Quiz 12: Dealing With Union and Employeemanagement Issues

Throughout most of American history, the relationship between managers and employees has been fairly smooth.

Historically, managers were less concerned about productivity and more concerned with friendly relations with coworkers.

One of the things that labor is interested in is fair and competent management.

A union is an employee organization that has the main goal of representing its members in employee-management negotiation concerning job-related issues.

Even in their infancy, the main goal of most labor unions was to provide members with increased management power.

Labor unions played a major role in establishing minimum wage laws, child-labor laws, and improvements in job safety.

Today labor unions have seen a revitalization of support and union membership has increased significantly.

Most historians view the increase in union membership in the United States as an outgrowth of the transition from an industrial economy to a service economy during the middle part of the 20th century.

The presence of formal labor organizations in the United States dates back to the late 1700s.

Some contend that the main reason membership in labor unions has declined in recent years has been the passage of anti-labor legislation in the late 1980s that guaranteed all employees of a firm the same wages and benefits whether they joined a union or not.

The Knights of Labor was the first truly national labor organization in the United States.

A craft union is an organization of skilled specialists in a particular craft or trade.

A union that consists of members who are all skilled specialists in a particular trade is called an industrial guild.

The Knights of Labor, the first national labor organization, offered membership to all working people, including employers.

The first national labor organization, the Knights of Labor, sought to gain enough political power to restructure the entire U.S. economy.

Samuel Gompers was the most important leader of the American Federation of Labor during its early years.

The AFL (American Federation of Labor) was initially intended to be a single craft union.

During its early years, the AFL tried to expand as rapidly as possible by recruiting both skilled and unskilled workers.

In its early years, the AFL limited its membership to skilled workers.

Membership in industrial unions was strictly limited to skilled craftspeople.

John L. Lewis broke with the American Federation of Labor (AFL) in 1935 over membership issues and formed a rival group known as the Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO).

The initial objective of the American Federation of Labor (AFL) was to provide union membership to workers in all industries.

Today, more than 55 national and international labor unions are affiliated with the AFL-CIO.

For 20 years, the CIO was a major rival of the AFL in the contest for leadership of the labor movement.

In 1955, after the passage of the Taft-Hartley Act, the AFL and CIO merged to create the AFL-CIO.

Today's labor leaders claim that the tragedy at the Triangle Shirtwaist Company is proof of why labor unions are crucial to maintain workplace balance in the U.S.

Union membership is likely to rise in the coming decade, because the same economic and political conditions that gave rise to unions in the late 19th and early 20th centuries are now reappearing.

A major difference between early labor organizations in the United States and today's labor unions is that the early labor groups often were temporary organizations that disbanded after achieving a short-range goal, while today's unions are permanent organizations.

The Knights of Labor and the American Federation of Labor were actually very similar in their aims, tactics, and membership. The only major difference was in the effectiveness of their leaders.

The Industrial Revolution slowed the growth of unions by creating a rapidly rising standard of living for most workers.

Abraham was an unskilled worker who toiled 10 hours a day on an assembly line during the early and mid-1930s. His hours were long, his wages were low, and his working conditions were unsafe and unpleasant. Abraham would probably have been more sympathetic to the views of John L. Lewis than to those of Samuel Gompers.

The Zendor Corporation operates a manufacturing plant in Bel Ridge. The work is arranged in an assembly line and is performed by semiskilled and unskilled workers. These workers are looking into obtaining union representation. The type of union they would belong to would be classified as an industrial union.

The Norris-LaGuardia Act made it more difficult for unions to legally recruit new members.

A yellow-dog contract required workers to agree not to join a union as a condition of their employment.

The Norris-LaGuardia Act prohibits firms from requiring workers to agree not to join a union as a condition of their employment.

Samuel Gompers believed that collective bargaining was likely to be an ineffective way for unions to achieve their objectives.

The National Labor Relations Act gave labor the legal justification to pursue collective bargaining and other key labor issues.

The process by which a union is recognized by the NLRB as the authorized bargaining agent for a group of workers is called collective bargaining.

Once a union is certified to represent a group of workers, decertification is not a consideration or future possibility.

Collective bargaining is the process whereby union and management representatives negotiate a labor-management agreement, or contract, for workers.

The Wagner Act established the first minimum wage for workers.

One goal of the Landrum-Griffin Act was to clean up union corruption.

The Norris-LaGuardia Act prohibited courts from issuing injunctions against nonviolent union activities.

The National Labor Relations Act gave employees the right to form and join labor organizations and the right to engage in activities such as strikes and boycotts.

The Taft-Hartley Act strengthened unions by giving them the right to engage in featherbedding and secondary boycotts.

The Taft-Hartley Act allowed states to pass laws that prohibited compulsory union membership.

The Taft-Hartley Act gave more power to management.

Under the Wagner Act, the National Labor Relations Board can establish a labor union in an organization if it finds evidence of substantial labor abuse within that organization.

The NLRB (National Labor Relations Board) has created procedures that union advocates must follow in order to organize a union at a place of business. The multi-step procedure culminates with a secret vote by the employees of the organization.

The NLRB oversees the decertification of unions. An employer (the company owners) can petition and seek the signatures of 30% of the employees in order to decertify the union; in other words, officially, the union could no longer represent the employees in any bargaining negotiations.

Jenna is a member of a union team that is negotiating with management to obtain a labor contract for the workers represented by the union. Jenna is involved in contract arbitration.

During an interview with Zytex company representative, Hillary was told that Zytex faces intense competition and management believes that the only way the company can survive is to have a nonunion workforce. Therefore, all workers Zytex hires must sign an employment contract stating that they agree not to join a union while they work for Zytex. This requirement by Zytex is illegal in the United States.

The workers at the Kerriton Company are unhappy with the way their union has been representing them. The Wagner Act allows these workers to take away the union's right to represent them through a process known as decertification.

Jake remembers his grandfather telling him about going to work at 16 years of age in the coalmines of southern Illinois. In order to get the job, he had to agree to a yellow-dog contract. Essentially this meant he would only get the job if he agreed not to join a union.

The main objectives of organized labor, better wages and shorter hours, have remained remarkably stable over time.

Wage rates, hours of work, employee benefits, and job rights and seniority are issues covered in a typical negotiated labor-management agreement.

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

The negotiated labor-management agreement clarifies the terms and conditions under which labor and management agree to function over a specified period of time.

Under a closed shop agreement, workers must agree not to join a union in order to keep their jobs.

Until passage of the Taft-Hartley Act, under a closed shop agreement, a company could only hire workers who already belonged to a union.

Under a union shop agreement, workers must belong to a union before they can be hired.

The Taft-Hartley Act made the union shop agreement illegal in all states.

A union shop agreement is illegal in states that have passed right-to-work laws.

In an agency shop agreement, workers who do not belong to the union must pay a union fee or pay regular union dues.

Under an agency shop agreement, only union members are represented at the bargaining table.

Under an open shop agreement, workers have the option to join or not join a union, if one is present in the workplace.

A grievance is a charge by managers that the union is not abiding by the terms of the negotiated labor-management agreement.

The sources of many grievances include overtime rules, promotions, layoffs, and job assignments.

The vast majority of grievances filed by union members are negotiated and resolved by shop stewards and supervisory managers.

A bargaining zone is the time period during which a third party is used to reach agreement on union disputes.

A mediator has the power to impose a binding settlement on labor and management.

Arbitration is an agreement to bring in an impartial third party to render a binding decision in a labor dispute.

Many of the negotiated labor-management agreements in the United States call for the use of an arbitrator to end labor disputes.

Arbitration and mediation are alike in that both involve an impartial third party to help in the negotiation process. The differences in these two approaches is that an arbitrator's decision is binding and both parties agree to this on the front end; a mediator encourages the two conflicting parties to continue to negotiate and may make suggestions in pursuit of a resolution.

In the past, a variety of professionals have served as mediators. If a labor dispute were to break out between the management at an auto manufacturer and the local union that represents workers at the auto manufacturing plant, it would be highly unusual for a university professor who has studied labor relations to be asked to mediate. The disputing parties would save his time for something more serious like arbitration.

Mississippi has passed a right-to-work law, which means that union shops are illegal in the state.

Winona was recently hired to work at a production plant for Additup Manufacturing. When hired, she was told she must join the union at the plant within 90 days in order to keep her job. Winona is employed in an agency shop.

Marina works for a company in which a union is recognized as the bargaining agent for the workers who perform her type of job. However, under the arrangements at her company, Marina is not required to join the union, nor is she required to pay any fees or dues to the union. Marina works under an agency shop agreement.

