Exam 15: Working With Organized Labor

Which of the following is the best comparison of the Japanese and U.S. labor relations systems?

Boden, the CEO of Dixon Paper, has filed for bankruptcy in order to reorganize his company and get out from under several very tough union contracts he negotiated two years ago during better times. Boden is most likely engaged in:

The ________ regulates how unions are organized, how they run their own business, and what their fiduciary responsibilities are.

The National Labor Relations Board is an independent federal agency created by the Taft-Hartley Act.

Which of the following involves hardball tactics to prevent a union from organizing workers or to get rid of a union?

The labor relations process has three distinct phases: organizing, bargaining, and administering. Discuss briefly the key elements of each phase and how they work together.

Prior to 1935, the U.S. government viewed the free market as a system that:

Coralie lives in France and works for the Paris transportation system. Clark lives and works in the United States. Both belong to unions. Which of the following is most likely true?

Management at Wilson Manufacturing worked with its union to create a strategic plan that reduced the workforce but gave the union a voice in management decisions and future expansion plans. This is most likely an example of a(n)________ labor relations strategy.

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. Which manager has general responsibility for day-to-day management-labor relations at Billiards, Inc?

Codetermination is best defined as:

Which issue primarily led to the breakdown in negotiations between the UAW and General Motors in 2007?

The union acceptance strategy is most likely to:

In ________, one party focuses on convincing its counterpart that the cost of disagreeing with its terms is very high. It is often used when laborers are willing and able to sustain a long strike that will hurt the company.

Which country has the highest per capita union representation?

The Taft-Hartley Act was created to:

In a bargaining session, management's representative explains that if the union accepts job reductions, the company can pay higher wages and modernize the plant. This will enhance the company's competitiveness and helps ensure its ultimate survival. Management's strategy is an example of:

Companies typically prefer non-union work forces because:

Why do companies typically prefer a nonunion workforce? How does a unionized workforce affect HRM and its policies?

Recently, employees walked out of their jobs at Sonnet Industries. They learned about some serious discipline meted out by the company against one of their co-workers and believed it to be unfair. The workers spontaneously quit work and went home. This action is known as a(n):