Special Topics: Human Resources test 1 (ch 1-5)

Class-based (Critical IR school)

-Emphasizes inherent and antagonistic conflicts of interest between employers and employees -But not limited to clashes over terms and conditions of employment (pluralism) •More of a social conflict of unequal power relations in many aspects of society

unitarism (HR school)

-Employees and employers have a unity of interests so effective management policies can align these interests for the benefit of all -Conflict is not an inherent or a permanent feature of the employment relationship (rather, it's a manifestation of poor HR policies or specific interpersonal clashes)

pluralism (IR school)

-Employees and employers have some inherent conflicts of interests and some mutual interests -All interests are legitimate (similar to a pluralist political system) so cannot always prioritize employer or employee interests

NLRB representation election

-labor relations and labor law -election to determine who, if anyone, employees want to represent them -includes certification and decertification elections supervised by the NLRB

Railway labor Act

192-Primary purpose is to avoid strikes and other forms of labor-management conflict that disrupt interstate commerce and weaken the economy.

Wagner Act

1935, also National Labor Relations Act; encourages collective bargaining in the private sector by protecting workers rights to join and form labor unions.

Landrum-Griffin Act

1959 act that widened government control over union affairs and further restricted union use of picketing and secondary boycotts during strikes

Employee Free Choice Act

50% of workers sign card--union is certified--120 Day Deadline Or Govt defines agreement

false (correct is labor movement)

A Labor union is a social movement in which workers and unions from multiple workplaces join together to pursue common interests, most frequently in the political and social arena.

Authorization card

A card signed by an employee that gives a union permission to act on his or her behalf in negotiations with management.

Congress of Industrial Organizations

A federation of labor union for all unskilled workers. It provided a national labor union for unskilled workers, unlike the AFL, which limited itself to skilled workers.

Captive audience meeting

A group meeting held in the workplace during working hours in which employees are forced to listen to management's antiunion and pro-company presentations.

false

A key difference between the European and U.S. models of unionism is that the European model sees the scope of unionization as limited to the workplace

Card check recognition

A method for determining whether employees feel a union should be recognized by their employer as their collective bargaining agent. Favorable sentiment for recognition is defined by a majority of the employees signing cards expressing support for the union during an established period. Card check is an alternative to a secret-ballot election. Employers are not legally required to recognize a union, no matter how much support a card check indicates.

An association of labor unions that provides support and leadership to the labor movement

A national labor federation is

Closed Shop

A provision negotiated into a collective bargaining agreement that requires the employer to hire only union members- the workplace is closed to all except union members

Haymarket Tradegy

A significant movement (strike with police intervention) during the mid-1880s was the drive for an eight-hour workday (Chicago).

Adversarial human resource management practices

A union acceptance strategy in an autocratic workplace would likely consist of

Union suppression

A union avoidance strategy in which management uses hardball tactics to prevent a union from organizing its workers or to get rid of a union

Salting

A union organizing tactic in which paid union organizers attempt to get hired by a company is known as

d.) poor management

According to the human resources management school of thought, the labor problem is because... A.) class divisions B.) imbalance of bargaining power between employers and employees C.) market failures D.) poor management

Union shop

Allows anyone to be hired; but to remain employed workers must join the union within a certain amount of time.

Civil Service Reform Act

Allows certain non-postal federal employees (federal sector workers, through supervisors, the military, security agencies, the post office, and several other agencies are excluded) to organize, bargain collectively, and to participate through labor organizations of their choice in decisions affecting their working lives

AFL-CIO

American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations First successful labor union organization in the United States

Certification election

An election in which employees vote to determine whether a union will represent them in the collective bargaining process

punitive damages

An employer fires an employee who attempted to organize a union. The NLRB finds the employer guilty of violating the NLRA. The most likely penalties include all of the following except

National Labor Relations Board

And independent federal agency devoted to conducting representation elections and adjudicating unfair labor practices.

utilitarian ethical beliefs

Arguments that labor unions create market conflict that result in less-than-optimal results reflect:

Great Strike Wave of 1945-46

At the end of WWII, 4600 strikes occurred involving 4.9 million workers and resuled in nearly 120 million worker-days.

false

Authorization cards signed by employees give the employer permission to deduct union dues from employee paychecks

false (includes wages, benefits, vacations, holidays etc.)

Compensation only includes the wages paid to an employee

Injunctions

Court-ordered restraints on action to prevent harm or damage to someone else. Most frequently issued to stop or limit picketing during strikes.

false

Craft unionism is well-suited to a stable, industry-oriented workforce.

