Additional Case 15.1
Billiards, Inc. makes collapsible pool cues and other billiard products. Tegau, the general manager, has called a management team meeting with Tammy, the director of HR; Gary, the VP of operations; Ramonia, the employee relations specialist; and Ryan, a labor relations consultant.
Tegau wants ideas from her management team about what to do concerning the possible unionization of their workers. Tammy suggests that they do nothing, let the union conduct its vote, and if certified, treat it as a legitimate worker representative of the workers. Gary says the firm should begin aggressively opposing union organization. He thinks first-line supervisors should be brought in and told that if workers in their areas vote for the union, the supervisors will lose their jobs and the company might sell off the unionized part of the business. Ramonia suggests that Billiards, Inc. tell the employees about their current plans to upgrade employee benefits and working conditions-a project she's worked on for the last six months.
Management decides to mildly oppose the union but the union is certified anyway. Tegau is now in her first contract negotiation. Ryan explains to the union that if they will accept flexible work rules, the employees can have more fulfilling jobs, the company will save money which it can spend on benefits, and the union will start with a positive relationship with the company. The union representative says "No way. We go on strike in ten days."
-Refer to Additional Case 15.1.Tammy's suggestion is most likely a(n)________ strategy.
A) union avoidance
B) union suppression
C) union substitution
D) union acceptance

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Tammy's suggestion is to do nothing and accept the possibility of unionization, which is a strategy of union acceptance. This approach is often favored by organizations that are neutral towards unions or believe that unionization is inevitable. Gary's suggestion of aggressively opposing union organization can be considered a strategy of union suppression, which is often seen as an aggressive and confrontational approach to unionization. Ramonia's suggestion of improving employee benefits and working conditions is a strategy of union substitution, as she is trying to address the underlying causes that may lead employees to seek union representation. However, since the issue at hand is already unionization, the approach may not be effective in preventing it. Lastly, Ryan's approach of offering flexible work rules can be a form of union avoidance if it is offered before the unionization vote. However, in this context, it is aimed at improving relations with the union, which can be seen as a strategy of union acceptance. Therefore, the best choice is D.

Additional Case 15.1 Billiards, Inc. Makes Collapsible Pool Cues and Other Billiard Products