Discussion 1
Module 1 Discussion-(Post your Response First, before
Viewing others)
1. Why has there been (and still is ) such strong opposition
to the trade union movement by American business management?
2. Does unionization introduce democracy into the employment
relationship? Explain.
3. What are the conditions required to predict organizing
attempts and a union win?
Address each question in an informal entry of 200-300 words
total in the class Discussion Board. You must also reply to two or more classmates’
postings before the week comes to a close.
Discussion 2
Module 2 Discussion (Post your Response First, before
Viewing others)
1. How has the change in management practices since the
1980s affected labor relations
2. Describe the major differences between the NLRA and the
RLA?
3. What is the history and focus of RLA?
Address each question’s issue in an informal entry of
200-300 words total in the class
Discussion Board. Provide examples in your response using one current event
article of the last five years. For example, you may locate an article where
the NLRB has interceded in a situation. Remember to cite your sources. Use the
Saint Leo Online Library or any other search engine to acquire articles. You
must also reply to two or more classmates’ posted answers before the module
comes to a close
Discussion 3
Module 3 Discussion
1. Discuss style of
bargaining known as the “win-win” strategy and provide an example.
2. Why are employers less likely to approve coalition
bargaining than unions are to approve multiemployer bargaining?
3. How do technological changes affect the relative
bargaining power of the parties? (This response must be presented in a detailed
and substantive manner)
Address each question in an informal entry of 300-500 words
total in the class discussion board.
Module 4 Discussion
1. Do you think the attitudes and bargaining behaviors of
the participants in collective bargaining negotiations are more or less
important in the final outcome than economic conditions and factors? Why?
2. What information would you use to make predictions about
the economic demands and probable settlement for a particular union-management
negotiation?
3. Why are union officials likely to oppose flexible work
hours and other innovative work schedules?
Address each question in an informal entry of 300-500 words
total in the class discussion board. You must also reply to two or more
classmates’ postings before the week comes to a close.
Module 5 Discussion
1. Explain why
cooperative approaches may stand up to legal review more easily in unionized
plants than in non-unionized environments.
2. To what extent
should management allow the union to select the components of an economic
package in contract negotiations?
3. Do you believe the
present rights given to strikers by the NLRB are appropriate? Should they be
increased or decreased?
(Please read this week’s chapters prior to responding to
this question)
Address this question in an informal entry of 100-300 words
total in the class discussion board. You must also reply to two or more
classmates’ postings before the week comes to a close.
Module 6 Discussion
1. Explain and
describe how arbitration works, and how it may benefit or hinder either side.
What current event can you reference where arbitration has settled the dispute?
Cite your source.
2. Is the increasing
resistance of employers to unionization a new phenomenon or simply a return to
the historic relationship that has existed between unions and managements in
the United States?
3. Why would
including such programs as union-management cooperation programs in the
collective agreement be difficult?
Address each question in an informal entry of 300-500 words
total in the class discussion board.
Module 7 Discussion
1. How is the issue
of employee discipline handled under the negotiated contract?
2. What are the
methods of dispute resolution?
3. What are the steps
both parties’ advocates should go through BEFORE an arbitration hearing?
Address each question in an informal entry of 200-300 words
total in the class discussion board. You must also reply to two or more
classmates’ postings before the week comes to a close.
Module 8 Discussion
1. What module or
textbook chapter did you find most interesting and why? What in particular can
you apply to your everyday life?
2. What are today’s
workers and America’s view of the unions?
3. What objections
might labor raise to cooperating with management?
Address each question in an informal entry of 100-300 words
total in the class discussion board. You must also reply to two or more
classmates’ postings before the week comes to a close.
Module 1 Assignment 1
Type your answers to the prompts below in a Word document.
Remember to include parenthetical citations (in APA format) to reference your
sources.
1. Explain the role
of unions in today’s workplace.
2. Compare the
general difference between the Wagner, Taft-Hartley, and Landrum-Griffin Acts.
3. What is the NLRB
and what does it do?
Submit Assignment 1 to the Dropbox no later than Sunday
11:59 PM EST/EDT.
Module 2 assignment 2
Type your answers to the prompts below in a Word document.
Remember to include parenthetical citations (in APA format) to reference your
sources.
1. What is the
significance of the RLA and the Norris-Laguardia Act and how do they modify the
NLRA?
2. Compare key
provisions of the Wagner Act, Taft-Hartely Act, and Lundrum-Griffin Act.
3. Explain the
relationship of a local union to the national and international union
affiliates, as well as to the AFL-CIO.