PATCO Strike

During the 1970s PATCO fought with the FAA over wages and working conditions, and several times engaged in coordinated sick-outs because striking was illegal. In June 1981 PATCO negotiators tentatively accepted a new contract that (if approved by Congress) would give substantial pay raises, increased severance pay, and an enhanced voice in operating and safety policy making

•Competitiveness •Economic development •Economic prosperity

Efficiency is important to the employment relationship because of its effect on:

representation gap

Employees say they want more representation in the workplace than they have

Possible explanation 1: Structural shifts •Decline in traditionally unionized industries •Regional and demographic shifts •Increased numbers of women in the workforce •Increased education and skill levels But this does not explain why certain groups support or oppose unionization Possible explanation 2: Demand for union services has declined •Unions not doing a good job of responding to the needs of a changing workforce •Employers have improved their responsiveness to employees' needs •Increased protective legislation has provided a substitute for unions •Perhaps a vicious cycle: fewer people experience the benefits firsthand so less likely to support unions Possible explanation 3: Employer resistance or opposition •American managers are exceptionally hostile toward unions •Strong tradition of using union avoidance tactics •Failure to invest in nonunion operations •Actively fighting organization drives •Increased anti-union legislation in United States public sector

Explanations for long-term private sector union density decline are controversial what are possible explanations?

Conspiracy Doctrine

First convicted of being an illegal conspiracy in 1806. Shoemakers refused to work unless their terms were met, and shoemakers were viewed as conspiring to harm the community because shoe prices and unemployment would increase and profits would fall.

Human resource Management school

Formerly called the personnel management school Believes that the labor problem stems from poor management Poor selection, motivation, training, supervision Solution to the labor problem? Better management

Industrial Relations School

Formerly, the institutional labor economics school Key belief: The labor problem stems from unequal bargaining power between corporations and individual workers accepts corporations as efficient, valuable organizations So not opposed in principle to markets or corporations But sees labor markets as destructively competitive Need institutional checks and balances to achieve equity and voice

Industrial Workers of the World

Founded in 1905, this radical union, also known as the Wobblies aimed to unite the American working class into one union to promote labor's interests. It worked to organize unskilled and foreign-born laborers, advocated social revolution, and led several major strikes. Stressed solidarity. was inclusive and radical. Its goal was to form "One Big Union" that embraced all workers—skilled and unskilled, young and old, native-born and immigrant, white and nonwhite, male and female—across all industries

C.) religious history

Historical development of U.S labor relations involves all of the following except: A.) social history B.) legal history C.) religious history D.) Economic history

shift from specific classifications being experts to broader scoop allowing more people and money into unions

How is revolutionary unionism different from business unions?

•View of unions in this school of thought -Unions are unnecessary "outside, third parties" •If a company has well-designed HR practices, workers will be satisfied and will not support a union •Independent labor unions are also seen as adversarial à a barrier to cooperation -But companies get the union they deserve •If a company is practicing bad management, workers will seek unionization to combat these poor practices •Nonunion voice might be embraced, but not independent labor unions that are legally and functionally independent of employers and governments -Independent labor unions can elect their own leaders, collect and spend their own dues money, establish their organizational objectives and strategies, and strike

Human Resource Management school view of unions

Industrial unionism

Idea that all people of a trade (auto, mine, etc.) should be in one union regardless of job

American Federation of Labor

In response to the perceived failure of the Knights of Labor's leadership to address everyday working issues, representatives from 25 national unions created a new labor federation in December 1886

true

In some cases where employer misconduct is so damaging to support for a union that the NLRB does not believe a fair election could be held, the Board may require the employer to bargain with the employees even though it does not have the votes necessary

a union substitution tactic

In the 1920's, some companies like Ford and Rockefeller Steel used welfare capitalism as a way to keep unions from forming in their plants and mines. Welfare capitalism is a best described as

Employment Law

Individual employment rights. These laws directly affect labor relations by providing standards that both employers and unions must fulfill, such as nondiscrimination or family leave.

-Persistent unemployment -Company towns dominated by a single employer -Lack of worker savings and other safety nets

Institutional labor economists believed that there were many labor market imperfections

Business Unionism

It emphasizes immediate improvements in basic employment conditions—wages, hours, and working conditions. It accepts capitalism and the need for employers to make a profit, but seeks to win labor's fair share of the profits through collective bargaining backed up by the threat of striking.

false

It is illegal for employers to allow the use of company email for charitable and personal e-mail solicitations while not allowing it to be used for noncharitable organizations (i.e., unions).

?

Jimmy Hoffa ran the______ A.) AFL-CIO B.)International brotherhood of teamsters C.) Service employees international union D.) Confederation of Union Network Leaders

5 yrs

Jimmy Hoffa served how many years out of his 13 yr sentence?

Homestead Strike

July 6, hundreds of skilled and unskilled workers gathered on the mill property along the adjacent river armed with rifles, pistols, rocks, and fence posts to meet two barges containing 300 armed Pinkertons, who were supposed to secretly secure the mill property so that strikebreakers could be brought in. When the Pinkertons tried to come ashore, a gun battle broke out

-A production input -No different from machines or raw materials

Labor was frequently viewed

Excelsior list

List the employer has to provide the union with the names and addresses of certain employees within seven days after the direction of or consent to an election.