Mike began working for a company that operates under an open shop arrangement. Under this type of arrangement, Mike must join the union at his company within 90 days or he will lose his job.

Labor and management at the Brookwood Company have reached an impasse in their efforts to negotiate an acceptable labor-management agreement. The two sides have agreed to bring in an arbitrator. If the arbitrator issues a ruling that the union does not like, it can veto the decision.

Ashleigh has played a number of supporting roles on TV sitcoms. In her last role, she understood her contract to obligate her to perform in 22 episodes for a stipend of $500 per episode. After completion of 11 episodes, Ashleigh became ill and was unable to complete the episodes in a timely manner. The studio claimed that Ashleigh broke her contract and they are not obligated to pay her. She is confident that an impartial third party will view her circumstances as exceptional and will rule that she be reimbursed for the 11 performances. She has agreed to mediation.

Jian is a well-known professor of labor relations at a major university. She recently was asked by representatives of labor and management at a nearby corporation to help them resolve a disagreement that threatened to cause a breakdown in negotiations. If Jian agrees to help, her role will be to encourage both parties to continue negotiating and to offer constructive advice and suggestions, but she will not have the authority to render a binding decision. Jian's role is that of a mediator.

Management at Enomoto Enterprises has assigned Alberto to work at two different facilities, which will require him to commute an extra 25 miles on the days he must work at both plants. Alberto believes that the negotiated labor-management agreement requires the company to reimburse him for the extra mileage he has to drive. Management disagrees. Alberto has decided to file a charge that management is not abiding by the terms of the negotiated agreement. Alberto's complaint is called a grievance.

A lockout is a tactic utilized by unions when collective bargaining breaks down.

The strike historically has been the most powerful weapon unions use to achieve their objectives in labor disputes.

A boycott occurs when workers collectively refuse to go to work.

Strikes have been an effective way of settling labor disputes without violence and bitterness.

Postal workers and other employees of the federal government who provide important services are allowed to form unions, but are denied the right to strike.

The "blue flu" refers to a situation in which union members (like firefighters) who are not allowed to strike refuse to work by calling in sick.

A cooling-off period is when workers in a critical industry return to their jobs while the union and management continue negotiations.

In a primary boycott, a union encourages its members and the general public not to buy the goods and services produced by a firm involved in a labor dispute.

In 1996, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that primary boycotts are illegal.

Tactics used by management when collective bargaining breaks down include injunctions and lockouts.

The most potent weapon currently available to management when collective bargaining breaks down is the use of yellow-dog contracts.

The Supreme Court ruled in 1938 that employers had the right to hire strikebreakers.

A common tactic of management in labor disputes is the use of secondary boycotts.

The use of strikebreakers did not become a common management tactic used in labor disputes until the 1980s.

Workers who are hired to do the jobs of striking workers until the strike is over are called "scabs" by the union.

A court order directing someone to do something or to refrain from doing something is called a judicial citation.

Hiring strikebreakers to replace striking workers was historically a common management tactic during labor disputes, but it is seldom used today.

The Taft-Hartley Act authorizes the U.S. president to ask for a cooling-off period to temporarily prevent a strike in a critical industry.

Courts will issue an injunction against union tactics only if management can show a "just cause" to restrict the union tactic.

The lockout is the most common tactic used by management today to deal with labor management disputes.

Unions have used givebacks as a tactic to increase membership of a culturally diverse workforce.

The largest labor organization in the U.S. is the National Education Association (NEA).

Membership in labor unions has grown steadily over the past 50 years.

The unions of the 21st century are likely to be quite different from those in the past.

In the future, unions are likely to leave training and recruitment of workers to management, and focus instead on encouraging those workers to join the union.

In the next few years, unions are likely to find that they must adopt a tough, confrontational approach in order to get what they want from management.

The Taft-Hartley Act gives the president the power to require striking workers in any industry to return to their jobs for a cooling-off period while representatives of management and the union continue to negotiate.

Bellandro Bay Brewery union representatives and the company's management have reached an impasse. Going forward, the union is planning an organized strike and other tactics to put pressure on management where it will be most effective. Union supporters are being encouraged to avoid purchasing Bellandro's products. Now union leaders have contacted a variety of stores that stock Bellandro's Beer informing them that union members and other supporters will stop shopping at any store that continues to carry the brewery's beer until the dispute is resolved in the union's favor. This tactic against stores that carry Bellandro's Beer is called a primary boycott.

Striking union workers are picketing near the entrance of the Bellandro Bay Brewery plant where they normally work. The workers are acting peacefully and have not threatened anyone entering or leaving the company or damaged any property. Bellandro's management is seeking an injunction to prevent the workers from picketing. The courts are unlikely to issue an injunction under the current circumstances.

Workers at the West Fenton plant of Malzone Industries have gone out on strike. Management believes it could continue operating the plant during the strike by hiring replacement workers. If the company hires nonunion workers to continue its operations, it will be violating a recent Supreme Court ruling that declared hiring replacement workers as a violation of the Wagner Act.

Employees were striking at the local university last year. Very few students were crossing the picket line. In fact, the city's postal employees refused to deliver mail there claiming that they were honoring the strike for their fellow service union members. The postal employees were participating in a voluntary secondary boycott.

After adjusting for inflation, the average executive compensation is actually a little lower now than it was in 1960.

The disparity in salaries is clearly reflected in the fact that the average executive compensation for a major company was $123 million, compared to a little more than $35,000 that the average worker was compensated.

CEOs only earn high salaries and bonuses when their companies earn substantial profits.

Economist Thomas Piketty is very critical of the exorbitant compensations that some CEOs are getting.

Despite their high pay, most CEOs work far fewer hours per week than the average employee in their companies.

On the average, today's CEOs make over 350 times what the lowest-paid employee earns.

The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act was intended to give shareholders more say in executive compensation.

Comparable worth is concerned with making sure that women get paid as much as men when they do the same jobs.

The Equal Pay Act of 1963 required companies to provide equal pay to men and women who perform the same job.

The concept of comparable worth holds that people who do jobs that require similar levels of education, training and skills should receive equal pay.

Today, a woman usually receives a salary that is equal to over 80% of her male counterpart.

The law protects both women and men from sexual harassment.

In 1997, the Supreme Court ruled that same-sex harassment is prohibited by sexual harassment laws.

Although workers and managers often know that their firm has a policy against sexual harassment, they seldom have a clear understanding of what the policy actually says.

"Quid pro quo" sexual harassment occurs when a person's conduct creates an offensive, hostile, or intimidating work environment that adversely affects the job performance of some other employee.

If you work for a foreign company doing business in the U.S., you are subject to the same sexual harassment laws as anyone working in the U.S.

Because of the need to cut costs, fewer large U.S. companies now provide some sort of child care for their employees than ten years ago.

Small firms often offer innovative child care programs as a way of competing for qualified employees.

On-site childcare remains the only acceptable way for firms to meet the child care concerns of their employees.

The number of households that face the burden of caring for one or more elderly parents has increased significantly over the past decade.

In recent years federal programs such as Medicare and Medicaid have greatly reduced the financial burden on families faced with caring for elderly adults.

Over the next decade costs associated with elder care are likely to have a much smaller impact on businesses than childcare costs.

Elder care costs are likely to remain a major issue for businesses for many years.

Alcohol and drug abuse are serious workplace issues but they involve far fewer workers than AIDS does.

Alcohol is the most widely used drug in the workplace.

Today, over 80% of all companies require some type of drug testing.

The high cost of illegal drug use in the workplace has resulted in a rise in the number of firms that test employees and job applicants for drugs.

According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), 16% of job-related fatalities are homicides.

One in six violent crimes that are committed in the U.S. occur in the workplace.

Many companies do not provide any formal training for dealing with prevention of violence in the workplace.

Since violence in the workplace rarely results in severe injury, it is likely not to be much of a problem in the future.

Although the general public often sees the compensation of CEOs of major U.S. corporations as being much too high, the pay and benefits these top executives receive is actually quite similar to what is earned by top executives in other countries with market economies.

According to the Adapting to Change box, Northwestern University's football players won a ruling from the NLRB that gave them the right to unionize.

Renee discovered that a male coworker at the hospital where they both work is paid $1.50 per hour more than she is even though they have the same job title, have similar qualifications, and have been employed the same length of time. Unfortunately for Renee, it is legal for the hospital to pay different salaries to different workers who perform the same job.

Although child care concerns have become a pressing issue for many employees, most firms have been unable to find acceptable solutions to these concerns.