4. What are “unfair
labor practices” and are they similar for both unions and management? Explain
the differences.
Submit Assignment 2 to the Dropbox no later than Sunday
11:59 PM EST/EDT.
Module 3 assignment 3
Type your answers to the prompts below in a Word document.
Remember to include parenthetical citations (in APA format) to reference your
sources.
1. How does the NLRB
determine if the bargaining unit proposed by the labor organization is
appropriate?
2. What are the
restrictions upon management regarding interrogation and communications with
employees during the organizing campaign?
3. What does
bargaining in good faith entail and how does that apply to mandatory,
permissive, and prohibited issues?
4. How does the
economic market for competition and concentration affect the outcome of
collective bargaining?
Submit Assignment 3 to the Dropbox no later than Sunday
11:59 PM EST/EDT.
Module 5 assignment 4
Type your answers to the prompts below in a Word document.
Remember to include parenthetical citations (in APA format) to reference your
sources.
1. Complete an
in-depth analysis of the Railway Labor Act (RLA), including its amendments,
judicial interpretations, and
administrative law. Having studied the RLA over the past few weeks, you will
now tie it together with what you
have learned about labor relations thus far. Choose a case from the Saint Leo Online Library or any
other Internet source on this topic and be sure to include this in your response.
2. Explain
arbitration and mediation and how they apply to labor relations.
Submit Assignment 4 to the Dropbox no later than Sunday 11:59
PM EST/EDT.
Module 6 assignment 5
Type your answers to the prompts below in a Word document.
Remember to include parenthetical citations (in APA format) to reference your
sources.
1. Would you expect
a stronger anti-union response from an employer
in manufacturing or an employer in a
service industry?
2. What are the
potential long-term problems for unions in agreeing
to
labor-management cooperation programs?
Submit Assignment 5 to the Dropbox no later than Sunday
11:59 PM EST/EDT.
Module 7 project paper
During this module, you will complete and submit your
Project Paper. You will complete an
in-depth analysis of a current labor event in one of the
following countries: China, Hong Kong, France, England/UK, Germany, or Mexico.
Click here for complete instructions and scoring rubric
You will submit your Project Paper to the Dropbox no later
than Sunday 11:59 PM EST/EDT. (This Dropbox basket is linked to Turnitin.)
1. Question
:
Why are contracts renegotiated periodically?
To lead employees into believing that they are
individually unable to influence a change in the conditions causing their
dissatisfaction
To lead employees into believing that changing
jobs would improve conditions more than collective bargaining would
To take into account changes in the economy
and in society
To take into account changing goals and
objectives of the government
Question 2. Question
:
Who are responsible for making operational decisions for
corporations?
Managers hired by the shareholders through
their elected board of directors
Shareholders
Investors and directors of the company
The managing directors and the partners of the
company
Question 3. Question
:
__________ offers employees a method for countering
employers’ powers to unilaterally change employment conditions.
Spillover
Unionization
Certification
Picketing
Question 4. Question
:
While labor is somewhat mobile, with workers able to move
between employers as opportunities occur, it is less mobile than __________.
shareholder wealth
the company itself
information
financial capital
Question 5. Question
:
What led to a decline in the Knights of Labor’s membership
in 1893?
The leaders’ short-run perspective of
satisfying day-to-day grievances but ignoring long-term issues
Differences in opinion between the leaders and
the general membership of the union
The leaders’ emphasis on the use of strikes
rather than arbitration in the labor movement
The conflict with the Roman Catholic Church
over the rule that Catholics were prohibited from joining the Knights
Question 6. Question
:
Which of the following is a provision under the
Norris-LaGuardia Act?
The act permitted the federal courts to issue
injunctions against union activities
The act did not allow federal employees to
strike
The act mandated that employers recognize a
union of their employees
The act forbade federal courts from enforcing
yellow-dog contracts
Question 7. Question
:
Which of the following is true of the American Federation of
Labor?
It advocated legislation only when it could
not bargain successfully for its objectives.
The leaders did not accept the economic system
and aimed to replace it completely.
It was a conglomeration of local unions rather
than national-level unions.
Membership was open to both skilled and
unskilled workers.
Question 8. Question
:
The __________ removed unions from Sherman Act jurisdiction
and limited the use of federal injunctions.
Norris-LaGuardia Act
Taft-Hartley Act
Landrum-Griffin Act
Clayton Act
Question 9. Question
:
The Knights of Labor was initially in conflict with the
Roman Catholic Church because:
it was a labor organization.
its beliefs were inconsistent with Catholic
dogma
it was a secret society.
it recognized the legitimacy of capitalism.
