Deck 13: Working with Unions and Resolving Disputes

Question 1

The National Labor Relations Board was primarily established for the purpose of ________.

A) investigating unfair labor practice charges
B) overseeing the establishment of local unions
C) managing the membership of the AFL-CIO
D) negotiating contracts on behalf of local unions

Answer 1

A
Explanation: A) The National Labor Relations Board was established to enforce the provisions of the Wagner Act, which banned unfair labor practices. The NLRB oversees union elections, but not the establishment of unions.

Question 2

Which of the following best explains why union membership has fallen since 1955?

A) Domestic companies are shifting from manufacturing to service-based operations.
B) Union members earn less on average compared to non-union members.
C) Union membership is too expensive for most blue-collar workers.
D) Foreign-owned manufacturers will not hire union members.

Answer 2

A
Explanation: A) Union membership has fallen since its peak in 1955. Reasons include the shift from manufacturing to service jobs.

Question 3

In 1947, which type of union security was outlawed in interstate commerce?

A) closed shop
B) agency shop
C) union shop
D) preferential shop

Answer 3

A
Explanation: A) Under the closed shop form of union security, the company can hire only current union members. Congress outlawed closed shops in interstate commerce in 1947, but they still exist in some states for particular industries.

Question 4

Which of the following best describes the AFL-CIO?

A) voluntary federation of national and international labor unions
B) local union for automobile workers in Detroit, Michigan
C) federation of firms that fight unionization in their plants
D) regional branch of the National Labor Relations Board

Question 5

With the maintenance of membership arrangement of union security, how long must union members employed by a firm maintain union membership?

A) until there is a wage increase
B) for the contract period
C) until negotiations end
D) for at least 1 year

Question 6

Which of the following best describes the closed shop form of union security?

A) A company hires non-union people if they agree to join the union.
B) Union members receive preferential treatment in hiring.
C) Employees who do not belong to the union are required to pay dues.
D) A company can hire only current union members.

Question 7

The ________ form of union security means that the company can hire non-union people, but those people must join the union within a prescribed period of time.

A) closed shop
B) union shop
C) agency shop
D) open shop

Question 8

Which type of union security accounts for almost three-fourths of union contracts?

A) preferential shop
B) agency shop
C) closed shop
D) union shop

Question 9

In which human resource activity does a typical labor agreement NOT give the union a role?

A) recruitment
B) selection
C) dismissal
D) appraisals

Question 10

The ________ form of union security means that the employees who do not belong to the union still must pay union dues because the union's efforts benefit them all.

A) closed shop
B) union shop
C) agency shop
D) open shop

Question 11

The agency shop form of union security means that the ________.

A) company can hire only union members
B) company can hire non-union people if they vow to join the union
C) employees who do not belong to the union must still pay dues
D) employees can decide whether to join the union and pay dues

Question 12

Right-to-work laws inhibit union formation by ________.

A) outlawing unions in right-to-work states
B) prohibiting any form of union security
C) making union membership a precondition for employment
D) leaving the question of union security up to each company

Question 13

Which of the following was established by the Wagner Act?

A) National Labor Relations Committee
B) Norris-LaGuardia Group
C) National Labor Relations Board
D) Knights of Labor

Question 14

The ________ form of union security means that the company can hire only union members.

A) closed shop
B) union shop
C) agency shop
D) maintenance of membership agreement

Question 15

Which of the following best describes a "yellow-dog" contract?

A) Employers agree to abide by the guidelines of the local labor unions.
B) As a condition of employment, an employee agrees not to join a union.
C) Union members agree to the agency shop form of union security.
D) As a condition of employment, an employee agrees not to picket.

Question 16

About ________% of people working in the United States belong to unions.

A) 5
B) 12
C) 20
D) 45

Question 17

The term "________" describes statutory or constitutional provisions banning the requirement of union membership as a condition of employment.