Robert and Jenny are coworkers who enjoy flirting with each other while at work. They both view their actions as harmless fun, as do the other employees in their office. Their flirtation does not offend the other workers or make them feel threatened or uncomfortable. Nevertheless, under current criteria, both Jenny and Robert could be found guilty of sexual harassment.

Rose is a human resources manager for a rapidly growing corporation. The firm recently hired 100 new workers, 10 of whom were involved in workplace accidents soon after they were hired. It was determined that alcohol usage was the cause of these accidents. Top management has asked Rose to do a better job in screening potential workers for alcohol abuse to avoid this in the future. Rose should point out that in fact the 10 percent of the recent hires with alcohol issues is actually much lower than the overall percentage of employees with alcohol issues that are involved in industrial injuries and fatalities in the U.S.

Recently a disgruntled employee walked into a large grocery chain's midwest distribution center and opened fire on his fellow workers. He killed or injured several people before being killed by the local police. The grocery chain is very concerned about the threat of workplace violence in the future. One way to deal with this threat is for management to hold focus groups to invite employee input. Another way is to make certain that the company hires managers with good interpersonal skills.

A(n) ________ is an employee organization that represents workers in employee-management bargaining over job-related issues. A) trades guild B) union C) ESOP D) cross-functional team

The presence of formal labor organizations in the United States dates back to the: A) late 1700s. B) Civil War. C) late 1800s. D) depression years of the 1930s.

Unions were originally formed __________________. A) to make certain that there were an equal number of nonmanagement and management- level employees within the company B) to uphold the state and federal laws under which businesses operate C) to seek protection against unfair treatment D) to seek worker corporate voting rights, the same as stockholders

According to business observers, which of the following is a reason for labor's decline? A) Shifts from service to manufacturing industries B) Decline in part-time work C) Labor's success in seeing issues it championed become law D) Increased local competition

The union movement in the United States was an outgrowth of the economic transition caused by the: A) Revolutionary War. B) Great Depression. C) Industrial Revolution. D) passage of antitrust legislation by the federal government.

Labor unions were largely responsible for: A) establishing the Republican party. B) the basic structure of the federal income tax system. C) the passage of NAFTA. D) minimum wage laws and laws against child labor.

The purpose of the earliest recognized labor unions in the U.S. was: A) to achieve some short-range goals and then disband. B) to achieve long-range foundations for their crafts. C) to teach their crafts to new workers. D) to enhance the reputations of their members.

The first national labor organization in the United States was the: A) Knights of Labor. B) Congress of Industrial Organizations. C) American Federation of Labor. D) United Farm Workers Union.

Membership in the Knights of Labor was: A) limited to skilled craftsmen. B) limited to unskilled and semiskilled workers who belonged to industrial unions. C) open to all working people, including employers. D) open to anyone willing to promote capitalism as the economic system most likely to lead to economic prosperity for the working men and women of the United States.

The main goal of the Knights of Labor was to: A) promote world peace through the creation of a brotherhood and sisterhood of workers in all nations. B) gain political power and restructure the U.S. economy. C) form an organization that would protect the benefits of retired workers. D) promote a better public education system.

In a(n) ________, all of the members are skilled specialists in a particular trade. A) ESOP B) craft union C) industrial union D) trade federation

__________ provided dynamic leadership for the American Federation of Labor during its early years. A) Karl Marx B) Kenneth Adams C) George Meany D) Samuel Gompers

The AFL was concerned primarily with: A) fundamental labor issues. B) gaining political power. C) forming a workers' army to lead a socialist revolution. D) promoting a better public education system.

In its early years, the AFL's strategy was to: A) grow as rapidly as possible by allowing people from all professions and walks of life to join. B) limit its membership to skilled craftspeople. C) limit its membership to unskilled and semiskilled workers. D) form one big craft union which everyone could join; but it later split into several smaller organizations.

The CIO (Congress of Industrial Organizations) organized unskilled and semiskilled workers into: A) craft unions. B) a political party. C) industrial unions. D) union shops.

The __________ was set up as a federation of many separate craft unions. A) Knights of Labor B) Committee of Industrial Organizations C) League of Unions D) American Federation of Labor (AFL)

In the early years, there were power struggles among the larger national unions. Leaders recognized that there was power in numbers. After the passage of the Taft-Hartley Act in 1947, A) the CIO defeated the AFL. B) the "Change to Win" campaign emerged. C) the AFL and CIO merged. D) the unions collapsed for several years.

The Industrial Revolution was characterized by a(n): A) increased emphasis on production, resulting in longer hours and less job security for most workers. B) migration of manufacturing jobs from the Midwest and Northeast to the South as firms began locating in areas where labor costs were lower. C) rapid improvement in the wages and working conditions of most workers, resulting in a decline in the need for labor unions. D) movement away from scientific management, and a greater acceptance of the ideas of Herzberg and Maslow.

Critics of labor unions argue that unions are no longer needed to protect workers from abusive and unfair treatment because: A) the widespread use of ESOPs has given most workers control over their workplace. B) supply and demand conditions in labor markets now favor labor rather than management. C) laws and modern management attitudes minimize the possibility of unsafe working conditions and unfair treatment of workers found in earlier eras. D) most of the firms that treated workers poorly have moved their operations to foreign countries.

A major reason John L. Lewis and his followers broke with the AFL and formed the CIO was that: A) the leaders of the AFL wanted to focus on political objectives while Lewis and his followers wanted to focus on economic objectives. B) Lewis felt that the AFL was growing too fast. C) the leaders of the AFL wanted to organize only skilled workers, while Lewis and his followers wanted to organize both unskilled and skilled workers. D) Lewis believed that the AFL would be more flexible and responsive to its members if it split into several smaller organizations, each representing workers with one specific skill.

The AFL originally was a federation of craft unions that did not attempt to organize industrial unions. The main reason for this strategy was that: A) industrial unions were illegal until the passage of the Taft-Hartley Act in 1947. B) the leaders of the AFL believed that the skilled workers represented by craft unions would have better bargaining power than unskilled workers. C) craft unions had more political clout than industrial unions. D) most industrial unions had supported the Knights of Labor in a dispute with the AFL during the 1880s.

At this time, about 50% of all union workers are: A) employed by governments. B) employed by private, for-profit industries. C) employed by health care companies. D) In management positions.

The tragedy at the Triangle Shirtwaist Company caused: A) labor leaders to call for a limit of workers during a single shift. B) Americans to turn down factory jobs. C) the number of union members to increase. D) the number of union members to decline.

Antonio received specific training to become an electrician. He belongs to a union with other skilled electricians. Antonio belongs to a(n): A) industrial union. B) craft union. C) open union. D) company union.

Geraldo works on the assembly line for a major automobile manufacturer. He was hired for the job without any specific training or skill. Geraldo joined a union with other assembly-line workers who perform a variety of jobs that do not require a highly specialized skill. Geraldo belongs to a(n): A) industrial union. B) craft union. C) assembly union. D) traditional union.

Which of the following statements is the most accurate assessment of the historical role of the AFL in the labor movement? In its early years the AFL: A) attracted a lot of public attention and political support because it was the first truly national labor organization in the United States. B) operated as one union, but soon split into two interdependent groups and became known as the AFL-CIO. C) was a federation of craft unions that championed basic labor issues. D) had limited success because it suffered from poor leadership.

The two major influences on the growth of unions in the U.S. were: A) population growth; the agrarian economy B) the agrarian economy; the Taft-Hartley Act C) the Taft-Hartley Act; support of management D) laws that supported unionizing; public opinion

The _________ Act established the National Labor Relations Board. A) Wagner B) Taft-Hartley C) Norris-LaGuardia D) Fair Labor Standards

__________ is the process by which a union becomes recognized by the National Labor Relations Board as the bargaining agent for a group of employees. A) Accreditation B) Certification C) Arbitration D) Affiliation

____________ is the process by which a group of workers legally take away a union's right to represent them. A) Disqualification B) Decertification C) Impeachment D) Disenfranchisement

_____________ is the process by which representatives of a union meet with representatives of management to negotiate a contract for workers. A) Mediation B) Arbitration C) Mutual conciliation D) Collective bargaining

The ______________ was established by the Wagner Act to oversee labor-management relations. A) Federal Trade Commission B) Commission on Labor Relations C) National Labor Relations Board D) Equal Employment Opportunity Commission

The first federal minimum wage was established by the: A) Fair Labor Standards Act. B) Wagner Act. C) Minimum Compensation Act. D) Pay Equity Act.