•Business serves society through economic prosperity •Businesses are not designed to be democratic training grounds •A company has no obligation to provide personal and moral development

Many see efficiency as the sole objective of the employment relationship because...

Great Uprising of 1877

More workers were involved than in any other labor conflict of the 1800s. Many of these were not railroad workers—coal miners, ironworkers, and others significantly aided the railroad workers in many locations. (Pent-up grievances of workers)

secret ballot elections

Most U.S. unions are formed through:

false

Most certification elections have more than just one union on the ballot, so the choice is whether to unionize and, if so, which specific union will represent the bargaining unit

Concession bargaining

Negotiations that result in wage reductions or work rule "give backs."

Revolutionary Unionism

Philosophy of IWW. emphasizesthe complete harmony of interests of all wage workers as against the representatives of the employing class, and seeks to unite the former, skilled and unskilled together, into one homogeneous fighting organization. It repudiates, or tends to repudiate, the existing institutional order and especially individual ownership of production means, and the wage system

•Flexibility clashes with lengthy contracts with detailed work rules •Cooperation and employee involvement clashes with the adversarial bargaining process •Lengthy periods between renegotiating contracts do not promote flexibility, involvement, and ongoing communication

Pressures for competitiveness and quality add pressure to collective bargaining how?

Unfair Labor Practices

Prohibits employers from interfering, retraining, or coercing employees who are exercising their section 7 rights

Pullman Strike

Pullman cut wages by an average of 28 percent and laid off about one-quarter of the workers. Management pay and stockholders' dividends were not reduced, nor was the rent charged to workers for company-owned housing

Critical Industrial Relations School

Radical or "Marxist" perspective. Critical of existing societal institutions and social orderings. Sees unions as important but inadequate. e -emphasizes that capitalist institutions are created by society -dominant groups design and control institutions to serve their own interests, due to resistance from competing groups -labor unions are viewed important but inadequate

Norris-LaGuardia Act

Seeks to protect unionization efforts by limiting the jurisdiction and authority of the courts of the United States (removing the courts from labor relations)

false (correct would be pollman strike)

T/F A homestead strike was the second greatest strike in history in 1984, involving railroad workers

true

T/F A labor movement is a social movement in which workers and unions from multiple work places join forces to pursue common interests.

True

T/F American managers can be seen as resistant or against unions as they are hostile towards them

True

T/F Have U.S labor unions traditionally embraced a business unionism philosophy

True

T/F In the U.S collective bargaining agreements are legally binding contracts

True

T/F In the school of HR management, it was belived that the labor problem stems from poor management

False

T/F Jimmy Hoffa was found in 2010 buried in a field

true

T/F Jimmy Hoffa, an american labor union leader, served as the president of the international brotherhood of teamsters between the years of 1957 until 1971

False

T/F Michael corleone ordered the killing of jimmy hoffa

False

T/F The NLRB stands for national labor retention board

True

T/F The critical industrial relations school of thought believes that unions can be used as a way to suppress workers

True

T/F Unions have merged and diversified over the years so there's now less of a distinction

True

T/F Unions represent less than 12% of the U.S workforce

true

T/F Uplift unionism is a philosophy in which a union " aspires chiefly to elevate the moral, intellectual, and social life of a worker

True

T/F a labor union is a group of workers who join together to influence the nature of their employment

true

T/F according to the mainstream economics school of thought, unions are able to manipulate and control the supply of labor to a market just like monopolies control the supply of products to a market.

False

T/F collective bargaining is only to negotiate worker salaries?

True

T/F collective bargaining is used by unions to secure better working conditions

false (coreect answer is equity)

T/F efficiency is the fairness in the distribution of economic rewards, the administration of employment policies, and the provision of employee security

True

T/F four million workers were involved in strikes in 1919?

True

T/F in collective bargaining, representatives of the employer and the employees negotiate the terms and conditions of employment that will apply to the employees

false

T/F in collective bargaining, representatives of the employer and the employees negotiate the terms and conditions of employment that will only apply to entry level employees

true

T/F labor unions can help strike a balance between efficiency, equity and voice

True

T/F the aspects of efficiency are profitability, productivity, competitiveness, and economic prosperity

True

T/F the earliest examples of union like activity in the united states were short-term actions triggered by specific complaints, such as a strike by fisherman on a maine island in 1636 over withholding's of a years wages

True

T/F the first national labor federation representing unions was the National Labor Union of 1866

False

T/F the knights of labor was originaly an auto-worker union?

False

T/F the number of strikes in the U.S is actually much higher than typically portrayed by the media

True

T/F there are five different types of state public sector bargaining laws: comprehensive, narrow, no law, prohibitive and broad but shallow

Critical Industrial Relations School

The Deeply Unequal Employment Relationship is believed by

NLRB vs. Jones and Laughlin Steel Corporation

The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) charged Jones & Laughlin Steel Co. the country's fourth largest steel producer, with discriminating against employees who were union members. case that expanded definition of interstate commerce -activity only has to have substantial effects on interstate commerce -congress says it only has to affect 2 states not involve 2 states

A.) mainstream economics

The _____school of thought focuses on the activity of self-interested agents, such as firms and workers, who interact in competitive markets

Wright Line Test

The dividing line between legitimate employee discipline and discharge on the one hand, and unlawful retaliation for union activity.-the disciplined or discharged employee was engaged in protected activity.-the employer was aware of the activity-the activity was a substantial or motivating reason for the employers action.

