Question 1

The Labor-Management Relations Act specifies the issues that must be included in collective bargaining.

Accepted Answer

The answer of The Labor-Management Relations Act specifies the issues...

Question 2

Unions are organizations and have internal HR functions,as do other types of organizations.The major difference is that they are exempt from federal labor laws.

Accepted Answer

Unions are not exempt from federal labor laws. In fact, they are subject to many laws that regulate their activities, such as the National Labor Relations Act and the Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act. However, unions do have their own distinct collective bargaining and grievance mechanisms that are different from traditional HR practices.

Question 3

Dues checkoff is an agreement for the payment of dues through deductions from employees' paychecks.

Accepted Answer

Dues checkoff is a common practice in many labor unions where members authorize the union to deduct dues from their paychecks, which are then directly deposited into the union's account.

Question 4

A fundamental task in training negotiators lies in identifying and eliminating false "fixed pie" assumptions and preparing them to look for trade-offs between issues of different value to each side.

Accepted Answer

This statement is true. Training negotiators to identify and eliminate false "fixed pie" assumptions and look for trade-offs between issues of different value to each side is an important aspect of negotiation training.

Question 5

The success of a strike depends on its ability to cause economic hardship to the employer.

Accepted Answer

The main purpose of a strike is to put pressure on the employer to meet the demands of the workers. One of the most effective ways to do this is by creating economic hardship for the employer, as it can lead to decreased profits, lost productivity and damage to the company's reputation. Therefore, the success of a strike is largely determined by its ability to inflict financial pain on the employer.

Question 6

The automobile industry,the steel industry,and the rubber industry are all examples of smokestack industries which have sought concessions from unions.

Accepted Answer

Smokestack industries refer to traditional heavy industries with high levels of pollution, such as automobile, steel, and rubber. These industries have often sought concessions from unions, such as wage freezes or benefit reductions, in order to remain competitive in the market.

Question 7

Unionization is typically the first recourse of employees who are dissatisfied with some aspect of their jobs.

Accepted Answer

Employees often try other methods to address job dissatisfaction, such as speaking with management, seeking changes in the workplace, or looking for new jobs, before resorting to unionization. Unionization is usually considered when other methods have not resolved the issues.

Question 8

Distributive bargaining results in a win-win situation.

Accepted Answer

Distributive bargaining is a win-lose situation where each party attempts to gain the most value for themselves, often resulting in one party winning and the other party losing. It is different from integrative bargaining, where the goal is for both parties to benefit and find a mutually acceptable agreement.

Question 9

By law,only current employees can initially contact union organizers.The union cannot legally contact company employees.

Accepted Answer

The National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) permits union organizers to contact employees outside of work, as long as the contact is not coercive or intimidating. However, employers may prohibit union solicitation during working hours or in work areas.

Question 10

Early unions were concerned about union shops and the regulation of apprenticeships to prevent the replacement of journeymen employees.

Accepted Answer

Early unions were indeed concerned about union shops, where all employees in a workplace are required to join the union, and the regulation of apprenticeships to prevent the replacement of skilled journeymen employees with cheaper, less-skilled apprentices.

Question 11

A certification election determines if the majority of employees want a union.

Accepted Answer

A certification election, also known as a union representation election, is held to determine if a majority of employees in a workplace want to be represented by a union. The election is conducted by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) and employees vote on whether or not they want the union to represent them in collective bargaining with their employer.

Question 12

The three most important influences on an employee's decision to join a union are dissatisfaction at work,lack of power,and union instrumentality.

Accepted Answer

According to research and studies, dissatisfaction at work, lack of power, and union instrumentality are considered three of the most important factors that influence an employee's decision to join a union.

Question 13

Employers usually support the union's authorization card signing campaign to minimize workplace disruption.

Accepted Answer

Employers typically do not support union authorization card signing campaigns as it can potentially lead to unionization of their workforce, which could result in increased costs, reduced flexibility, and potential conflicts with management.

Question 14

In a corporate campaign,a union may ask the public and other unions to write letters to a company asking it to change the way it bargains with the union.

Accepted Answer

This is a common tactic used in corporate campaigns, where unions can mobilize their members and the broader public to put pressure on a company to change its labor practices. Writing letters is one way of amplifying this message and making the company aware of the concerns of the union and its supporters.

Question 15

The traditional relationship between union and management today is adversarial.

Accepted Answer

The traditional relationship between union and management is typically characterized by conflict and opposition, making it adversarial in nature.

Question 16

When several unions bargain jointly with a single employer it is called collaborative bargaining.

Accepted Answer

The correct term for when several unions bargain jointly with a single employer is "coalition bargaining," not "collaborative bargaining."

Question 17

Unionization guarantees workers better wages and benefits.

Accepted Answer

Unionization can lead to better wages and benefits through collective bargaining, but it does not guarantee them.

Question 18

The union and the employer select their own representatives for contract negotiation without any input from the other party.

Accepted Answer

This statement is describing a traditional collective bargaining process, where each side chooses their own representatives to negotiate the contract. However, some modern approaches to collective bargaining involve more collaboration and joint decision-making.

Question 19

Unionization is the effort by employees and outside agencies to act as a single unit when dealing with management over issues relating to their work.

Accepted Answer

Unionization refers to the process of employees working together and forming a union to negotiate with management over workplace issues such as wages, benefits, and working conditions.

Question 20

Employees have the right to solicit for unions on company property during their personal working hours.

Accepted Answer

Employees do not have the right to solicit for unions on company property during their working hours; they can do so in non-working times such as breaks or lunch periods.

Quiz 14: Understanding Unionization and Collective Bargaining