The _____________ outlawed the use of yellow-dog contracts and prohibited courts from issuing injunctions against nonviolent union activities. A) Landrum-Griffin Act B) Fair Labor Standards Act C) Wagner Act D) Norris-LaGuardia Act

At one time, as a condition of employment, the employer could make the employee sign a statement prohibiting the worker from joining a union. This was called a(n): A) arbitrary agreement. B) yellow-dog contract. C) right-to-work contract. D) employment at will agreement.

The __________ guaranteed the rights of individual union members when dealing with their union. A) Wagner Act B) Landrum-Griffin Act C) Norris-LaGuardia Act D) Taft-Hartley Act

Which of the following acts gave more power to management in its relations with organized labor? A) Norris-LaGuardia Act B) Landrum-Griffin Act C) Wagner Act D) Taft-Hartley Act

The Taft-Hartley Act: A) established the first minimum wage. B) allowed individual states to pass right-to-work laws prohibiting compulsory union membership. C) required management to bargain in good faith with union representatives. D) set up the process by which unions could be recognized as the exclusive bargaining agents for a group of workers.

The ___________ guaranteed union members the right to nominate candidates for union office and participate in union meetings. A) Taft-Hartley Act B) Fair Labor Standards Act C) Norris-LaGuardia Act D) Landrum-Griffin Act

One goal of the Landrum-Griffin Act was to: A) firmly establish the right of unions to engage in collective bargaining. B) set up the means by which unions could be certified as bargaining agents for workers. C) clean up the corrupt practices of unions. D) prevent employees engaged in providing critical services such as health care or police protection from going out on strike.

The NLRB (National Labor Relations Board) consists of: A) a five-member panel appointed by the U.S. president. B) an eight- or ten-member board consisting of an equal representation of union officials and management personnel. C) two large unions: the AFL and the CIO. D) a congressional committee.

The Wagner Act is best described as a(n): A) pro-management law. B) pro-union law. C) anti-communism law. D) anti-collective bargaining law.

John belongs to a labor union. He believes a few key people run the union by meeting secretly and making decisions without informing other members or allowing them to fully participate in the meetings. If John's suspicions are correct, the union is violating provisions of the __________ Act. A) Landrum-Griffin B) Fair Labor Standards C) Taft-Hartley D) Wagner

The Labor-Management Relations Act (or Taft-Hartley Act) can be best described as a law which: A) gave unions much more power and led to a rapid rise in union membership. B) gave employees the right to serve on the board of directors of their company, thus encouraging a more equitable treatment of workers. C) eliminated the need for unions in many industries by providing workers with widespread rights and protection against unfair labor practices by employers. D) placed limitations on union activities and gave more power to management in dealing with unions.

The management at a shoe factory planned to terminate production due to labor issues that were consuming most of the profits. For years, the strong union at this facility did some tough negotiating with the company's corporate headquarters. In a companywide vote, employees agreed to walk away from union membership in order to keep the factory open and save their jobs. The NLRB (National Labor Relations Board) agreed that it was in the best interest of the employees. ______________ was started to take away the rights of union representation at the factory. A) Bargaining dismissal B) Decertification C) Arbitration D) Certification

The primary purpose of collective bargaining is to: A) ensure worker participation in setting the goals and objectives of the company. B) establish and communicate clear guidelines for performance appraisals. C) limit the authority of management to set job categories and direct worker activities. D) negotiate a labor-management agreement that both the union and management are willing to accept.

During the 1920s and early 1930s the Dallas Sheet Metal Shop was able to prevent workers from forming a union by requiring them to sign an employment contract in which they agreed not to join a union as a condition of employment. Dallas was making use of: A) yellow-dog contracts. B) blacklisting agreements. C) injunctions. D) implied consent decrees.

Public employees and their union representatives were prohibited by a vote in the state senate from negotiating with government officials on issues which affected their labor contracts. The new law directly affected their ______ rights. A) collective bargaining B) process negotiation C) collective insurance D) individual taxpayer

Bob believes that management is treating him unfairly because of his efforts to organize a vote for union representation. Which organization should Bob contact to report his concerns? A) Federal Board of Labor Rights B) National Labor Relations Board C) Federal Trade Commission D) Federal Commission on Unfair Labor Practices

Union leaders at the Baadfathe Corporation are furious. Although the union is certified by the NLRB, its negotiating team has had little success in getting management to meet with them to work on a new labor contract. In fact, during the last three months, the management team has agreed to meet only twice, once on a weekend, and the other time after 8:00 p.m. Even during those two meetings, the management team was unwilling to offer serious proposals. Baadfathe's management team should review the legal rights of union members to participate in collective bargaining, as provided under the: A) Taft-Harley Act. B) Norris LaGuardia Act. C) Wagner Act. D) Landrum-Griffin Act.

Over the past several decades unions have: A) always placed the greatest emphasis on increasing wages and benefits. B) frequently changed objectives as the result of shifts in social and economic conditions. C) frequently taken global competition into account. D) consistently favored policies that would move the U.S. economy toward a command system.

The __________ sets the tone and clarifies the terms and conditions under which labor and management agree to function over a specific period of time. A) negotiated labor-management agreement B) right-to-work agreement C) open shop agreement D) bargaining zone

Under ________, workers are not required to join the union, but those who do not join are still required to pay a union fee or regular dues to the union. A) right-to-work laws B) all union security clauses C) agency shop agreements D) Employee Stock Option Plans (ESOPs)

Under a(n) ___________ shop agreement, workers must belong to the union before they are hired. A) open B) union C) agency D) closed

The justification for dues or fees paid by nonunion members to the union in a(n) _________ shop is that the union represents all workers in collective bargaining, not just those who belong to the union. A) closed B) agency C) fee simple D) union

In a(n) __________ shop, workers do not have to belong to a union before they are hired, but they must join a union within a specified period (usually 30, 60, or 90 days) in order to keep their job. A) agency B) closed C) open D) union

If a union is present in a firm that has a(n) _________ shop arrangement, workers may join the union if they wish, but they are not required to join or pay a union fee in order to keep their jobs. A) open B) unrestricted C) freedom of choice D) agency

A(n) ___________ is a union official who works permanently in an organization and represents employee interests on a daily basis. A) arbitrator B) shop steward C) mediator D) president

Closed shops were declared illegal by the: A) Taft-Hartley Act. B) Norris-LaGuardia Act. C) National Labor Relations Board in 1929. D) U.S. Supreme Court in 1946.

___________ is the use of a third party to encourage labor and management to continue negotiating in an effort to settle a labor dispute or achieve a mutually acceptable labor-management agreement. A) Arbitration B) Mediation C) Reconciliation D) Intercession

The process of bringing in an impartial third party to render a binding decision in a labor dispute is referred to as: A) resolution. B) mediation. C) arbitration. D) confirmation.

If management and union officials cannot resolve a grievance, a(n) _________ is asked to listen to the arguments of each side and to make a decision that both sides will have to comply with. A) confirmer B) counselor C) arbitrator D) mediator

Which of the following topics is generally covered in a negotiated labor-management agreement? A) Corporate pricing policy B) Grievance procedures C) Management fringe benefits D) Management compensation

In a union shop: A) workers must join the union within a stipulated time period (usually 30, 60, or 90 days) in order to keep their jobs. B) workers must belong to the union before the company can hire them. C) workers who do not join the union must pay a union fee. D) workers are required to sign yellow-dog contracts.

The key difference between an agency shop agreement and an open shop agreement is that in an agency shop: A) workers must join the union within a stipulated time period (usually 30, 60, or 90 days) in order to keep their jobs, but in an open shop the workers are not required to join the union. B) the union is restricted to a limited number of employees who perform specific types of jobs, but in an open shop membership in the union is available to all workers. C) workers who do not join the union must pay a fee or regular dues, while in an open shop workers who choose not to join the union do not have to pay any union fees or dues. D) workers must agree not to join a union in order to keep their jobs while in an open shop workers are free to join a union if they wish, but they are not required to do so.

A key difference between a mediator and an arbitrator is that: A) a mediator is appointed by labor and management, while an arbitrator is appointed by the federal government under terms set forth in the Taft-Hartley Act. B) a mediator is an unpaid volunteer, while an arbitrator is a paid professional. C) an arbitrator can settle a labor-management dispute by rendering a binding decision, while a mediator can only make suggestions and encourage the two sides in a dispute to continue negotiating. D) a mediator is a lawyer who represents either labor or management in a labor dispute, while an arbitrator is an impartial advisor who listens to both sides of the dispute and offers suggestions that help the two parties reach a mutually acceptable agreement.

A grievance is: A) an implication that management has broken a management-union agreement, but it must be proven. B) an employee's perception that management has not in some way fulfilled a labor contract agreement. C) the disappointment that members of a union feel when management refuses to participate in good faith collective bargaining. D) the result of a poorly arbitrated conflict.