Question 10. Question
:
What is the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service
directed to emphasize?
The encouragement of hot cargo clauses
Services in contract negotiations
Internal activities of employers covered by
the Railway Labor Act
The implementation of yellow-dog contracts
Question 11. Question
:
__________ regulates internal activities of employers and
unions covered by both Taft- Hartley and the Railway Labor Act.
The Fair Labor Standards Act
The Norris-LaGuardia Act
The Landrum-Griffin Act
Title VII of the Civil Service Reform
Question 12. Question
:
The __________ Act was enacted following the largest
incidence and the most time lost from work due to strikes of any year in U.S.
history.
Landrum-Griffin
Norris-LaGuardia
Railways Labor
Taft-Hartley
Question 13. Question
:
In states that have right-to-work laws in place, __________
are banned.
mediation boards
company unions
agency shop clauses
representation elections
Question 14. Question
:
Which of the following statements is true of stewards?
All stewards have experience representing
employees before they assume their positions.
They are the most junior members of the unit.
They are activists; most are involved in other
organizations outside their jobs.
They prohibit participation in union
activities.
Question 15. Question
:
Members do not generally feel a need to be “protected” from
their union; on the contrary, it is __________ they worry about.
lack of membership
business agents
mediators
management
Question 16. Question
:
Which of the following committees reviews members’
grievances and negotiates with management over grievances and contract changes?
Political action committee
Negotiation committee
Executive committee
Benefits committee
Question 17. Question
:
Which of the following acts requires local elections at
least once every three years?
Landrum-Griffin Act
Wagner Act
Norris-LaGuardia Act
Taft-Hartley Act
Question 18. Question
:
What is the major goal of national unions?
Bringing the AFL-CIO under their wing
Organizing an increasing number and share of
the labor force
Providing representation services to enhance
management well-being
Enhancing economic gains of the management
Question 19. Question
:
Which of the following is true about the election of local
officers?
If the local represents several occupations,
the numerically non-dominant occupation is likely to elect the officers.
Where no occupation constitutes a majority,
coalitions will develop depending on their perceptions of how local officers
are achieving important outcomes for them.
When the local union has contracts with
several employers, and if the employees of one employer constitute a minority,
they are likely to elect officers from that group.
When the local union has contracts with
several employers, and if there are a number of bargaining units, union
officers would probably attempt to negotiate a no-employer agreement.
Question 20. Question
:
NAFTA was negotiated by representatives of Canada, Mexico,
and the United States during the __________ presidency.
Bill Clinton
Barack Obama
George H. W. Bush, Sr.
John F. Kennedy
Question 21. Question
:
Since the founding of the __________, the core of the
American labor movement has taken a consistently business-oriented approach.
Knights of Labor
Change to Win Federation
American Federation of Labor
National Labor Union
Question 22. Question
:
__________ was predicted by involvement in union decision
making, perceived lack of outside job opportunities, influence on the employer,
being a woman, and being unskilled.
No commitment
Unilateral commitment to the union
Unilateral commitment to the employer
High dual commitment
Question 23. Question
:
Which of the following is true of successor organizations?
Where ownership changes but operations
continue unchanged, the new owner must honor the existing contract but need not
recognize the union.
Where operations continue but, because of
layoffs and/or new hires, the union lacks a majority, the employer has to
strictly honor a contract.
When a closed firm is reopened by new owners,
the bargaining relationship continues if a majority of the employees worked for
the former company and were in a represented unit.
A firm that acquires or merges with another
firm need not honor the existing contractual obligations.
Question 24. Question
:
Which of the following best describes the degree of
functional integration?
The extent to which all potentially includable
employees are required to provide the company’s output
A group of employees with a substantially
different community of interests that is allowed to establish a separate unit
When a new facility is added to the bargaining
unit or when an existing union in an employer wins representation rights for
employees previously represented by another union
Where there is no union shop or required
agency fee, employees do not need to pay dues to the union to receive
contractual benefits.
Question 25. Question
:
Which of the following is true about successor
organizations?
Where ownership changes but operations
continue unchanged, the new owner must honor the existing contract.
A firm that merges with another firm assumes
existing contractual obligations.
Where operations continue but, because of
layoffs and/or new hires, the union lacks a majority, the employer has an obligation
to honor a contract.