National union

The first attempt to organize all workers in all states---both skilled and unskilled, both agricultural workers and industrial workers

National Labor Union

The first such federation founded in 1866. it established a precedent for the labor movement by uniting diverse unions into a single federation. emphasized political activity to bring about legal reform

True

The greatest challenges in labor relations arise from conflicting goals

B.) a general counsel's office and a 5 member board

The national Labor relations board has to parts which are: A.) employee and employer B.) a general counsel's office and a 5 member board C.) employer and government D.) union and employer

-The societal or human perspective •People should have better lives •Workers should be able to afford decent housing, clothing, food, and the like -The business perspective •Absenteeism and turnover were costly

The poor conditions of the labor problem were a problem for two broad reasons

shock effect

The presence of a union shocks managers out of complacency and forces them to develop better managerial practices and policies that improve workplace efficiency, including more formal human resource policies such as training programs, and objective rather than subjective selection tests.

True

The primary consideration for an individual in considering whether to vote "yes" for a union is the perceived costs and benefits associated with unionization

union contract

The provisions of a bargain that are written down and bound into a legally enforceable collective bargaining agreement

false

The servicing model of unionism is one in which employees play an active role in voicing their opinions and making decisions about how the union should expend its energies and resources.

Danbury Haters case

The supreme court ruled that the union boycott violated the Sherman Antitrust Act, and later ruled held individual union members responsible for over $200,000 in damages.

Mainstream Economics School

This school focuses on the economic activity of self-interested agents, such as firms and workers, who interact in competitive Markets. See Unions as bad powerful monopolies that harm the economy and the public.

False

Though national unions are available to provide research assistance, the majority of union organizing, training, lobbying, and supervision of collective bargaining is done by the local unions.

social and political power

Under a model of social unionism, the labor movement's influence comes from

Rival unionism

Union competition for members, such as when the Steelworkers started trying to organize nursing home employees in competition with both service employee and nurses unions.

d. all of the above

Union democracy can be analyzed by which dimensions? A.) procedural B.) behavioral C.) substantive D.) all of the above

Union Wage Premium

Unionized workers in the US are generally estimated to have wages approximately 15% higher than comparable nonunion workers.

•Increasing the purchasing power of workers and reducing disruptive strike activity •Achieving fair standards and protections against exploitation •Providing democracy in the workplace Others oppose unions and legal protections because they believe that there are better ways to achieve the desired objectives

United States labor law protects collective voice and union-related activity to strike a balance between efficiency, equity, and voice but how?

C. 30%

What percent of employees need to fill out a union authorization card in order for a vote to occur on whether to unionize or not? A.) 10% B.) 20% C.) 30% D.) 40%

Unions were painted at trouble makers but led unions to become national due to expansion of national businesses to help balance out negotiation

What was the view of unions after Haymarket Tradegy?

e.) all are components of collective bargaining

Which of the following is NOT a component of collective bargaining A.) compensation B.) personnel policies and procedures C.) employee rights and responsibilities D.) employer's rights and responsibilities E.) all are components of collective bargaining

D

Which of the following is not a legal tactic that unions can use to attempt to organize workers A) Hold one-on-one meetings with employees to encourage them to join the union B) Distribute flyers and letters to potential members C) Visiting employees in their homes in an attempt to get them to join the union D) All of the above are legal

Stronger authority for union representatives

Which of the following is not consistent with a model employee empowerment unionism?

Demographics of the employee (i.e., age, gender)

Which of the following is the least important factor in determining whether an employee votes "yes" in a union election:

C.) the human resource management school

Which school of thought believes that unions are unnecessary and add unproductive conflict to the work environment? A.)The industrial relations school B.) The Mainstream Economics school C.) the human resource management school D.) The critical industrial relations school

•United States labor law assumes that corporations have greater power than individual workers •Superior employer bargaining power can result in: •Low wages and worker unrest •Long hours at low pay under discriminatory conditions violate equity •Employer dictation of employment conditions and autocratic supervision •Unions are seen as improving the power inequalities and helping strike a balance between efficiency, equity, and voice

Why might society and workers support unionization?

Exclusive representation

With majority support a union is the only representative of that group of workers- there cannot be another union or a company union representing some employees in the group.