A) termination at will
B) right to work
C) open shop
D) free labor

Question 18

Which of the following bans certain unfair labor practices and provides for majority rule and secret ballot elections?

A) Landrum-Griffin Act
B) Norris-LaGuardia Act
C) Wagner Act
D) Taft-Hartley Act

Question 19

Which of the following guaranteed each employee the right to bargain collectively free from interference, restraint, or coercion?

A) National Labor Relations Act
B) Norris-LaGuardia Act
C) National Labor Relations Board
D) Taft-Hartley Act

Question 20

Which form of union security means that union members have preference in hiring, but the employer can hire non-union members?

A) closed shop
B) union shop
C) agency shop
D) preferential shop

Question 21

Which law sought to protect union members from possible wrongdoing on the part of their unions?

A) Norris-LaGuardia Act
B) Taft-Hartley Act
C) Wagner Act
D) Landrum-Griffin Act

Question 22

The ________ is the group of employees the union will be authorized to represent.

A) union delegation
B) negotiating team
C) bargaining unit
D) grievance committee

Question 23

Hyper-Tech Enterprises manufactures mechanical parts used in air conditioning and heating units. The company employs over 300 workers at its Alabama facility. None of the Hyper-Tech employees belong to a union; however, management believes that unionization is in the near future. A representative of a local union has recently visited Hyper-Tech in an attempt to solicit members and have them sign authorization cards. Enough eligible employees have signed authorization cards to petition the NLRB for an election. Hyper-Tech's top executives are considering fighting the unionization efforts. Which of the following, if true, best supports the argument that Hyper-Tech should contest the union's right to an election?

A) Hyper-Tech managers will soon be conducting annual employee performance appraisals and determining what salary adjustments to make.
B) Managers believe that they may have inadvertently hired union salts, who most likely instigated the unionization movement at Hyper-Tech.
C) Hyper-Tech management believes that if employees are provided with additional information from the firm that they will revoke their authorization cards.
D) The process outlined at Hyper-Tech for filing employee grievances differs from the grievance procedures at other firms in the same industry.

Question 24

The Taft-Hartley Act amended the Wagner Act in all of the following ways EXCEPT by ________.

A) prohibiting unfair labor practices
B) limiting the power of the National Labor Review Board
C) enumerating the rights of employees as union members
D) enumerating the rights of employers

Question 25

________ is the process of legally terminating a union's right to represent employees.

A) Union salting
B) Featherbedding
C) Arbitration
D) Decertification

Question 26

Hyper-Tech Enterprises manufactures mechanical parts used in air conditioning and heating units. The company employs over 300 workers at its Alabama facility. None of the Hyper-Tech employees belong to a union; however, management believes that unionization is in the near future. A representative of a local union has recently visited Hyper-Tech in an attempt to solicit members and have them sign authorization cards. Enough eligible employees have signed authorization cards to petition the NLRB for an election. Hyper-Tech's top executives are considering fighting the unionization efforts. Which of the following, if true, supports the argument by the NLRB that Hyper-Tech has conducted unfair labor practices?

A) Hyper-Tech managers prohibited union representatives from soliciting employees who were on duty.
B) Hyper-Tech managers intervened when pro-union employees solicited other employees while both were on duty.
C) Hyper-Tech managers prohibited the distribution of union literature in the company cafeteria during lunch.
D) Hyper-Tech managers barred non-employee union representatives from entering the firm's building.

Question 27

All of the following are examples of mandatory bargaining items EXCEPT ________.

A) wages
B) hours
C) severance pay
D) cafeteria prices

Question 28

You are a manager at a manufacturing facility, and you tell your subordinates that unions are dangerous to the economy. Which law protects your right to express these views?

A) Wagner Act
B) Taft-Hartley Act
C) Norris-LaGuardia-Act
D) Landrum-Griffin Act

Question 29

Which of the following best describes the purpose of the Wagner Act?

