and stock purchase are typically covered under the employee benefit plans provision.

Question 2

Which of the following is a characteristic of an industrial union?
A)All the members represent a particular occupation in an industry.
B)It restricts the number of its members in order to maintain high wages.
C)Membership is a result of working for a particular employer in the industry.
D)The members change employers more frequently when compared to craft unions.
E)All the members share a specialized skill common across an industry.

Accepted Answer

Industrial unions are made up of members who are linked by their work in a particular industry (such as steelworkers and autoworkers). Typically, they represent many different occupations. Membership in the union is a result of working for a particular employer in the industry.

Question 3

Since the United States does not have a strong history of deep class-based divisions in society, the unionization rate and coverage is low when compared to Europe.

Accepted Answer

One explanation as to why the unionization rate and coverage is comparatively low in the United States is that the United States does not have as strong a history of deep class-based divisions in society as other countries do. Furthermore, the labor movement in western and northern Europe is broader than that in the United States.

Question 4

Which of the following is a reason for an industrial relations system to adopt collective bargaining?
A)Involvement of the government speeds up conflict resolution.
B)Conflict resolution by the courts involves firsthand knowledge of the circumstances.
C)Unilateral control by management often sacrifices workers' rights.
D)The existing union considers a strike to be more effective than a discussion.
E)The existing unions are not institutionalized.

Accepted Answer

One of the reasons for industrial relations systems adopting collective bargaining is because unilateral control by management sacrifices workers' rights. Thus, although disagreements between management and labor continue, it is better to resolve disputes through discussion (collective bargaining)than by battling in the streets.

Question 5

Which of the following is true of local unions?
A)The local of an industrial-based union typically covers a city or a region.
B)In a craft-oriented union, the local corresponds to a single large facility or to a number of small facilities.
C)Administration of the contract is beyond the powers of a local union.
D)The bulk of day-to-day interaction between labor and management takes place at the local union level.
E)Negotiations involved in collective bargaining are not handled at the local union level.

Accepted Answer

Even when a national union plays the most critical role in negotiating terms of a collective bargaining contract, negotiation and administration of the contract are largely carried out at the local union level. Consequently, the bulk of day-to-day interaction between labor and management takes place at the local union level.

Question 6

Codetermination is more common in the United States than in western European countries.

Accepted Answer

The United States differs from western Europe in the degree of formal worker participation in decision making. Works' councils and worker representation on supervisory boards of directors (codetermination)are mandated by law in countries such as Germany. Worker representation on boards of directors in the United States is still rare.

Question 7

In a collective bargaining contract, factors related to hiring and transfer arrangements are typically covered under the _____ provision.
A)wage determination
B)job or income security
C)special groups
D)plant operations
E)employee benefit plans

Accepted Answer

In a collective bargaining contract, factors related to hiring and transfer arrangements are typically covered under the job and income security provision.

Question 8

Which of the following sought to provide an environment conducive to collective bargaining?
A)Occupational Safety and Health Act
B)Fair Labor Standards Act
C)Civil Rights Act
D)Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act
E)National Labor Relations Act

Accepted Answer

The National Labor Relations Act (NLRA)sought to provide an environment conducive to collective bargaining and has since regulated labor and management activities and interactions.

Question 9

Most national unions are composed of multiple local units and are affiliated with the _____.
A)American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO)
B)National Union of Government Employees
C)Public Works and Public Service Workers Trade Union
D)American Federation of Government Employees
E)Service Employees International Union

Accepted Answer

Most national unions are composed of multiple local units and are affiliated with the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO).

Question 10

Which of the following is likely to be part of a craft union?
A)A manager
B)A salesman
C)An autoworker
D)An electrical worker
E)A flight attendant

Accepted Answer

The electrical workers' and carpenters' unions are craft unions, meaning that the members all have a particular skill or occupation. Craft unions often are responsible for training their members (through apprenticeships)and for supplying craft workers to employers.

Question 11

According to John Dunlop, which of the following is required for an industrial relations system to be successful?
A)The system must always translate acceptance into convergence of interests.
B)The system should completely eliminate conflict.
C)The system should be independent of the environmental context.
D)The system should consist of participants that have a common ideology.
E)The system should exclude mechanisms such as collective bargaining.

Accepted Answer

According to John Dunlop, a successful industrial relations system consists of four elements: (1)an environmental context; (2)participants; (3)a "web of rules"; and (4)ideology. For the industrial relations system to operate properly, the three participants must, to some degree, have a common ideology and must accept the roles of the other participants.

Question 12

The union pay advantage causes employers to use less labor and more capital per worker than they would otherwise, which reduces efficiency across society.

Accepted Answer

The union pay advantage causes employers to use less labor and more capital per worker than they would otherwise, which reduces efficiency across society. Union contract provisions may limit permissible workloads, restrict the tasks that particular workers are allowed to perform, and require employers to use more employees for certain jobs than they otherwise would.