A.) Great Uprising of 1877

_____demonstrates the shared concerns of workers defining the modern era of labor relations; one where capital and labor are at odds A.) Great Uprising of 1877 B.) Knights of labor C.) National labor union

Open Shop Movement

a concerted drive by employers and their employers' associations in the early 1900s to create and maintain union-free workplaces

Appropriate bargaining unit

a group of employees that a union is seeking to represent may be an entire plant, a single department, or all employees of a single employer, as long as there is a mutuality of interest among the proposed members of the unit

labor union

a group of workers who join together to influence the nature of their employment. (collective voice, protection, and influence) -seeking improved wages/benefits -protection against arbitrary treatment -greater voice in workplace decisions

Workplace Governance

a method of ruling the workplace. This determines the nature of the balance that is struck among efficiency, equity, and voice.

Uplift Unionism

a philosophy in which a union "aspires chiefly to elevate the moral, intellectual, and social life of the worker. Looking to make a better life for union workers not just material wealth but social life.

A.) revolutionary Unionism

a philosophy that emphasizes the complete harmony of interests of all wage workers as against the representatives of the employing class, and seeks to unite the former, skilled and unskilled together, into one homogenous fighting organization: A.) revolutionary Unionism B.) Uplift Unionism C.) Bussiness Unionism D.) Craft Unionism

Yellow dog contract

a promise by a worker not to join or support a union; a refusal to agree to such conditions meant either termination or not being hired.

Recognition strike

a strike to try to compel the employer to recognize their union

Business unionism

a term applied to the goals of US labor organizations which collectively bargain for improvements in wages, hours job security, and working conditions

Industrial democracy

a term that captures the belief that workers in a democratic society are entitled to the same democratic principles of participation in the workplace

General union

a trade union which represents workers (often unskilled but also including semi-skilled) from a variety of trades

Union substitution

a union avoidance strategy in which management becomes so responsive to employees' needs that it removes the incentives for unionization

Knights of Labor

a union in the garment industry and emphasized secrecy to prevent employers from breaking it. Like many fraternal organizations of the time, they initially had various rituals, passwords, and secret signs. Main concern was moral work not material wealth of a person.

voice

ability of employees to have meaningful input into workplace decisions standard of employee participation

monopolies that interfere with economic efficiency

according to mainstream economics school unions are:

Taft-Hartley Act

adds to the Wagner Act in diverse and far-reaching ways-Restrictions on union actions-enhanced rights of individuals and employers-new dispute resolution procedures act that provides balance of power between union and management by designating certain union activities as unfair labor practices; also known as Labor-Management Relations Act (LMRA)

C

all of the following is true of revolutionary unionism except... A.) the complete harmony of all wage workers B.) it is the philosophy used by the industrial workers of the world (IWW) C.) those who follow revolutionary unionism are strong supporters of capitalism D.) it seeks to unite skilled and unskilled workers together

General Motors sit-down strike

began in December 1936 when workers in Flint, Michigan, took over two Chevrolet plants by sitting down and refusing to work or leave the plant.137 At the time, Flint was the heart of General Motors, the world's premiere corporation, and the most important issue was getting General Motors to recognize the United Auto Workers (UAW) as the employees' bargaining agent. Workers in Cleveland, Toledo, Detroit, and elsewhere followed suit and sat down in their factories, but the center of the strike was Flint.

Industrial Relations School

called institutional labor economics school -the labor problem is stemmed from unequal bargaining power between corporations and individual workers -labor unions are viewed important and necessary to counter corporate bargaining power and balance efficiency, equity and voice in democratic, capitalist societies

Human resource management school

called personnel management school believes that the labor problem stems from poor management. -see labor unions as unnecessary and they add unproductive conflict "new Methods" producing rewards for all stakeholders

Labor relations environment

collective relations between the management of an organization and its employees or employees' representatives

Agency Shop

company in which employees are not required to join the union, but must pay union dues

c.) layoff

compensation are all of the following except: A.)wages B.) benefits C.) layoff D.) shift premiums

Memphis Sanitation Strike

demanded not only improved wages and working conditions but also civil rights and respect—goals immortalized by their signs, which said simply, "I am a man." The strike was a major civil rights event that included peaceful marches and violent race riots. American sanitation workers went on strike in order to be paid minimum wages

-voice- consultation, labor unions, self-determination, employee free speech -Efficiency- profitability, productivity, competitiveness, economic prosperity -Equity- living wages, workplace safety, nondiscrimination, health and retirement security

describe the aspects of efficiency, equity, and voice in the employment relationship

Employee empowerment unionism

establishes the framework of procedures in which workers are then empowered to determine their own outcomes.

