Deck 25: Handling Collective Bargaining Issues

Question 1

A union representative tells the nurses of a hospital that they should review the Kentucky River trilogy as part of their education regarding unionization. What will the nurses learn from this review?

A) A summary of the benefits of collective bargaining in the healthcare industry
B) The history of unionization in the United States
C) What the nurse can expect to pay as a member of the collective bargaining unit
D) Which nurses are considered to have supervisory status

Answer 1

Which nurses are considered to have supervisory status

Question 2

A grievance has been filed against a hospital. Which statement by the nurse executive reflects common reasons for grievances? Note: Credit will be given only if all correct choices and no incorrect choices are selected. Select all that apply.

A) "The nurses want more benefits than specified in the contract we just signed."
B) "I think there is a misunderstanding of one of the terms of the contract."
C) "I think this grievance is based on a term in the old contract that is not included in the new contract."
D) "The nurses want higher wages because the other hospital in town just raised their pay scale."
E) "This contract just is not going to work. We need to renegotiate."

Answer 2

"I think there is a misunderstanding of one of the terms of the contract."
"I think this grievance is based on a term in the old contract that is not included in the new contract."
"This contract just is not going to work. We need to renegotiate."

Question 3

The nursing staff at a hospital is upset regarding nurse-client ratios. One of the nurses says, "Our contract is not being honored. I think we need to tear it up and strike, starting tomorrow." Which response by the union representative is most appropriate?

A) "We can't strike until we have given administration 10 days' notice of our desire to change the contract."
B) "The FMCS (Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service) has to have 30 days' notice of our intent to strike."
C) "I have to let the medical chief of staff know we are going to strike at least 30 days before it happens."
D) "I have to meet with the board of directors and tell them 24 hours in advance."

Answer 3

"The FMCS (Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service) has to have 30 days' notice of our intent to strike."

Question 4

A nurse assistant states, "I don't understand why they would select a nurse to be the union representative." Which response by a coworker is appropriate?

A) "Administration chose a nurse for this role."
B) "Why do you care who is the representative?"
C) "The representative must be an employee of the union or a member of the nursing staff."
D) "The representative must be a nurse if the unionized organization is a hospital or healthcare organization."

Question 5

A grievance has been filed against a hospital where the nursing staff has just established a union. What is the nurse executive's first step?

A) Call the union representative for a meeting to discuss the grievance.
B) Call managers together to discuss the grievance.
C) Notify staff nurses that the grievance has been received.
D) Review the agreement for information about grievances.

Question 6

The nurses in an organization are in the process of selecting a bargaining agent. Which action by the nurse executive is considered a fair labor practice?

A) Promising wage increases if the desired agent is chosen
B) Questioning staff nurses regarding their vote
C) Threatening demotions if the desired agent is not chosen
D) Disallowing collective bargaining organizational meetings at the hospital

Question 7

An ICU nurse manager states, "The hospital has a union, but I wouldn't advise joining," to a newly hired nurse. The human resources (HR) director is informed of this comment. How should the HR director respond?

A) Call the new nurse and explain that joining the union is encouraged by the hospital.
B) Remind the manager that there is to be no interference with an employee's decision to join the union.
C) File a grievance against the manager.
D) Terminate the manager's employment.

Question 8

A nurse manager enters the staff break room. The manager overhears the nursing staff discussing wages and paid time off as issues to consider during the bargaining process. Which action by the manager would be appropriate?

A) Leave the break room and not discuss with others what was heard.
B) Inform staff they are not to talk about their bargaining issues during work time or at the work site.
C) Issue a written warning regarding discussion of wages while on the job.
D) Tell nursing administration that a strike is likely.

Question 9

The housekeeping employee asks the employees' agent what role the union representative plays. What answer should the agent provide?

A) "They will set wages for union members."
B) "They are responsible for writing floating policy for administration."
C) "They oversee the retirement funds."
D) "They are responsible for administering the contract."

Question 10

A union has won a representative election. What right does that union now hold?

