Exam 15: Working With Organized Labor

Which industry is the only one that allows closed shops?

The independent federal agency created by the Wagner Act to administer U.S. labor law is the ________.

A(n)________ is a union contract that spells out the conditions of employment and work rules that affect employees in the unit represented by the union.

Business unionism focuses on improving the economic well-being of workers.

A minimum of 30% of the workforce must show an interest in unionizing to justify a certification election.

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. Gary's suggestion:

In a collective bargaining session, Perry, the union representative, is trying to convince Tom, management's representative, that if management does not accept the current wage terms, the union will go out on strike. Perry is using a(n)________ strategy.

A labor relations strategy in which management chooses to view the union as its employees' legitimate representative and accepts collective bargaining as an appropriate mechanism for establishing work-place rules is a(n)________.

How are employee disputes with management handled in both unionized and nonunionized firms? Discuss grievance procedures and open-door policies in your response.

Additional Case 15.2 TimeTable, Inc. plans to expand its manufacturing facilities. It is considering expansion either here in the United States or in Europe-Germany, Sweden, Great Britain, or France. It may also look at Japan or China, but those are currently second-tier choices. In selecting a country, the CEO wants to avoid political involvement. While friendly toward unions, he doesn't want a union that is politically oriented. In fact, the CEO of TimeTable was once a union official. He went through a career change, earned an MBA, and moved into the executive management ranks about ten years ago. TimeTable has a strong positive working relationship with its union. Management feels the NLRB is wrong in its ruling about the Wagner Act and is aggressively building labor-management teams. The CEO of TimeTable is even considering giving the union a seat on the board of directors. -Refer to Additional Case 15.2. Based on TimeTable's opinion of the Wagner Act, which country would be most appropriate?

The Railway Labor Act allows Congress and the President to intervene in a labor dispute if interstate commerce is disrupted.

At a certification election at General Car Automotive, a majority of employees vote for unionization. Alicia, a radio installer, did not vote for the union. Which of the following is true about this situation?

The U.S. labor relations system is most similar to the:

With a collective bargaining system, the U.S. government typically:

In unionized firms, promotions and job assignments are given to employees based on:

What is the riskiest 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. Ryan's negotiating strategy is called:

In Germany, labor unions:

Industrial democracy is primarily marked by:

Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of U.S. labor relations?