•Industrial democracy: belief that workers in a democratic society are entitled to the same democratic principles of participation in the workplace The lack of at least minimal standards and nondiscriminatory treatment (equity) contradicts the basic ideals of democracy with free and equal citizens, and it violates religious and moral views on the sanctity of human life and human dignity Employee voice has similar justifications, ranging from moral, religious, and psychological beliefs about the importance of human self-determination to political views of liberty and democracy

explain industrial democracy

•A labor movement is a social movement -Workers and unions from multiple workplaces join together to pursue common interests -Unions are not purely workplace institutions •The labor movement provides a voice for workers in the political arena -Endorse candidates for political offices -Mobilize get-out-the-vote efforts -Campaign on behalf of candidates -Lobby and make donations to lawmakers

explain labor movement

workers are human beings, not simply economic factors of production •The quality of employment and the nature of the workplace are important for individuals, families, and society •Inequality is harmful •Work is not simply an economic transaction •Work is a fully human activity such that employees are entitled to fair treatment and opportunities to have input into decisions that affect their daily lives

explain workers inequality and economic factors of employment

Equity

fairness in the distribution of economic rewards, the administration of employment policies, and the provision of employment security standard of fair treatment of employees

managing relationships with employees and labor unions inways that promote organizational goals such as profitability or cost effective service delivery

for employers, labor relations are about

collective work-related protection, influence and voice

from the worker's perspective this is fundamentally what labor relations are about

Mainstream Economics 1. Pre-1930s: lack of significant employment standards; primacy of free markets ---> Pluralist 1930s: New Deal featuring government promotion of labor unions, social insurance programs, and minimum labor standards ---> Unitarist Mid-century rise of nonunion HR policies and employment law focused on individual rights (fairness, but typically only if offered) ---> Mainstream economics Current global era of free trade, deregulation, privatization, personal responsibility, etc

history of mainstream economics

Workers want fairness, justice, and security Workers want influence over decisions that affect their job or work life •Believe that they would enjoy their jobs more •Believe that their employers would be more competitive

how are equity and voice consistent with what workers want?

•Equitable treatment might reduce flexibility and efficiency •Employee voice might make decision making more cumbersome and less efficient •Unions centralize power to better achieve equity, but become less responsive to individuals •Studying labor relations involves analyzing how employee representation through independent labor unions contributes to achieving a balance among efficiency, equity, and voice

how can efficiency, equity and voice clash? How are labor relations a balance between the conflicting goals?

•Everyone has the right to form and join trade unions for the protection of his or her interests •But why should society encourage or discourage the formation of labor unions?

how does the United states public policy encourage collective baragaining?

Wagner Act

if a company fires you for being apart of the union, this act gave you some amount of legislation or protection (voice).

A.) wagner act

in 1935 congress passed this act which encouraged unionization, enacted legal protections for workers, and outlawed company unions A.) Wagner act B.)Taft-Hartley Act c.) Landrum-griffin act D.) The New deal

d.) other employers

in a perfectly competitive labor market, the best protection an employee has against exploitation by his/her employer is.. A.) other employees B.) The government C.) Labor Unions D.) Other employers

a bargained exchange in which balance is best

in the industrial relations school the employment relationship is...

C.) business unionism

in this approach the key to achieving equity and voice is collective bargaining in the workplace, through which unions win wage gains, benefits, grievance procedures, and protective work rules. A.) social unionism B.) job control unionism C.) business unionism D.) employee empowerment unionism

critical (marxist) industrial relations

in this school Labor unions are Important but inadequate: An important mechanism for the struggle against capitalists and for protecting workers, but with systemic imbalances, need greater socio-political changes for true reform.

industrial relations

in this school labor unions are Important: necessary to counter corporate bargaining power and to balance efficiency, equity, and voice in democratic, capitalist societies.

Human Resource Management

in this school labor unions are Unnecessary: effective management policies are best. Also, unions add unproductive conflict.

-Unions are important as a way to better balance corporate power in the labor market -Can provide meaningful voice to employees by being independent rather than controlled by companies •Independent labor unions can elect their own leaders, collect and spend their own dues money, establish their organizational objectives and strategies, and strike •So based on the assumptions and beliefs of the IR school, unions are important for striking a balance between efficiency, equity, and voice -This school of thought provides the intellectual foundations for U.S. labor law and supporters of labor unions

industrial relations school view of unions is...

Social unionism

integrate workers and unions for social justice

Job control unionism

involves a workplace scope of representation and a passive soul of representation, consists of very detailed and legalistic union contracts, enforced by a formal grievance procudure, that tie employee rights to very narrowly defined jobs while removing labor from decision making

Union democracy

is a school of thought within organized labor which argues that sound unionism requires adherence to principles and practices of democratic trade unionism; that internal democracy and greater membership control make unions stronger and better able to fight for the rights and interests of working people.

Labor Movement

is a social movement in which workers and unions from multiple workplaces join together to pursue common interests, most frequently in the political and social arenas

•Market forces •Individual emotions •Managerial strategies •Forms of work organization •Constitutional and legal issues •History •Questions of human rights •Negotiation and conflict resolution strategies •Debates over globalization •Ethical challenges

labor relations involves diverse factors such as?

neoclassical economics

labor unions are viewed as Bad: monopolies that benefit a few at the expense of everyone else.

Change to Win

loose federation of American unions that includes service workers and teamsters and has total membership of 6 million workers

True

many workers want to deal with managers as a group whereas managers prefer one-on-one interactions

preventive labor relations strategies

most nonunion employees try to remain union-free through...