Labor unions and management hope to resolve issues through collective bargaining. Each side comes to the table with a range of options they are willing to consider, some more appealing than others. All options that each will consider fall within the _________________. A) the LRB list of possibilities. B) the cases of consideration. C) the lands of indifference. D) bargaining zone.

Hector is philosophically opposed to unions. "Why should I be required to join an organization I don't agree with, or pay a fee to support it financially?" he asked some of his buddies who belong to the union. "I thought this was a free country, but I don't feel very free when I'm told that I'll lose my job if I don't join the union. It just isn't fair." Hector's comments suggest he favors a(n) __________ shop arrangement. A) closed B) open C) regulated D) certified

Amie was recently hired at Kreigmeister Industries as a repairperson. She was informed that if she chose not to join the union representing her fellow repair workers, she would still have to pay a fee to the union. Apparently, Kreigmeister operates under a(n): A) illegal arrangement, since nonmembers can never legally be required to pay fees to unions. B) closed shop agreement. C) union shop agreement. D) agency shop agreement.

In the late 1930s management at Bodenger Industries agreed to hire only those workers who were already members of the Steelworkers Union. Bodenger agreed to a type of arrangement known as a(n): A) closed shop. B) open shop. C) union shop. D) restricted shop.

At the Grenchit Corporation the union and management have not been able to reach a mutually satisfactory agreement on a grievance. The two sides have agreed to bring in a(n) _________ who will examine the evidence and arguments on both sides and issue a binding decision. A) mediator B) arbitrator C) fact finder D) union steward

During negotiations for a new faculty contract at a university, the __________ was quite narrow. Of thirteen items, the union representatives wanted concessions on the following items: Nos. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 9, 10, and 13. The union overlapped with the university administration on the remaining items: Nos. 6, 8, 11, and 12. A) negotiation degree B) bargaining zone C) breakdown criteria D) well-being apportionment

Anna believes that her manager violated the terms of the negotiated labor-management agreement when he required her to report to work on a holiday. She has discussed her concerns with her shop steward and he agrees with her. It is likely the steward will encourage Anna to: A) start looking for another job in a right-to-work state. B) contact the local chapter of the ACLU. C) send a letter of protest to the president of the union. D) pursue a grievance over the interpretation of the labor contract.

You've been on your lunch break for less than 45 minutes when your boss orders you to return to work immediately or be docked an hour's pay. You complain that the current labor contract specifies a full hour for your lunch break and you still have over 15 minutes left. Your boss stands firm on his order for you to return to work. Under protest, you return to work, but plan to file a grievance. The first step you should take is to contact a(n): A) arbitrator. B) mediator. C) strikebreaker. D) shop steward.

Dr. Kwan, a professor at a university, has been working with the union leaders and management at Empire Corporation to help the two sides resolve differences over desired wage levels for a new contract. First, he met with each side privately to determine any common ground for agreement. For the past week, he has worked with representatives from each side to promote communication and compromise at the bargaining table. Dr. Kwan is a(n): A) arbitrator. B) mediator. C) fact finder. D) shop steward.

Yogi believes that an agency shop is the most desirable union security arrangement. Which of the following statements would be most likely to represent Yogi's views? A) A union can succeed in its collective bargaining efforts only if it represents all workers. Therefore, workers should be required to join the union soon after they are hired. B) Workers should be allowed to join a union if they wish, but they should not be required to join or pay a fee to the union in order to keep their job. C) Workers should not be required to join a union to keep their jobs. However, since all workers enjoy the benefits obtained through collective bargaining, even those who do not join should pay a fee to support the union. D) Unions should be replaced by employee stock ownership plans that give workers a say in the management of their firms.

ArtB.Traytor, a member of the American Arbitration Association and long-standing faculty member of the business school of a university, is heading out on the next plane for Detroit, Michigan, where he will serve as an arbitrator between members of the United Auto Workers union and management of a major auto manufacturer. His responsibilities will deal with: A) certifying union representation at the Michigan manufacturing sites. B) certifying union representation and collective bargaining at all manufacturing sites that the auto manufacturer currently has in operations, including any in Mexico and Canada (in accordance with NAFTA). C) listening to both sides of an unresolved dispute between labor and management and render a binding decision on the problem. D) protecting the interests of management and staving off a strike by the auto workers.

As a management executive left the meeting between his team and the company's union representatives and headed straight for the CEO's office, he reviewed where things seemed to break down. Union reps came to the table with three different offers to resolve the insurance and vacation benefits problems laborers were experiencing. Management offered its own resolutions-two different ones, to be exact. The problem was that a bargaining zone did not emerge. Neither side was willing to consider each other's alternatives. As he reached the CEO's door, he was ready to concede that the negotiations were probably headed to ________________. A) collective bargaining B) arbitration C) a vote D) mediation

Historically, the most potent union tactic when collective bargaining efforts break down has been the: A) strike. B) lockout. C) court injunction. D) primary boycott.

When union members who have a dispute with a company walk around outside the firm's place of business carrying signs and talking to the media and public about their concerns, they are using a tactic known as: A) boycotting. B) estopment. C) striking. D) picketing.

A(n) __________ occurs when a union encourages its members and the general public not to buy the products of a firm involved in a labor dispute. A) injunction B) wildcat strike C) primary boycott D) embargo

A(n) ___________ is a court order directing someone to do something or to refrain from doing something. A) restrictive covenant B) injunction C) judicial encyclical D) declaratory judgment

Two of the most important tactics used by unions when collective bargaining efforts break down are: A) strikes and boycotts. B) injunctions and lockouts. C) conciliation and yellow-dog contracts. D) enforcement of right-to-work clauses and cooling-off periods.

A(n) ________ boycott is an illegal attempt by labor to convince others to stop doing business with a firm that does business with a company that is the subject of a primary boycott. A) extended B) secondary C) tactical D) strategic

A(n) ___________ occurs when management temporarily closes a business to deny employment to workers. A) lockout B) secondary boycott C) involuntary strike D) employment injunction

At this time, the largest labor organization in the United States is the: A) Teamsters. B) Service Employees International Union. C) United Automobile Workers. D) National Education Association.

Despite a 1938 Supreme Court ruling allowing their use, ___________ were seldom used by management during labor-management disputes until the 1980s. A) injunctions B) secondary boycotts C) strikebreakers D) yellow-dog contracts

Under the provisions of the Taft-Hartley Act, the president can ask for a(n) ___________ to prevent a strike in a critical industry. A) arbitrator B) cooling-off period C) open shop agreement D) temporary take over by the federal government

The __________ is a tactic police, firefighters, and other workers who are not legally allowed to strike sometimes use to express their frustration and displeasure with working conditions or pay. A) gold cold B) steel deal C) slow-mo D) blue flu

In recent years some unions have granted concessions and given up benefits secured in earlier contract negotiations in an attempt to save jobs. These concessions are called: A) injunctions. B) givebacks. C) buyouts. D) disbenefits.

___________ are workers a company hires to replace workers who are out on strike. A) Yellow dogs B) Convergent workers C) Structural replacements D) Strikebreakers

In recent years, many unions have begun to: A) focus primarily on the issue of equitable pay. B) assist management in redesigning work and recruiting and training workers from diverse backgrounds. C) take a more confrontational approach when attempting to achieve important goals. D) experience rapid but uneasy growth as more foreign-owned firms enter the U.S. economy, creating cultural problems for American workers.

Which of the following tactics would management be most likely to use during a labor-management dispute? A) picketing B) secondary boycotts C) lockouts D) primary boycotts

The ability of unions to achieve key goals in the future will depend on their ability to: A) reestablish their base of strength in the manufacturing sector. B) find ways to cooperate with management in training workers and redesigning jobs. C) repeal the Wagner Act and the Norris-LaGuardia Act in order to eliminate restrictions on union tactics. D) return to the confrontational tactics used successfully in the 1930s when unions grew rapidly.

One strategy unions must adopt in order to grow in the future is to: A) find ways to appeal to white-collar, female, and foreign-born workers. B) find ways to prevent foreign companies from entering the U.S. market. C) go back to the old methods of aggressive tactics and confrontation that were used successfully in the past. D) emphasize recruiting efforts in the manufacturing sector of the economy.