A) guaranteeing each employee the right to bargain collectively free from interference and coercion
B) making it illegal for a union to refuse to bargain in good faith with the employer
C) allowing secret-ballot elections for determining whether a firm's employees would unionize
D) banning unions from preventing employees from exercising their guaranteed bargaining rights

Question 30

What percentage of eligible employees in a bargaining unit must sign authorization cards in order for the union to petition the NLRB for an election?

A) 10
B) 20
C) 30
D) 50

Question 31

Which of the following was NOT designated an unfair labor practice by the Wagner Act?

A) bribing employees
B) requiring yellow-dog contracts
C) using company spy systems
D) moving businesses to avoid unionization

Question 32

Which of the following is a characteristic of good-faith bargaining?

A) overlooking bargaining items
B) making unilateral changes
C) making counterproposals
D) bypassing union representatives

Question 33

Union authorization cards serve all of the following functions EXCEPT ________.

A) subjecting the employee to union rules
B) stating that the employee has applied for membership
C) designating the union as a bargaining representative
D) enabling employers to modify employment conditions

Question 34

Hyper-Tech Enterprises manufactures mechanical parts used in air conditioning and heating units. The company employs over 300 workers at its Alabama facility. None of the Hyper-Tech employees belong to a union; however, management believes that unionization is in the near future. A representative of a local union has recently visited Hyper-Tech in an attempt to solicit members and have them sign authorization cards. Enough eligible employees have signed authorization cards to petition the NLRB for an election. Hyper-Tech's top executives are considering fighting the unionization efforts. Which of the following, if true, best supports the suggestion that Hyper-Tech will lose an NLRB election?

A) Surveys indicate that Hyper-Tech employees have high job satisfaction.
B) Hyper-Tech managers have been told to share their opinions about unions with subordinates.
C) Hyper-Tech managers have been told to avoid making promises to their subordinates.
D) Only a fraction of Hyper-Tech employees voted in the election.

Question 35

The union becomes the employees' representative if it receives ________.

A) a majority of the votes cast
B) a majority of the votes cast by the bargaining unit
C) signed authorization cards from 30% of employees
D) written approval from the employer and the NLRB

Question 36

What is the first step in the union drive process?

A) obtaining authorization cards from employees
B) making initial contact with employees
C) holding an initial organization hearing
D) campaigning for employee votes

Question 37

Which term refers to a union organizing tactic by which union members are placed on non-union job sites?

A) featherbedding
B) union salting
C) mediating
D) picketing

Question 38

According to the Landrum-Griffin Act, national and international unions must elect officers at least once every ________ years.

A) 2
B) 4
C) 5
D) 10

Question 39

When representatives of Ford's management and autoworkers union meet to negotiate a labor agreement, which of the following is most likely occurring?

A) collective bargaining
B) featherbedding
C) union salting
D) certification

Question 40

Hyper-Tech Enterprises manufactures mechanical parts used in air conditioning and heating units. The company employs over 300 workers at its Alabama facility. None of the Hyper-Tech employees belong to a union; however, management believes that unionization is in the near future. A representative of a local union has recently visited Hyper-Tech in an attempt to solicit members and have them sign authorization cards. Enough eligible employees have signed authorization cards to petition the NLRB for an election. Hyper-Tech's top executives are considering fighting the unionization efforts. Which of the following questions is LEAST relevant to the decision by Hyper-Tech to fight unionization efforts?

A) How many Hyper-Tech employees were hired within the last year?
B) What percentage of Hyper-Tech employees signed authorization cards?
C) Does Hyper-Tech qualify for coverage by the National Labor Relations Board?
D) What is the opinion of Hyper-Tech's shareholders and creditors regarding unionization?

Question 41

Which form of arbitration means that both parties are committed to accepting the arbitrator's decision?

A) interest arbitration
B) binding arbitration
C) nonbinding arbitration
D) compulsory arbitration

Question 42

All of the following are examples of permissible bargaining items EXCEPT ________.

