Exam 12: Dealing With Union and Employeemanagement Issues

is the process by which a union becomes recognized by the National Labor Relations Board as the bargaining agent for a group of employees.

The AFL-CIO was a major supporter of the NAFTA agreement to expand trade and commerce among the nations of the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

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.

Which of the following is likely to remain a controversial labor-management issue in the future?

The late Peter Drucker, one of 20th century's leading management consultants was very critical of the exorbitant compensations that some CEOs were getting.

Today, women earn approximately of what men earn, though the disparity varies considerably by profession and the level of education.

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.

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

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

During the 1970s, the primary objective of most labor unions was to gain additional pay and benefits for their members.

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

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

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

Almost overnight, several police persons, 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 over-time hours, and, management's reluctance to begin negotiations on a new benefits package. She heard one person saying, "It's time for a mental health day!" Although it is illegal for police to strike, they may be claiming to have .

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

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.

Which of the following statements best summarizes the extent to which unions currently rely on strikes as a tactic when collective bargaining breaks down?

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.