Which of the following statements best summarizes the extent to which unions currently rely on strikes as a tactic when collective bargaining breaks down? A) Unions have become increasingly reliant on strikes as other, less confrontational, tactics have proven unsuccessful. B) Some highly visible strikes in recent years show that the strike is not dead as a labor tactic, but very few labor disputes actually lead to a strike. C) Unions have almost completely avoided strikes since President Reagan replaced striking air traffic controllers with strikebreakers in 1981. D) Strikes organized by unions are now less common than lockouts by management, indicating a major shift in attitudes between labor and management.

When workers go on strike, management is often compelled to keep the business operation running. If it is unable to achieve this on its own, management may: A) elect to proceed with a lockout. B) close down the facility and permanently fire the strikers. C) hire strikebreakers. D) picket.

The Making Ethical Decisions box titled, "To Cross or Not to Cross?" discusses: A) the violence that occurs at picket lines, and the welfare of those who are physically hurt as a result of these occurrences. B) the ethics of participating as a strikebreaker in your community. C) how givebacks are very unethical on the part of management in large operations and an indication that management has "crossed the line." D) the ethics of participating in the blue flu.

At Play-it-Safe Pharmaceuticals Company, a maker of sunscreen products, the union reps strongly discouraged the firm's union employees from buying the company's products during the forthcoming summer season. Recently, they also took out an ad with an important message for consumers: "Don't give Play-it-Safe your money. They don't share it with their employees!" These actions describe: A) secondary boycott. B) primary boycott. C) direct strikebreaker initiative. D) strikebreaker tactic.

Almost overnight, several police officers, all members of the police force of the growing suburb of Mayberry, called in sick. As the dispatcher took those calls, one right after the other, she speculated that there could be more to this story than she was hearing. In fact, she thought it might be related to the emotional banter she heard the night before in the locker room as several members of the force were leaving their shifts. The group was not happy with the recent changes in scheduling, the excessive overtime hours, and, management's reluctance to begin negotiations on a new benefits package. She heard one officer saying, "It's time for a mental health day!" Although it is illegal for police to strike, what the police dispatcher was witnessing may have been ________. A) Saturday night fever. B) the blue flu. C) a lockout. D) a shutterbug.

The Food Source Grocery chain stocks the products of Vegi-Delite Food Company at all of their supermarkets. The Teamsters Union is currently involved in a labor dispute with Vegi-Delite. The union has already encouraged its members and the general public not to buy Vegi-Delite products. Now it is threatening Food Source with the possibility of a boycott if it continues to carry the Vegi-Delite line. The union is threatening Food Source with a(n): A) primary boycott. B) secondary boycott. C) jurisdictional boycott. D) informational boycott.

A large number of striking workers are currently picketing at the plant entrance to a Memphis Tire and Rubber plant. Because the pickets have threatened people entering the plant and have vandalized some company property, Memphis's city management believes it has just cause to ask the courts for a(n) __________ placing limits on the number of pickets and their actions while picketing. A) preemptive judgment B) writ of contention C) arbitration judgment D) injunction

A labor dispute between the AFL-CIO and Gainesville Brewery is into its eighth month. The AFL-CIO has called on its membership and the general public to refuse to purchase Gainesville products. The AFL-CIO is calling for a: A) general boycott. B) secondary boycott. C) primary boycott. D) public boycott.

West coast dockworkers were locked out of their jobs in 29 west coast ports. Because many consumer goods used in the U.S. are transported from Asia to the U.S. through these ports, the lockout could have damaged the U.S. economy and security if allowed to continue. The President ordered the dockworkers back to work and both sides were ordered back to the bargaining table. Which of the following statements is the most accurate conclusion about the outcome of the labor dispute between the dockworkers union and shipping companies on the west coast? The dispute between the dockworkers and shipping companies showed that: A) the only effective weapon unions now have in labor-management disputes is the threat of a strike. B) arbitration is the only effective way to settle labor-management disputes in industries that are critical to the nation's safety or security. C) the Taft-Hartley Act must be invoked when there is a risk to national security. D) unions have become so powerful that they can shut down the entire U.S. economy.

When AT&T anticipated that 20,000 mobility workers were planning to strike to show their concern about unfair compensation, management was already calling staffing agents to temporarily employ persons to cover for striking employees. Traditionally, these workers are called ___________. A) mobile temps. B) picket busters. C) strikebreakers. D) boycotters.

Speculating on the future of organized labor unions, which of the following statements best summarizes real concerns? A) Future union membership will significantly increase due to workers age 19-30 perceiving value in union representation and membership. B) The age of union members is heavily skewed. Most members are 55 and older. Unions will be challenged to recruit younger employees to support the unions. C) Due to headstrong union negotiators who have refused givebacks, the value of unions will decline. D) The UAW (United Auto Workers) will continue to advance as the most powerful union in the U.S., while the public sector employee unions will continue to experience decline.

A comparison of compensation of CEOs in the U.S. with compensation of top executives in Canada and Europe indicates that: A) U.S. CEOs are working for much lower compensation. B) pay for CEOs at major corporations is about the same in all of these nations. C) executives in the U.S. are compensated at a much higher rate. D) U.S. executives are paid better than average when their firms are successful, but worse than average when their firms struggle.

According to noted economist Thomas Piketty: A) top executives are entitled to any level of pay they can negotiate with their board of directors. B) the annual pay for top executives should include a small guaranteed salary and should include a very large bonus in years where the firm earns higher profits than competitors. C) all bonuses paid to CEOs should be tied to long-run increases in market share. D) CEOs should not earn much more than 10-20 times the earnings of the company's average salary.

Over the past several decades, the compensation of CEOs of large U.S. corporations has: A) remained relatively stable once inflation is taken into account. B) become based more on salary and less on stock options. C) increased enormously, even when inflation is taken into account. D) consistently lagged behind the compensation of top executives in Europe and Asia.

_____________ is the demand for equal pay for jobs requiring similar levels of education, training, and skill. A) Affirmative action B) Compensation by objectives C) Equal opportunity pay D) Comparable worth

Women have become a __________ part of the labor force. A) sizeable and permanent B) temporary C) smaller D) less important

Today, women earn close to ________ of what men earn, though the disparity varies considerably by profession and the level of education. A) 25% B) 50% C) 80% D) 90%

____________ refers to unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other unsolicited conduct of a sexual nature. A) Sexual harassment B) Gender bias C) Sexual opportunism D) Sexual coercion

Sexual harassment laws: A) apply only to situations in which men make unwelcome advances to women. B) are enforceable only in states that have enacted right-to-work laws. C) apply to the conduct of women as well as men. D) are applied only in situations in which a person must submit to unwanted advances in order to keep his or her job.

_________ sexual harassment refers to situations in which an employee's submission to unwanted conduct is made either explicitly or implicitly a term or condition of employment or is used to influence employment decisions affecting the worker's job status. A) Quid pro quo B) Post hoc C) Ceteris paribus D) Reflexive

Harassment that creates an intimidating or offensive work environment falls under the type of sexual harassment known as a(n): A) hostile work environment. B) quid pro quo. C) extroverted harassment. D) de jure harassment.

Small businesses have found that child care programs: A) are too expensive to offer, which puts them at a serious disadvantage when competing against larger firms to attract the best workers. B) can be offered in creative ways that enable the firm to offer an attractive benefit to workers with young children. C) are less necessary now than they were before the federal government expanded its child care programs. D) are not very expensive, but tend to be more trouble than they are worth.

As the workforce of the U.S. ages, a greater percentage of workers will have to concern themselves with: A) finding care for their children. B) caring for older relatives. C) the educational benefits of downsizing. D) transportation issues.

It is estimated that firms lose ___________ annually in productivity, absenteeism, and employee turnover due to caring for aging parents. A) $42 million B) $10 thousand C) $35 billion D) a decreasing amount

Drug problems among workers is costing the U.S. economy upwards of ______ in lost work, health care costs, and even crime and accidents. A) $100 million B) $50 billion C) $414 billion D) $50 thousand

The National Institute of Health estimates that each drug abuser can cost an employer approximately __________ annually. A) $500 B) $1,000 C) $5,000 D) $10,000

Which of the following is an effective way to deal with the growing threat of workplace violence? A) Ignore it, as the amount of workplace violence has actually decreased substantially. B) Hire managers with strong interpersonal skills. C) Ask employees that are experiencing threats or harassment to take paid leave. D) Avoid disciplining employees who are not performing up to par since they will learn on the job and their performance will improve over time.

In 1997, the Supreme Court rendered a decision on a case stipulating that sexual harassment law: A) did not apply to casual jokes of a sexual nature. B) applied to same-sex harassment, as well. C) did not apply to married couples who are working together. D) only applied to cases where a subordinate felt harassed by an immediate supervisor.