A) indemnity bonds
B) use of union label
C) employee drug testing
D) strikebreaker employment

Question 43

You are the HR manager at a firm that is currently dealing with an unfair labor practice strike. Which of the following responses would be LEAST appropriate for you to take?

A) shutting down the affected area until the strike ends
B) contracting out work to other operations
C) continuing operations with supervisors filling in
D) hiring permanent replacement workers

Question 44

Managers from Ford and representatives from United Auto Workers are in the first stage of collective bargaining over benefits and wages. Which of the following is most likely occurring?

A) Subcommittees are forming to create alternatives.
B) Each side is checking terms with superiors.
C) Each side is trading some of its demands.
D) Each side is presenting its demands.

Question 45

Negotiators use all of the following types of third-party interventions to overcome an impasse EXCEPT ________.

A) binding arbitration
B) fact finding
C) mediation
D) picketing

Question 46

The National Air Traffic Controllers Association and the Federal Aviation Administration have reached an impasse during collective bargaining. Which of the following will most likely be used to reach a settlement?

A) interest arbitration
B) mediation
C) binding arbitration
D) fact finding

Question 47

The United Auto Workers went on strike support the employees of the Detroit News, Detroit Free Press, and USA Today. This is an example of a(n) ________ strike.

A) unfair labor practice
B) wildcat
C) sympathy
D) yellow-dog

Question 48

Which intervention method listed below is the most definitive of all third-party interventions?

A) fact finding
B) mediation
C) binding arbitration
D) interest arbitration

Question 49

Under which scenario would an HR manager be required to rehire a striker who wanted to be reinstated?

A) following economic strikes if the negotiations are resolved
B) following sympathy strikes
C) following unfair labor practice strikes
D) following wildcat strikes when the contract is still in place

Question 50

Which term refers to a refusal by the employer to provide opportunities to work during an impasse?

A) lockout
B) boycott
C) inside games
D) wildcat strike

Question 51

All of the following are negotiating guidelines EXCEPT ________.

A) acting fairly but firmly
B) controlling emotions
C) compromising
D) working quickly

Question 52

Which of the following is an illegal bargaining item?

A) employee drug testing
B) discriminatory treatment
C) continuance of past contract
D) membership of bargaining team

Question 53

Which of the following terms refers to a collective bargaining situation that occurs when the parties are not able to move further toward settlement?

A) impasse
B) picketing
C) arbitration
D) wildcat strike

Question 54

Arbitration means ending an impasse by ________.

A) assisting the principals in reaching an agreement
B) studying the issue in a dispute and suggesting a settlement
C) making a public recommendation to a committee
D) giving a third-party the power to determine and dictate the settlement terms

Question 55

During the term of their contract with ABC Manufacturing, members of the firm's employee union participate in an unauthorized strike. This is most likely an example of a(n) ________ strike.

A) unfair labor practice
B) wildcat
C) sympathy
D) economic

Question 56

Which third-party intervention is commonly used in national emergency disputes?

A) fact finding
B) mediation
C) binding arbitration
D) nonbinding arbitration

Question 57

Fact finding seeks to end an impasse by ________.

A) assisting the principals in reaching an agreement
B) studying the issues and making a public recommendation
C) interpreting and analyzing existing contract terms
D) communicating assessments of the likelihood of a strike

Question 58

Union tactics designed to impede or disrupt production by encouraging employees to slow the pace of work, refuse to work overtime, and participate in sick-outs are called ________.

A) espionage
B) inside games
C) lockouts
D) strikes

Question 59

Which third-party intervention uses a neutral third party to assist the principals in reaching agreement?

A) fact finding
B) mediation
C) binding arbitration
D) nonbinding arbitration

Question 60

Union members at ABC Manufacturing are striking because management and the union failed to reach an agreement on the health benefits aspect of a contract. This is most likely an example of a(n) ________ strike.

