Chapter 15: Collective Bargaining and Labor Relations

What does a win-win solution to labor relations require on the part of a union and its members?

they understand the limits of what an employer can afford to pay in a competitive marketplace

What are the two main goals of a labor union?

to negotiate suitable pay and to ensure an appropriate working environment

What are the duties of a union steward?

to represent employees during grievance procedures against managers, to investigate complaints lodged by workers against employers, and to make sure the contract between workers and employees is properly enforced

Justin works as an auto mechanic. At his shop, he belongs to a group that represents all of the mechanics when there is a need to approach management regarding wages and benefits. This group is an example of a(n) _____.

union

Right-to-work laws make which types of shops illegal? Check all that apply.

union and agency

Which organizational structure requires employees to join the union within a specific time after being hired?

union shop

Organizations that represent workers in negotiations with employers are called _____.

unions

When does the union organizing process begin?

when union reps approach employees and ask them to sign an authorization card

The outcome of labor negotiations often depends on _____.

which side can survive a strike

Through a _______________ center, a nonprofit organization provides its nonunion members with services such as training, legal advice, and worker advocacy.

worker

The union strategy known as the _____ provision is an agreement that if a certain percentage of employees sign an authorization card, the employer will acknowledge the union.

card-check

Jamie's union dues are automatically deducted from her paycheck. This deduction is called a(n) _____ provision.

checkoff

The organizational structure that gives a union the most power is a(n) _____ shop.

closed

Which of the following is NOT a strategy legally employed by management when dealing with union organizing campaigns?

coercing workers not to unionize

Negotiations between union representatives and management to arrive at a contract defining terms of employment for the term of the contract is referred to as _____.

collective bargaining

The National Labor Relations Act provided unions with a stronger voice through its support of _____.

collective bargaining

The teachers union has been negotiating with the school board on behalf of all the teachers for a 4% pay increase and two additional sick days each year. The teachers union is in the process of _____.

collective bargaining

In a _______________ election, the employer and the union agree on when and where the election will be held, what will be on the ballot, and how to determine who is eligible to vote.

consent

A union might decide to bring public, financial, or political pressure on employers during union organization and contract negotiation. This is called a(n) _____ campaign.

corporate

A labor union whose members all have the same skill or occupation is called a

craft union

Under a union shop arrangement, an employee must join the union within _____________ days after being hired

30

Before the union organizing process can go forward, what percentage of workers must sign an authorization card?

30%

The deadline for filing a charge of unfair labor practices with the NLRB is _____ months after the incident occurred.

6

When deciding whether to discourage workers from forming a union, which of the following is typically NOT one of management's concerns?

a union will increase productivity

Historically, it has been thought that, in union-management relations, the two parties are _____.

adversaries

The _____ shop requires the payment of union dues, but it does not require the employee to join the union.

agency

Will is required to pay union dues at his company, but he is not required to be a member of the union. This is an example of a(n) _____ shop.

agency

Which of the following happens when a union is decertified?

an existing union is voted out

All of the following are reasons for a decline in union membership except _____.

an increase in immigrant union workers

What is the formal intervention by a third party to prevent a strike and determine a settlement that is binding on both parties?

arbitration

_____ union membership offers services such as credit cards and discounted health insurance, but it has no ties to the employee's workplace and does not provide representation in collective bargaining.

associate

Under a checkoff provision, union dues are _____.

automatically taken out of the worker's paycheck

For an employee to be part of a closed shop, he or she must _____.

belong to a union before being hired

When arbitration is labeled as ____________ , it means the parties have to accept it.

binding

What types of actions can be taken by the NLRB in response to an unfair labor practice? Check all that apply.

issue a cease-and-desist order and order a reinstatement of workers

The action that provides the right to vote out an existing union is called

decertifying

Since the 1980s, membership in unions in the United States has been _____.

decreasing steadily

In a lockout, an employee does not return to work until specific conditions are satisfied. This happens at the request of the _____.

employer

The two primary responsibilities of the National Labor Relations Board are to conduct and certify the election of union representation and to _____.

ensure fairness of labor practices

A _____________ finder is a third party who explains the reasons for a dispute, along with the perspectives and arguments from both sides, and possibly suggests a settlement.

fact

True or false: The final stage of labor negotiations is always held in public.

false

True or false: To avoid a strike, a mediator has authority to mandate a resolution.

false

Labor unions strive to negotiate pay and working conditions that benefit their members. These goals are most often achieved when the union _____.

gains more members

Unions sometimes help businesses retain employees, because they _____.

give employees possible ways to resolve problems

In most states, it is illegal for a federal worker to _____.

go on strike

Fact finders are typically used in negotiations with _____.

government entities

When disputes arise over the violation or interpretation of a collective bargaining agreement, the process for resolving the disagreement is referred to as a(n) _____ procedure.

grievance

In _____ labor unions such as the Communication Workers of America, all the members work in the same industry, but the union represents various occupations.

industrial

Sondra is a comptroller and has worked at both the local and state level in this position. She has been able to retain her same membership in the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees regardless of the level she worked at. Sondra is a member of a(n) _____ union.

industrial

Which of the following characteristics apply to a worker center? Check all that apply.

lobby lawmakers to pass favorable legislation and launch publicity campaigns to pressure employees

The National Hockey League asked players not to come to work until contract negotiations were complete. This was an example of a

lockout

The most common alternative to a strike is the use of a _____.

mediator

According to the majority of research studies, union workers are _____.

more productive than workers who are not unionized

Which of the following type of workers would be covered by the NLRA?

most employees of privately owned companies

Strikes have become uncommon, primarily because _____.

most often they are not in the best interest of unions or management

What federal agency enforces the National Labor Relations Act?

national labor relations board

A union contract stipulation that an employer will not resist unions attempting to become established elsewhere in the company is called a(n) _____ provision.

neutrality

The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers is a craft union because all of the members have the same _____.

occupation

After an employer recognizes a union, management continues in its goal to increase _____.

output

Since the 1970s, union membership among government workers has _____.

remained about the same

Which of the following is not a typical step in a grievance procedure initiated by an employee?

sharing employee grievances with local media

The Taft-Hartley Act provided for right-to-work laws that could be passed by the _____ government.

state

An employee elected by union members to represent them in ensuring that the terms of the labor contract are enforced is called a union

steward

In which type of secret-ballot election does the NLRB dictate when and where the election will be held, what will be on the ballot, and how eligibility will be determined?

stipulation

A pact by a group of union members to refuse to work until their demands or conditions are met is referred to as a

strike

Which level of management has the most direct contact with workers interested in organizing a union?

supervisors