The subject "Who pays for childcare when the parent(s) works?" is A) not a concern because the law requires companies to provide child care facilities, or to pay employees a stipend if it is not available. B) by law a shared responsibility between employer and employee. C) not the concern of employees without children or single-income households because they always get to choose a different benefit. D) a controversial subject, with no legal resolution to date.

Which of the following is likely to remain a controversial labor-management issue in the future? A) The ability of employers to use yellow-dog contracts B) Enforcement of the Taft-Hartley Act C) Sexual harassment D) A resurgence of the Knights of Labor

The fact that workers sometimes serve on the board of directors of European companies helps explain why: A) European executives accept less responsibility for the successes and failures of the firms they lead. B) European CEOs earn much less than American CEOs. C) European firms are more likely to seek protection from foreign competition than American firms. D) workers in Europe are less likely to believe unions are necessary than workers in the United States.

In Germany, there are some firms whose employees participate in the company decisions by actually serving as members of the board of directors. The policy of permitting nonmanagement employees to participate in the decision-making processes of some European companies is called ______________. A) co-habitating. B) co-determination. C) team management. D) dual management.

Comparable worth primarily is concerned with: A) ensuring equal pay for men and women who work for the same firm and have the same job title. B) reducing the gap between pay for executives and the pay for nonmanagerial employees. C) ensuring equal pay for jobs requiring similar levels of skill, education and training. D) determining whether men or women are better suited to perform various jobs.

Which of the following statements about drug users is a claim made by the National Institute on Drug Abuse? A) If you drink a lot of alcohol, you also abuse drugs. B) Drug users typically cost their company more in health and workman's comp claims. C) Drug users are (overall) friendlier people because they do not take much seriously, including their jobs. D) There is a strong correlation between drug abuse and sexual harassment.

An assessment of elder care needs in the United States suggests that: A) most firms have done a better job in responding to the need for elder care than they have in dealing with the need for child care. B) employees who must care for elderly parents are often in positions that are more critical to the firm's success than workers with concerns about child care. C) although an increasing number of employees must find ways to care for elderly parents, fewer firms will need to offer elder care than child care because the federal government already provides a great deal of assistance to the elderly. D) while an issue for some workers, at the present time elder care is not a high-profile item for most businesses.

Exceptional Enterprises launched a program to evaluate the relative levels of skills, education, and training needed to perform various jobs. Based on the results of this evaluation, the firm intends to adjust pay scales so that jobs requiring similar levels of skills, abilities, and education will receive similar pay. Exceptional Enterprises' program is an attempt to deal with the issue of: A) comparable worth. B) affirmative action. C) reverse discrimination. D) equal employment opportunities.

Which of the following statements about the costs of elder care is most accurate? A) It should be much less expensive for firms to provide elder care than for them to provide child care. B) The financial burdens of elder care on the children of aging parents are likely to become less serious in the future than they are today, because many senior citizens are now remaining employed into their 70s rather than retiring in their early 60s. C) Although elder care is expensive, the good news is that companies can receive a great deal of assistance from the federal government when they establish qualified elder care programs. D) The costs of elder care are likely to rise very rapidly in coming years as an increasing number of older and more experienced employees face the need to care for aging parents and other relatives.

As an employee of the human resource department of a major corporation, you are concerned about the potential costs of drug abuse. You are contemplating testing employees for substance abuse. Before adopting such tests, you should know that: A) this type of testing has been found to be illegal, but many firms do it anyway. B) medical tests of this nature are not very accurate. C) if you use these tests, your company will join over 80 percent of major companies that test workers and job applicants. D) these tests are very expensive, and should only be given to those who may belong to groups judged to be at higher risk.

Tom Dash works as a researcher studying the effects of alcohol and drug abuse at a large research university on the east coast. The alcohol center's mission statement reads, "Our mission is to conduct, coordinate, and promote basic and clinical research on the causes, prevention, and treatment of alcoholism and alcoholic disease." Looking forward, which of the following statements are you likely to agree with? A) Tom's work, although impressive, will not have any short-term or long-term effect on the cost of labor in the U.S. B) The U.S. has seen significant declines in alcohol and drug-related issues in the workplace. Tom would better serve the business world by working on AIDS-related diseases. C) Illegal drug use is more of a problem than alcohol in terms of the number of work-related accidents that these problems cause. Tom should know, though, that the baby boomers are the major drug users, and they are retiring. D) Tom Dash's work is greatly needed by business and industry. Alcohol and drug use continue to be on the rise and present serious work-related costs to businesses across almost all industries.

Safe'nSwift Airlines implemented a program to curb workplace violence before it occurs. Under this program, the employees of Safe'nSwift can expect to: A) share in any profits their airline earns. B) get paid extended leave if they become especially and visibly angry at work. C) see much more use of contingent workers. D) take part in focus groups to share their ideas about workplace violence prevention.

Which of the following statements about sexual harassment is most accurate? A) Only men can be charged with sexual harassment. B) Sexual harassment cannot be proven unless the employee's submission to such conduct was made explicitly a term of employment or was used to influence the results of the employee's performance appraisal. C) One flaw with the current laws concerning sexual harassment is that they do not take into account the possibility of same-sex harassment. D) In evaluating charges of sexual harassment, the courts place a great deal of emphasis on whether the behavior was unwelcomed.

As an advisor to a company setting up its sexual harassment policy, which of the following tactics would you suggest? A) Immediately making a sexual harassment claim public to every employee in the company. B) Asking the accuser and the accused to sit down, face to face, and participate in a verbal discussion about what has occurred. C) Make certain that there is a communication chain in place to immediately inform board members and executives of the accusation, so as to keep the information from being leaked to the news media. D) Setting up a proactive grievance procedure for quick action if and when there is an accusation of sexual harassment.

Last year, a retired schoolteacher moved her parents from Michigan to northern Illinois to live with her. For the past year, she was traveling two times each month to provide care for this 86-year-old couple, including coordinating medical services and meals. In conversations with her family members, the teacher remarked, "If I were not already retired, I would have to quit my job to continue this way!" This retired teacher: A) is in an unusual situation because there are more persons entering the workforce with child care issues than with taking care of aging Americans. B) is like a growing number of families whose households are caring for aging parents and relatives. C) will benefit by all the affordable elder care facilities that cost about $20,000 per year. D) should be advised that Medicare and Medicaid are covering all medical expenses for person 65 years and older, so she should not be experiencing such a burden.

Identify several laws that significantly influenced labor-management relations. Discuss the major provisions of each law.

Explain the difference between closed, open, union, and agency shop agreements. What impact did the Taft-Hartley Act have on the use of closed and union shop arrangements?

Identify and describe the major tactics used by unions and management when collective bargaining efforts break down.

Identify and discuss three controversial employee-management issues.

Union membership has declined in recent years. What has led to this decline and what can unions do to turn this trend around?

Mini-Case The workers at Endrun Corporation are not affiliated with a union. Until recently, the workers felt they were well paid and treated fairly by the company, so they had little interest in seeking union representation. However, worker morale at Endrun has declined steadily since the board of directors fired the old CEO last year and replaced him with Ty Runt, a no-nonsense, autocratic manager with a reputation for cutting costs. As soon as he took over, Ty fired other members of the old top management team and replaced them with people who shared his views. Together, the new management team made a series of moves that did not sit well with Endrun's workers. First, they announced changes in work procedures designed to speed up the production line. Many workers complained that the new methods cut corners and were unsafe, but management refused to listen. A few months after changing work methods, the company told workers that it was reducing their health benefits. This led to even greater worker unrest. Finally, just a few weeks ago, workers received word that the wages of all production-line employees would be cut by 6 percent. Many employees felt this was the last straw, especially since the company's board of directors recently approved big salary increases and more lucrative stock option plans for Ty and his management team. A spokesperson for the board explained that the raises were justified because of the management team's "outstanding efforts to reduce costs, increase productivity, and improve the company's profits." Several disgruntled employees, led by Ima Striker and Boyd Cotter, now believe it is time to obtain union representation. Top managers at the company have hinted that workers who actively participate in the union campaign may be among the first workers laid off if the company decides to downsize. Ima and Boyd are not intimidated by these management threats. "I wish we didn't have to do this," Ima recently told many of her fellow workers at the plant. "But someone has to stop Ty Runt and his team from ruining our jobs." -Ima, Boyd, and their fellow employees at Endrun work on an assembly line and do not have a specialized skill. If they are successful in their quest to set up a union, they would probably be represented by a(n) ________ union. A) craft B) industrial C) freelance D) traditional

