understanding Business - chapter 12

certification

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

craft union

organization of skilled specialists in particular craft or trade

collective bargaining

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

Knights of Labor

first national labor union; formed in 1869

industrial union

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

right-to-work laws

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

labor contract

negotiated labor-management agreement; agreement that sets the tone and clarifies the terms under which management and labor agree to function over a period of time

American Federation of Labor (AFL)

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

decertification

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

union security clause

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

bargaining zone

range of options BETWEEN the initial and final offer that each part will consider before negotiations dissolve or reach an impasse

open shop agreement

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

arbitration

agreement to bring in an impartial third part (a single arbitrator or a panel of arbitrators) to render a BINDING decision in a labor dispute

secondary boycott

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-Harley Act

lockout

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

grievance

charge by employees that management is not abiding by the terms of the labor contract

agency shop agreement

clause in a labor contract saying that employers may hire non-union workers; employees are NOT REQUIRED to join the union BUT must pay a union fee

closed shop agreement

clause in a labor contract saying that specified workers HAD TO BE members of a union before being hired (was outlawed by the Taft-Hartley Act in 1947)

union shop agreement

clause in a labor contract saying that workers DO NOT HAVE TO BE members of a union to be hired BUT must agree to join the union within a prescribed period

givebacks

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

injunction

court order directing someone to do something or to refrain form doing something

yellow-dog contract

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

shop stewards

union officials who work permanently IN an organization and represent employee interests on a DAILY basis

Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO)

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

strike

union strategy in which workers REFUSE to go to work; purpose is to further workers objectives after an impasse in collective bargaining

sexual harassment

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

mediation

use of a third party, a mediator, who ENCOURAGES both sides in a dispute to continue negotiation and often makes SUGGESTIONS for resolving the dispute

primary boycott

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

cooling-off period

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

strikebreakers

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

union

employee organization whose main goal is representing its members in employee-management negotiation of job-related issues