Exclusive Jurisdiction

only one union should represent workers in a craft. For example, the single carpenters' union was entitled to represent carpenters; it could not represent other occupations, and no other union could represent carpenters. An important function of the AFL was to resolve jurisdictional disputes; but as with other issues, the AFL lacked formal power to force rulings on the member unions

Decertification election

process by which employees can reject union representation or select a different union

Craft unionism

refers to organizing a union in a manner that seeks to unify workers in a particular industry along the lines of the particular craft or trade that they work in by class or skill level

•Employees want more representation in the workplace than they have •One-third of nonunion workers would like a union in their workplace Unions blame employer opposition to unions for the representation gap

representation gap?

collective bargaining

representatives of the employer and the employees negotiate the terms and conditions of employment that will apply to the employees •Compensation •Personnel policies or procedures •Employee and employer rights and responsibilities •Union rights and responsibilities •Dispute resolution and ongoing decision making

Gissel bargaining order

requires the employer to recognize and bargain with the union even though the usual election results are lacking

Industrial Unionism

seeks to organize all the workers in a workplace or industry regardless of their occupations or skill levels.

class conflict

social conflict of unequal power relations

Welfare Capitalism

sought to win worker loyalty and increase efficiency by improving supervisory practices, implementing orderly hiring and firing procedures, providing wage incentives, offering protective insurance benefits, creating a positive culture, improving the physical work environment and safety, and providing employee voice

Laboratory conditions doctrine

the NLRB evaluates election conduct using this, also known as General Shoe Doctrine

-Restructuring the nature of capitalism •For some: replacing capitalism with socialism •For others: significant changes in power structures and influence

the critical industrial relations school thinks the solution to the labor problem is...

-Employers' dominant power in the workplace, and reinforced by significant influence over other societal institutions (e.g., legal system and law enforcement)

the critical industrial relations school views the causes of the ;labor problem are..

Union instrumentality

the degree to which an individual thinks a union will be instrumental in improving the workplace

Union avoidance

the extent that management works toward remaining nonunion, or becoming nonunion if already unionized

Unitarist

the human resource management school has a _____ view of conflict in the employment relationship

the personnel management school

the human resource management school was formerly known as_____

Efficiency

the productive, profit-maximizing use of labor to promote economic prosperity standard of economic or business performance

Craft unionism

unions were divided along craft lines—that is, by occupation or trade

Organizing model

views unions as institutions of active worker participation, empowerment, and mobilization

•Inflate wages and restrict work rules? •Secure better wages, protect against unfair treatment by management, provide voice and representation? •What should unions do?

what are the alternative perspectives on what labor unions do?

The Mainstream Economics School The human Resource Management School The Industrial Relations School The Critical Industrial relations School

what are the four schools of thought?

•Goals of the employment relationship •What are they? Should they be balanced? •How employment relationship and labor markets operate •Major environmental pressures •Union strategies Public policy

what are underlying labor relations issues?

Railroad workers

what community of workers united to strike in The Great Uprising of 1 877?

Wage Levels: Higher wages (union wage premium is 15 percent, on average) Wage Distribution: Compressed (less unequal) wage structure Benefits: Increased likelihood of benefits being offered Just Cause Discipline and Discharge: Nearly universal in union contracts; rare elsewhere Public Policies: Assistance with exercising rights (e.g., workers compensation) Seniority: Increased importance of seniority provisions in personnel changes

what do unions do... Equity?

Job Satisfaction: Union workers are less satisfied on average, but probably due to their working conditions Turnover: Reduced turnover Productivity: Mixed evidence—controversial effects. Some evidence of a shock effect (the presence of a union shocks managers out of complacency) Profits: Reduced profitability (even when positive, productivity effects are not large enough to offset increased compensation costs)

what do unions do... efficiency? effect of U.S Unions

Collective Negotiations: Management is required to bargain with a certified union Grievance Procedures: Nearly universal presence of formal grievance procedures in union contracts; few nonunion procedures with same level of due process and representation

what do unions do...voice?

-Ensure competition •Macroeconomic stimuli to reduce unemployment •Remove unnecessary government regulation •The best protection an employee has against his or her current employer are other employers •As long as there is (perfect) competition, employment outcomes are not seen as a problem

what does the Mainstream economics school believe the solution to the labor problem is?

injunction

what is a court ordered restraint or an action to prevent harm or damage to someone else?

•Labor law is weak •Penalties for violations are minimal •Delays are frequent •Employers can use captive audience speeches and permanent strike replacements •Secondary boycotts are prohibited •Private sector union density is less than 10 percent •Union density: The percentage of workers who are union members •Workers in the global economy need protection more than ever

what is labor's perpective?

•Management's authority to unilaterally establish conditions of employment is replaced by bilateral negotiations •Workers have a collective voice

what is the crucial feature of collective baragining?

A.) Workers interests are served by having them in control

what is the key feature of the worker control governance mechanism? A.) workers interests are served by having them in control B.) employers interests are served by having them in control C.) the government should be in control for everyones best interest

•The critical human resources and industrial relations issue in the early 1900s was the labor problem -Undesirable outcomes of inequitable and contentious, or oppressive and exploitative, employment relationship

what is the labor problem?