When a closed firm is reopened by new owners,
the bargaining relationship ceases to exist if a majority of the employees
worked for the former company and were in a represented unit.
Question 26. Question
:
Employees who are hired after __________ need to be
recruited to join and get socialized to better understand and support the
union’s goals.
the negotiation of the neutrality pledges
decertification elections
craft severance
unionization in the firm
Question 27. Question
:
In determining appropriateness, the board considers
carefully the __________ of the employees in the proposed unit.
racial identity
social status
community of interests
financial background
Question 28. Question
:
Which of the following are classified as mandatory
bargaining issues?
Issues that have no direct impact on
management
Internal affairs of the union
Issues that have a direct effect on union
members’ jobs
Issues that are statutorily outlawed
Question 29. Question
:
When is the supply of labor elastic?
When an employer is a relatively small factor
in a labor market
When there are a lot of employment
opportunities in the market
When several employers hire the same type of
labor simultaneously
When the rate of unemployment is low in the
market
Question 30. Question
:
When is the derived demand for labor more inelastic?
If a given type of labor is essential in the
production of the final products
If the market demand for the final products is
elastic
If the cost of labor is a significant part of
the total product cost
If the supply of materials is elastic
Question 31. Question
:
What would an employer in a competitive market do when the
cost of labor increases?
Reduce cost on capital
Change capital-labor mix
Hire only unskilled workers
Decrease its dependence on technology
Question 32. Question
:
Which pay system refers to entitlements that individuals
accrue from continuous employment?
Scanlon plan
Productive efficiency
Benefit status seniority
Gain-sharing plan
Question 33. Question
:
Why are performance-based pay programs used less in
unionized organizations?
Lack of measurable performance criteria
Demand for equal pay across functions
Performance monitoring is difficult.
Union jobs are more repetitive.
Question 34. Question
:
According to a study across income distribution in Canada:
employees whose earnings are in the top
quintile lose from unionization.
employees whose earnings are in the lowest
quintile lose from unionization.
average earning of the nonunion worker in the
first four quintiles is higher than the nonunion worker.
employees who are most advantaged in the labor
market benefit the most.
Question 35. Question
:
Which factor directly affects the health care cost of the
employer?
Standard-of-living of workforce
Age and gender composition
Ethnic background of workforce
Manual labors and non-manual labor composition
Question 36. Question
:
Which of the following is a method used to determine how
much an individual will earn within a job?
Shift differentials
Land-and-step plans
Piece rate systems
Two-tier structures
Question 37. Question
:
Which of the following statements is true about the
corporatist environment following World War II?
Wage rates were not associated with specific
jobs.
Rank-and-file employees had a lot of
responsibility for workplace decision making.
Supervisory control was substantially checked
by the union compared to the drive system.
It was not possible for a person to be
temporarily transferred to a job with higher levels of responsibilities.
Question 38. Question
:
According to the administrative rules issued by the
Department of Labor in 2004:
all employees, regardless of wage scales, were
to receive overtime.
all supervisors were reclassified as
nonexempt.
any job that was paid on an hourly basis was
classified as non-exempt.
jobs requiring primary manual work changed
classifications.
Question 39. Question
:
In firms where continuous-flow operations are most efficient
or where product demand levels and heavy plant investment justify multi-shift
operations, __________ specify work schedule assignment rules.
grievance procedures
maintenance of memberships
management rights clauses
contracts
Question 40. Question
:
Under which of the following is renegotiating long-term
contracts harder?
When global competition is the least
Where buyer or seller concentration in the
industry is low among larger employers
When there are periods of low inflation
Where capacity utilization varies during the
contract period
Question 41. Question
:
Explain the concept of “duty to bargain.”
The
“duty to bargain” concept is applicable towards the management of an
organization where there is a presence of the union as well. This concept
basically refers to any mutual understanding between the management and the
workers’ union regarding the workers’ wages, working hours, working conditions,
terms of employment and other aspects, in good faith. Whenever the management
is planning to bring in some changes to the above-mentioned aspects, they have
the duty to discuss these changes in an open discussion with the union and this
is where the concept of mutual understanding and cooperation comes in where the
management and the union, both have a duty to bargain about. With this kind of
a bargaining concept in place, there is no requirement of either party to agree
to any binding proposal or making any kind of concession against their consent
and thus this concept is a fair process too.
Question 42. Question
:
Explain yellow-dog contracts.