Question 13

Resolving disputes between the management and labor through discussion is known as _____.
A)benchmarking
B)delayering
C)attitudinal structuring
D)collective bargaining
E)exempting

Accepted Answer

Labor unions' major benefit to society is the institutionalization of industrial conflict, which is therefore resolved in the least costly way. Thus, although disagreements between management and labor continue, it is better to resolve disputes through discussion (collective bargaining)than by battling in the streets.

Question 14

In a collective bargaining contract, factors related to shift operations and hazardous work are typically covered under the _____ provision.
A)wage determination
B)job or income security
C)special groups
D)plant operations
E)paid and unpaid leave

Accepted Answer

In a collective bargaining contract, factors related to shift operations and hazardous work are typically covered under the plant operations provision.

Question 15

Which of the following is true of a shop steward of a union?
A)A shop steward's role becomes minimal in collective bargaining.
B)A shop steward is a neutral party who assists in negotiations.
C)A shop steward represents employees in contract grievances.
D)The function of a shop steward is typically exclusive of that of a business representative.
E)A shop steward represents the management during conflict resolution.

Accepted Answer

Most union contact is with shop stewards, who are responsible for ensuring that the terms of the collective bargaining contract are enforced. Shop stewards represent employees in contract grievances.

Question 16

Which of the following is the largest union and is not affiliated to the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO)?
A)Communications Workers of America
B)American Federation of Government Employees
C)International Association of Fire Fighters
D)National Education Association
E)American Federation of Teachers

Accepted Answer

The National Education Association, with 3.2 million members, is the largest union; it is not affiliated with the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO).

Question 17

According to the model developed by Katz and Kochan, at which level does the management make basic choices such as whether to work with its unions or to devote its efforts to developing nonunion operations?
A)Strategic level
B)Corporate level
C)Functional level
D)Production level
E)Business unit level

Accepted Answer

According to Katz and Kochan, at the strategic level, management makes basic choices such as whether to work with its union(s)or to devote its efforts to developing nonunion operations. Environmental factors (or competitive challenges)offer both constraints and opportunities in implementing strategies.

Question 18

Much of the public-sector union growth has occurred in the service industry and among white-collar employees.

Accepted Answer

An interesting aspect of public sector union growth is that much of it has occurred in the service industry and among white-collar employees-groups that have traditionally been viewed as difficult to organize. In contrast to the private sector, strikes are illegal at the federal level of the public sector and in most states.

Question 19

The duty of fair representation mandated by the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA)requires that all bargaining unit members, whether union members or not, have equal access to and representation by the union in the grievance procedure.

Accepted Answer

The duty of fair representation is mandated by the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA)and requires that all bargaining unit members, whether union members or not, have equal access to and representation by the union in the grievance procedure. Too many grievances may indicate a problem, but so may too few.

Question 20

Which of the following is likely to be a part of an industrial union?
A)A carpenter
B)An electrical worker
C)A painter
D)A shoemaker
E)A steelworker

Accepted Answer

Industrial unions are made up of members who are linked by their work in a particular industry (such as steelworkers and autoworkers). Typically, they represent many different occupations.

Quiz 14: Collective Bargaining and Labor Relations

In a collective bargaining contract, factors related to profit-sharing and stock purchase are typically covered under the _____ provision.

Which of the following is a characteristic of an industrial union?

Since the United States does not have a strong history of deep class-based divisions in society, the unionization rate and coverage is low when compared to Europe.

Which of the following is a reason for an industrial relations system to adopt collective bargaining?

Which of the following is true of local unions?

Codetermination is more common in the United States than in western European countries.

In a collective bargaining contract, factors related to hiring and transfer arrangements are typically covered under the _____ provision.

Which of the following sought to provide an environment conducive to collective bargaining?

Most national unions are composed of multiple local units and are affiliated with the _____.

Which of the following is likely to be part of a craft union?

According to John Dunlop, which of the following is required for an industrial relations system to be successful?

The union pay advantage causes employers to use less labor and more capital per worker than they would otherwise, which reduces efficiency across society.

Resolving disputes between the management and labor through discussion is known as _____.

In a collective bargaining contract, factors related to shift operations and hazardous work are typically covered under the _____ provision.

Which of the following is true of a shop steward of a union?

Which of the following is the largest union and is not affiliated to the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO) ?

According to the model developed by Katz and Kochan, at which level does the management make basic choices such as whether to work with its unions or to devote its efforts to developing nonunion operations?

Much of the public-sector union growth has occurred in the service industry and among white-collar employees.

The duty of fair representation mandated by the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA)requires that all bargaining unit members, whether union members or not, have equal access to and representation by the union in the grievance procedure.

Which of the following is likely to be a part of an industrial union?