Business CH.12: Dealing with Union & Employee- Management Issues

An employee organization who's main goal is representing its members in employee- management negotiation of job-related issues.

Union

the agreement to bring in an impartial third party to render a binding decision in a labor dispute

arbitration

the range of options between the initial and final offer that each party will consider before negotiations dissolve or reach an impasse.

bargaining zone

Formal process whereby a union is recognized by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) as the bargaining agent for a group of employees

certification

concessions made by union members to management; gains from labor negotiations are given back to management to help employers remain competitive and they save jobs

givebacks

an attempt by management to put pressure on unions by temporarily closing the business

lockout

The use of a 3rd party, called a mediator, who encourages both sides in a dispute to continue negotiating and often makes suggestions for resolving the dispute

mediation

when a union encourages both its members and the general public not to buy the products of a firm involved in a labor dispute

primary boycott

a union strategy in which workers refuse to go to work; the purpose is to further workers' objectives after an impasse in collective bargaining

strike

workers hired to do the jobs of striking workers until the labor dispute is resolved.

strikebreakers

A type of contract that required employees to agree as a condition of employment not to join a union; prohibited by the Norris-LaGuardia Act in 1932.

yellow-dog contract

Clause in a labor-management agreement that specified workers had to be members of a union before being hired (was outlawed by the Taft-Hartley Act in 1947)

Closed shop agreement

An organization of skilled specialists in a particular craft or trade.

Craft Union

What is a fair wage for managers?

The market and the businesses in it set manager' salaries. What is fair is open to debate.

the process whereby union and management representatives form a labor management agreement, or contract, for workers.

collective bargaining

the process by which workers take away a union's right to represent them.

decertification

a charge by employees that management is not abiding by the terms of the negotiated labor - management agreement

grievance

A court order directing someone to do something or to refrain from doing something

injunction

Clause in a labor-management agreement that says employers may hire nonunion workers; employees are not required to join the union but must pay a union fee.

Agency shop agreement

An organization of craft unions that championed fundamental labor issues founded in 1886.

American Federation of Labor (AFL)

Union organization of unskilled workers; broke away from the American Federation of Labor (AFL) in 1935 and rejoined it in 1955.

Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO)

Why are more and more companies now testing workers and job applicants for substance abuse?

Drug abuse costs the U.S. economy $414 Billion in lost work, health care costs, crime, traffic accidents, and other expenses, and over $150 billion in lost productivity, Individuals who use drugs are 3 1/2 times more likely to be in workplace accidents and 5 times more likely to file a workers' compensation claim than those who do not use drugs.

Labor organizations of unskilled and semiskilled workers in mass-production industries such as automobiles and mining.

Industrial unions

the first national labor union; formed in 1869

Knights of Labor

Agreement that sets the tone and clarifies the terms under which management and labor agree to function over a period of time

Negotiated labor-management agreement (labor Contract)

agreement in right-to-work states that gives workers the option to join or not join a union, if one exists in their workplace

Open shop agreement

How are some companies addressing the child care issue?

Responsive companies are providing child care on the premises, emergency care when scheduled care is interrupted, discounts with child care chains, vouchers to be used at the employee's chosen care center, and referral services.

an attempt by labor to convince others to stop doing business with a firm that is the subject of a primary boycott; prohibited by the Taft-Hartley Act

Secondary boycott

unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other conduct of a sexual nature that creates a hostile work environment.

Sexual harassment

Union officials who work permanently in an organization and represent employee interests on a daily basis

Shop stewards

How did the AFL-CIO evolve?

The American Federation of labor (AFL), formed in 1886, was an organization of craft unions. The congress of industrial organizations (CIO), a group of unskilled and semiskilled workers, broke off from the AFL in 1935. Over time, the 2 organizations saw the benefits of joining and became the AFL-CIO in 1955. The AFL-CIO is a federation of labor unions, not a national union.

How are equal pay and pay equity different?

The Equal Pay Act of 1963 provides that workers receive equal pay for equal work (with exceptions for seniority, merit, performance). Pay equity is the damnd for equivalent pay for jobs requiring similar levels of education, training, and skills.

What was the first union?

The cordwainers (shoemakers) organized a craft union of skilled specialists in 1792. The knights of Labor, formed in 1869, was the first national labor organization

provision in a negotiated labor-management agreement that stipulates that employees who benefit from a union must either officially join or at least pay dues to the union

Union security clause

clause in labor-management agreement that says workers do not have to be members of a union to be hired, but must agree to join the union within a prescribed period.

Union shop agreement

What will union have to do to cope with declining membership?

Unions are facing a changing workplace. The national Education Associations is now the nation's largest union. The service Employees International Union (SEIU), with 2.2 million members, is the second largest union. Going forward, unions must adapt to an increasingly white-collar, female, and culturally diverse workforce. To help keep U.S. businesses competitive in global markets, many have taken on a new role in assisting management in training workers, redesigning jobs, and assimilating the changing workforce.

What are the tactics used by unions and management in conflicts?

Unions use strikes and boycotts. Management can use strikebreakers, injunctions, and lockouts.

when workers in a critical industry return to their jobs while the union and management continue negotiations

cooling-off period

Legislation that gives workers the right, under an open shop agreement, to join or not join a union if it is present.

right-to-work laws

What is the elder care, and what problems do companies face with regard to this growing problem?

workers who need to provide elder care for dependent parents or others are generally more experienced and vital to the mission of the organization than younger workers are. The cost to business is very large and growing.