•Adversarial negotiations do not promote trust and cooperation •Need to supplement high-level, periodic negotiations with ongoing low-level communication and problem-solving mechanism •Lengthy, detailed contracts inhibit flexibility and involvement •Labor laws are outdated

what is the management's perspective on labor relations?

d. all of the above

what is the principle of the wagner act? A.) Labor is more than a commodity B.) Labor and management are not economic or legal equals C.) employee voice is important D.) all of the above

Labor relations continues to be a relevant and dynamic area of study and practice •All managers should understand labor relations •United States labor laws affect both union and non-union workplaces •Reveals consequences of poorly managed workforces •Explains historical, social, and political influences on business •Helps everyone understand and resolve conflict •Reveals how work and business are embedded in a complex environment

what is the relevance of Labor relations?

Wisconsin

which is the one state that has "Broad but Shallow" type of public sector Bargaining laws A.) Ohio B.) mississippi C.) Iowa D.)Wisconsin

Critical Industrial Relations School

which labor relation view/school of thought refers to unions as "important but inadequate"?

d. all of the above

which of the following are objectives of the employment relationship? A.)efficiency B.)equity C.)Voice D.) all of the above

C

which of these are not one of the four schools of thought? A.) Human resource management school B.) Mainstream economic school C.) executive relations school D.) Industrial relations school E.) Critical Industrial relations school

freedom

which one is not an object of labor relations? -efficiency -voice -equity - freedom

Industrial Relations School

which school of thought believed the labor problem stemmed from unequal bargaining power between corporations and individual worers

Critical Industrial Relations School

which school of thought was heavily influenced by the ideology of Karl Marx?

Servicing model

workers pay dues and in return they are protected against bad times, workers do not participate in the union, they consume union services

-So the solutions are different •Labor unions and other government policies (e.g., minimum wage laws) to help increase worker power to better balance employer power

•Compared to the other schools of thought, the causes of the labor problem are different

•Individuals •Unions •Companies •But society establishes the ground rules •Labor law tries to balance property rights and labor rights in order to promote a balance between efficiency, equity, and voice •Understanding conflicts between property rights and workers' rights and the desire to balance them is vital for understanding labor relations

•Conflicts are generally resolved privately through bargaining and other means by:

Mainstream Economics School

•Focuses on the economic activity of self-interested agents •Efficiency, equity, and voice achieved through free-market competition •Idealized, prefect competition results in the optimal allocation and pricing of resources •The conditions of the labor problem are not seen as exploitation -Rather, employees are paid their economic value -Employees are free to quit if they feel they are being exploited

Critical Industrial Relations School

•Grows out of earlier "Marxist industrial relations" school, and also referred to as a radical perspective -The "critical" label comes from being critical of existing societal institutions and social orderings -Emphasizes that capitalist institutions do not simply exist but are created by society -Focuses on how dominant groups design and control institutions to serve their own interests

-Align the interests of workers and the firm via better management •Create motivated and efficient workers •Firms should design and implement better supervisory methods •Selection procedures •Training methods •Compensation systems •Evaluation and promotion mechanisms

•Human resource management philosophy

-Long hours, low wages, unsafe conditions, and insecurity

•Important dimensions of the labor problem

-Free markets -Managers (HRM) -Independent employee representation -Government regulation -Worker control

•Options for governing the workplace

-Once useful, but no longer needed -Good for members, but bad for business, nonunion workers, consumers, and investors

•Popular stereotypes of labor unions

-Growing labor market disparities -Problems of low-wage workers trying to move out of poverty and support families -Corporate pressures for cost control, quality, and flexibility to compete in a global, information-rich economy -The need to educate individuals as lifelong learners because of ever-changing technologies -Problems of work-life balance, especially for working mothers

•Today's critical issues in human resources and industrial relations

-Unions are seen as labor market monopolies that interfere with the invisible hand of free market competition; distort efficient outcomes -Strike threat is used to raise wages above their competitive levels -Restrictive work rules interfere with the discipline of the market by protecting lazy workers •To those who believe in perfect competition -Labor unions are bad

•View of labor unions in the mainstream economics school of thought

-Strong, militant unions can benefit workers •Fighting for improved compensation, better working conditions, and greater control over workplace decision making •Mobilizing and raising working class consciousness -Emphasis is on aggressive, labor movement activism that links workers across industries, occupations, and regions •Adherents to this school of thought are critical of the pragmatic, collective-bargaining focus of many U.S. unions -Believe that they do enough to challenge capital's power in the workplace and society

•View of unions in the critical industrial school of thought

-Preferred system of workplace governance is rooted in how one thinks the employment relationship works •That is, one's desired school of thought

•What determines which system of workplace governance is best?

-Depends on beliefs about causes-->schools of thought

•how to solve the labor problem?