Mini-Case The workers at Endrun Corporation are not affiliated with a union. Until recently, the workers felt they were well paid and treated fairly by the company, so they had little interest in seeking union representation. However, worker morale at Endrun has declined steadily since the board of directors fired the old CEO last year and replaced him with Ty Runt, a no-nonsense, autocratic manager with a reputation for cutting costs. As soon as he took over, Ty fired other members of the old top management team and replaced them with people who shared his views. Together, the new management team made a series of moves that did not sit well with Endrun's workers. First, they announced changes in work procedures designed to speed up the production line. Many workers complained that the new methods cut corners and were unsafe, but management refused to listen. A few months after changing work methods, the company told workers that it was reducing their health benefits. This led to even greater worker unrest. Finally, just a few weeks ago, workers received word that the wages of all production-line employees would be cut by 6 percent. Many employees felt this was the last straw, especially since the company's board of directors recently approved big salary increases and more lucrative stock option plans for Ty and his management team. A spokesperson for the board explained that the raises were justified because of the management team's "outstanding efforts to reduce costs, increase productivity, and improve the company's profits." Several disgruntled employees, led by Ima Striker and Boyd Cotter, now believe it is time to obtain union representation. Top managers at the company have hinted that workers who actively participate in the union campaign may be among the first workers laid off if the company decides to downsize. Ima and Boyd are not intimidated by these management threats. "I wish we didn't have to do this," Ima recently told many of her fellow workers at the plant. "But someone has to stop Ty Runt and his team from ruining our jobs." -The steps Ima, Boyd and their fellow workers must take to get the union legally recognized as the authorized bargaining agent are parts of the __________ process. A) accreditation B) arbitration C) certification D) collective bargaining

Mini-Case The workers at Endrun Corporation are not affiliated with a union. Until recently, the workers felt they were well paid and treated fairly by the company, so they had little interest in seeking union representation. However, worker morale at Endrun has declined steadily since the board of directors fired the old CEO last year and replaced him with Ty Runt, a no-nonsense, autocratic manager with a reputation for cutting costs. As soon as he took over, Ty fired other members of the old top management team and replaced them with people who shared his views. Together, the new management team made a series of moves that did not sit well with Endrun's workers. First, they announced changes in work procedures designed to speed up the production line. Many workers complained that the new methods cut corners and were unsafe, but management refused to listen. A few months after changing work methods, the company told workers that it was reducing their health benefits. This led to even greater worker unrest. Finally, just a few weeks ago, workers received word that the wages of all production-line employees would be cut by 6 percent. Many employees felt this was the last straw, especially since the company's board of directors recently approved big salary increases and more lucrative stock option plans for Ty and his management team. A spokesperson for the board explained that the raises were justified because of the management team's "outstanding efforts to reduce costs, increase productivity, and improve the company's profits." Several disgruntled employees, led by Ima Striker and Boyd Cotter, now believe it is time to obtain union representation. Top managers at the company have hinted that workers who actively participate in the union campaign may be among the first workers laid off if the company decides to downsize. Ima and Boyd are not intimidated by these management threats. "I wish we didn't have to do this," Ima recently told many of her fellow workers at the plant. "But someone has to stop Ty Runt and his team from ruining our jobs." -After gaining union representation, any workers with complaints regarding promotions, layoffs, and job assignments will file a(n) ________ with their shop steward. A) grievance B) arbitration request C) injunction D) yellow-dog contract

Mini-Case The workers at Endrun Corporation are not affiliated with a union. Until recently, the workers felt they were well paid and treated fairly by the company, so they had little interest in seeking union representation. However, worker morale at Endrun has declined steadily since the board of directors fired the old CEO last year and replaced him with Ty Runt, a no-nonsense, autocratic manager with a reputation for cutting costs. As soon as he took over, Ty fired other members of the old top management team and replaced them with people who shared his views. Together, the new management team made a series of moves that did not sit well with Endrun's workers. First, they announced changes in work procedures designed to speed up the production line. Many workers complained that the new methods cut corners and were unsafe, but management refused to listen. A few months after changing work methods, the company told workers that it was reducing their health benefits. This led to even greater worker unrest. Finally, just a few weeks ago, workers received word that the wages of all production-line employees would be cut by 6 percent. Many employees felt this was the last straw, especially since the company's board of directors recently approved big salary increases and more lucrative stock option plans for Ty and his management team. A spokesperson for the board explained that the raises were justified because of the management team's "outstanding efforts to reduce costs, increase productivity, and improve the company's profits." Several disgruntled employees, led by Ima Striker and Boyd Cotter, now believe it is time to obtain union representation. Top managers at the company have hinted that workers who actively participate in the union campaign may be among the first workers laid off if the company decides to downsize. Ima and Boyd are not intimidated by these management threats. "I wish we didn't have to do this," Ima recently told many of her fellow workers at the plant. "But someone has to stop Ty Runt and his team from ruining our jobs." -The plant where Ima and Boyd work is located in Illinois, which does not have a right-to-work law. If the workers approve the union as their bargaining agent, Boyd wants to get the greatest union membership that is legally possible. Boyd is likely to push for a(n): A) closed shop. B) agency shop. C) union shop. D) sweatshop.

Mini-Case The workers at Endrun Corporation are not affiliated with a union. Until recently, the workers felt they were well paid and treated fairly by the company, so they had little interest in seeking union representation. However, worker morale at Endrun has declined steadily since the board of directors fired the old CEO last year and replaced him with Ty Runt, a no-nonsense, autocratic manager with a reputation for cutting costs. As soon as he took over, Ty fired other members of the old top management team and replaced them with people who shared his views. Together, the new management team made a series of moves that did not sit well with Endrun's workers. First, they announced changes in work procedures designed to speed up the production line. Many workers complained that the new methods cut corners and were unsafe, but management refused to listen. A few months after changing work methods, the company told workers that it was reducing their health benefits. This led to even greater worker unrest. Finally, just a few weeks ago, workers received word that the wages of all production-line employees would be cut by 6 percent. Many employees felt this was the last straw, especially since the company's board of directors recently approved big salary increases and more lucrative stock option plans for Ty and his management team. A spokesperson for the board explained that the raises were justified because of the management team's "outstanding efforts to reduce costs, increase productivity, and improve the company's profits." Several disgruntled employees, led by Ima Striker and Boyd Cotter, now believe it is time to obtain union representation. Top managers at the company have hinted that workers who actively participate in the union campaign may be among the first workers laid off if the company decides to downsize. Ima and Boyd are not intimidated by these management threats. "I wish we didn't have to do this," Ima recently told many of her fellow workers at the plant. "But someone has to stop Ty Runt and his team from ruining our jobs." -Ty Runt has always taken a hard line against unionization efforts. Two years ago, when workers at his previous company tried to obtain union representation, the company closed down the plant and refused to let employees work until they abandoned their efforts to form a union. This management tactic is called a(n): A) management strike. B) secondary boycott. C) injunction. D) lockout.

Mini-Case The workers at Endrun Corporation are not affiliated with a union. Until recently, the workers felt they were well paid and treated fairly by the company, so they had little interest in seeking union representation. However, worker morale at Endrun has declined steadily since the board of directors fired the old CEO last year and replaced him with Ty Runt, a no-nonsense, autocratic manager with a reputation for cutting costs. As soon as he took over, Ty fired other members of the old top management team and replaced them with people who shared his views. Together, the new management team made a series of moves that did not sit well with Endrun's workers. First, they announced changes in work procedures designed to speed up the production line. Many workers complained that the new methods cut corners and were unsafe, but management refused to listen. A few months after changing work methods, the company told workers that it was reducing their health benefits. This led to even greater worker unrest. Finally, just a few weeks ago, workers received word that the wages of all production-line employees would be cut by 6 percent. Many employees felt this was the last straw, especially since the company's board of directors recently approved big salary increases and more lucrative stock option plans for Ty and his management team. A spokesperson for the board explained that the raises were justified because of the management team's "outstanding efforts to reduce costs, increase productivity, and improve the company's profits." Several disgruntled employees, led by Ima Striker and Boyd Cotter, now believe it is time to obtain union representation. Top managers at the company have hinted that workers who actively participate in the union campaign may be among the first workers laid off if the company decides to downsize. Ima and Boyd are not intimidated by these management threats. "I wish we didn't have to do this," Ima recently told many of her fellow workers at the plant. "But someone has to stop Ty Runt and his team from ruining our jobs." -If management tries to threaten or punish Ima and Boyd for their efforts to gain union representation, the two workers could ask the ____________ to investigate these unfair labor practices. A) National Labor Relations Board B) Bureau of Labor-Management Relations C) Department of Justice D) Federal Trade Commission