A
yellow-dog contract is a contract that is formed between an employer and
employee. In this contract the employer dictates to the employee to not become
a member of the labor union and the employee agrees to it be consenting and
signing on the contract. However, the employer needs to offer certain benefits
to the employees that should come across as a better opportunity for the
employee rather than joining the labor union and in this manner the employer
tries to maintain a relationship with the employee in good faith and vice-versa
as well. These contracts were used voraciously in the United States in the
1930s in an attempt to curb the formation of labor unions, as many strikes and
protests were witnessed during this time that led to the organizations losing
out on many business and growth opportunities. Thus, the basic concept of
yellow-dog contract has been defined here.
Question 43. Question
:
What are the three ways by which employees can become union
members?
There
are several ways in which an employee can become a member of the union. The
first process is very easily understandable because if there is no workers’
union present within the organization, any individual can take the initiative
to start a union, for the protection of the rights, conditions, wages and other
aspects for the workers’ comfort and situations. The second way in which an
employee can become a member of the union is by locating the right union,
internally or externally and then communicating with the existing members to understand
the benefits of acquiring a membership to this union, subsequently filing an
application for the membership and then acquiring it. The third way of how an
employee can become a member of the union is completing certain kinds of
training in order to become members of certain workers’ unions and belonging to
a niche work force and the related union as well.
Question 44. Question
:
List the factors that the NLRB considers to determine a
bargaining unit.
NLRB
is basically the National Labor Relations Board that was recently engaged in
taking a decision regarding the new approach taken up for the determination of
the aspects that comprises a bargaining unit. The aspects that have been taken
into account would include if the employees are organized and belong to certain
departments, have specific skill sets, gone through trainings, and engage in
unique job responsibilities, are in constant communication with their peers,
have well defined terms of employment and are supervised separately as well.
These are the essential aspects that the NLRB understood to be important for
acknowledging a bargaining unit and its importance lies in the way they operate
and thus the above-mentioned factors have been taken into account here.
Therefore, it would be very meaningful to take these factors seriously before
trying to form any kind of a workers’ union and is very important in large
manufacturing sector organizations.
Module 8 final exam
1. Question
:
Many bargaining books are tied to __________ so that answers
to “what if” questions can be
quickly calculated.
annual reports
benchmarks
spreadsheets
industry averages
Question 2. Question
:
Which of the following is a major purpose of a bargaining
convention?
To announce the outcome of contract
negotiations
To raise grassroots issues for inclusion in
the bargaining agenda
To make the management publicly commit itself
to certain concessions
To create a face-saving exit strategy for the
union leadership
Question 3. Question
:
__________ is an example of integrative bargaining in which
the parties approach the negotiation with the idea that when it is concluded,
both sides will have benefited.
Distributive bargaining
Mutual-gains bargaining
Intraorganizational bargaining
Attitudinal structuring
Question 4. Question
:
__________ occurs when the parties disagree on an issue and
when its settlement will involve a loss for one party and a gain for the other.
Integrative bargaining
Mutual-gains bargaining
Distributive bargaining
Attitudinal structuring
Question 5. Question
:
Which of the following observations is true concerning
distributive bargaining?
It occurs when employers and unions
accommodate each other’s needs without cost.
It frequently involves employers’ desires to
improve flexibility and unions’ desires for increased job security.
It means some resource is in fixed supply, and
one party’s gain of that resource is the other party’s loss.
It occurs when employers and unions
accommodate each other’s needs through simultaneous gains.
Question 6. Question
:
Local unions hold __________ before contract negotiations to
help determine local members’ commitment to bargaining issues in case a strike
is called.
revision meetings
counsels
membership meetings
bargaining conventions
Question 7. Question
:
Why is bargaining required?
Because it has historically been a strict legal
requirement
Because there are no trade-offs involved in
the process
Because both the parties are facing a win-win
situation
Because the parties have a conflict of
interest on issues that jointly affect them
Question 8. Question
:
Which of the following bargaining units is associated with a
high propensity to strike?
Southern
Urban
Female-dominated
Younger members
Question 9. Question
:
Which type of strike involves unauthorized work stoppage
during the contract?
Economic
Wildcat
Sympathy
Unfair labor practice
Question 10. Question
:
Which of the following observations concerning multiple-use
site picketing is true?
It is easiest to picket a primary employer
without disrupting secondary businesses.
The struck employer has usually leased the
site from another company that owns the multiple-use site.
It is easy to legally picket a multiple-use
site.
The Supreme Court has held that passive
picketing to inform the public about a dispute can interfere with other
multiple-use sites.
Question 11. Question
:
The propensities to strike are negatively related to
__________.
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