A) unfair labor practice
B) wildcat
C) sympathy
D) economic

Question 61

If passed, the Employee Free Choice Act would ________.

A) allow mass union e-mails at the workplace
B) allow the formation of global unions
C) institute a card check system
D) overturn the Wagner Act

Question 62

In most cases, which of the following improves a union's chances of winning a certification election?

A) large voting blocs
B) small bargaining units
C) high unemployment rates in area
D) regional area with low union involvement

Question 63

A labor organization is violating the NLRA if it ________.

A) strikes over employment terms
B) engages in picket line threats and assaults
C) processes grievances of nonunion members
D) allows nonstrikers to enter an employer's premises

Question 64

In order for unions to petition an election, 50% of eligible employees in a bargaining unit must sign authorization cards.

Question 65

A national emergency strike is best defined as a strike that has the potential to ________.

A) interfere with the national economy
B) hinder manufacturing capabilities
C) imperil national health and safety
D) prevent economic development

Question 66

Costco most likely has a reputation as being the "anti-Walmart" because the firm ________.

A) provides regular annual training
B) offers generous employee benefits
C) pays above the minimum wage
D) allows closed shop union security

Question 67

Which of the following is NOT one of the three layers of most union structures?

A) local union
B) national union
C) global federation
D) national federation

Question 68

The Landrum-Griffin Act encouraged union activity by guaranteeing each employee the right to bargain collectively without interference, restraint, or coercion.

Question 69

The Taft-Hartley Act amended the National Labor Relations Act by prohibiting unfair union labor practices and specifying the rights of both employers and employees.

Question 70

Which law enables the U.S. president to intervene in national emergency strikes?

A) Norrs-LaGuardia Act
B) Wagner Act
C) Landrum-Griffin Act
D) Taft-Hartley Act

Question 71

According to an Australian research study, employees join unions in response to ________.

A) concerns about worker safety
B) desires for mandatory arbitration
C) perceptions of employer unfairness
D) demands for new technical certification

Question 72

Which term refers to the formal process for addressing any factor involving wages, hours, or conditions of employment that is used as a complaint against the employer?

A) negotiation
B) collective bargaining
C) arbitration method
D) grievance procedure

Question 73

Right-to-work legislation outlaws unions and union membership in specific states.

Question 74

Which of the following is an appropriate action for a supervisor to take in respect to unionization activities?

A) attending union meetings when invited by workers
B) encouraging employees to share unionization opinions
C) sharing personal experiences about union involvement
D) asking employees how they will vote in a union election

Question 75

Jeff is a manager at a paper mill. He has received a grievance from a group of employees who are union members. The grievance claims that a plant rule barring employees from eating during unscheduled breaks is arbitrary and unfair. What should Jeff do?

A) examine the grievants' personnel records
B) agree to make informal changes to the rules
C) discuss the case privately with the union steward
D) make special arrangements with the grievants

Question 76

Which of the following is most likely a false statement about union membership?

A) Employees prefer nonunion workers, so they pay them higher wages than union workers.
B) In an attempt to organize workers aggressively, seven big unions formed one federation.
C) In some industries, unionization has been linked to improved employee performance.
D) Both blue-collar and white-collar industries have union members.

Question 77

According to the text, the Change to Win Coalition will target most aggressively all of the following groups EXCEPT ________.

A) contingent workers
B) minority workers
C) teachers
D) women

Question 78

The activities between NUMMI and the UAW during a joint venture between GM and Toyota established the first ________ agreement.

A) organizational competitiveness
B) collective bargaining
C) closed shop
D) cooperative

Question 79

"Right to work" is a term used to describe state statutory or constitutional provisions banning the requirement of union membership as a condition of employment.

Question 80

All of the following most likely explain the decline in union membership EXCEPT ________.

A) increased global competition
B) improved wages and benefits
C) technological improvements
D) legislative protections for workers