A) The right to represent all employees of the hospital
B) The right to forbid management from unilaterally changing employment conditions for employees outside the bargaining unit
C) The right to jointly negotiate expanded bargaining units with the employer after the election
D) The right to be the bargaining agent for a group of employees

Question 11

The nurses of a hospital have given notice of their desire to unionize. The nurse executive is meeting with all nurse managers to discuss their role. Which information should the executive provide for these managers? Note: Credit will be given only if all correct choices and no incorrect choices are selected. Select all that apply.

A) "We need to stop this if at all possible. I am counting on you to discourage nurses from joining the union."
B) "If the nurses on your unit want to organize, do not interfere."
C) "You cannot say anything about the union, but your actions can speak for you."
D) "We are not going to participate in this."
E) "I will keep you posted as we move through this process."

Question 12

As a cost-saving initiative, the hospital administration has asked the night staff nurses to refill drug supplies at night while the pharmacist is not present. The nurses file a grievance, and nurse managers become involved. How would this grievance be classified?

A) Violation of agency rules
B) Contract violation
C) Failure of management to meet its responsibilities
D) Violation of federal and state laws

Question 13

Nurses in a hospital are working to establish a union. Which finding will these nurses be interested in seeing?

A) Thirty percent of eligible hospital nurses have signed a card indicating interest.
B) Seventy percent of hospital employees have said they are interested.
C) Fifty percent of staff nurses and management nurses must vote.
D) Thirty percent of all nurses working for the agency must vote.

Question 14

To balance the rights of employees and the public, Congress passed a special set of procedures for settling labor disputes in the healthcare industry. These include a specification that one party must notify the other of intent to change or terminate a contract ________ days before the contract expires.

Question 15

A nurse has been hired as a new nurse manager at a hospital that has union representation. Which union-related activities should this manager expect to be included in the role? Note: Credit will be given only if all correct choices and no incorrect choices are selected. Select all that apply.

A) Actively helping to administer any grievance procedures
B) Participating in issues related to disciplining employees
C) Encouraging union membership
D) Being certain that all disputes within management are public
E) Avoiding collective bargaining

Question 16

Approximately half of an organization's employees decide they are not happy with their current contract, which will expire in 4 months. The union representative informs the group that they can work to change the contract. What is the next step in this process?

A) Giving the union notice of desire to change the contract at least 90 days before it expires
B) Ratification of the current contract
C) Vote for cessation
D) Appointment of a mediator

Question 17

The nurse manager is educating staff about the collective bargaining process. Who should this nurse say controls collective bargaining in healthcare?

A) The judicial system
B) Individual hospitals
C) Nurses' unions
D) Federal laws

Question 18

A nurse who works in a hospital with a collective bargaining unit requires disciplining. Which actions by the nurse manager are critical? Note: Credit will be given only if all correct choices and no incorrect choices are selected. Select all that apply.

A) Coaching the nurse as appropriate
B) Letting the collective bargaining unit handle any disciplinary needs
C) Reviewing policy and procedures with the nurse
D) Discussing expectations that were not met
E) Directing any questions the nurse has to the union representative

Question 19

A nurse is discussing the intent of the nurse's collective bargaining representation to strike. The nurse's spouse is concerned about the length of time the nurse may lose as a result of a strike. Which statement by the nurse is correct?

A) "Nurses can't strike; it's just a term on paper."
B) "The hospital isn't allowed to replace my position because of a strike."
C) "The hospital has a 10-day notice before we go on strike."
D) "Not all staff nurses are included in the strike."

Question 20

A housekeeping employee is questioning the employees' agent regarding the role of administering the ratified contract. The agent should explain to the employee that this role belongs to which person?

A) Union president
B) Hospital administrator
C) Designated union representative
D) Bargaining agent

Question 21

A nurse who has accepted a position as an assistant ICU manager is discussing unionization with the human resources (HR) director. The HR director says the nurse cannot join the union. What rationale should the HR director offer for this statement?

A) The nurse has never been in a union in the past.
B) The nurse must first complete orientation before being eligible to join the union.
C) The nurse must have worked in a hospital environment for at least 5 years.
D) Registered nurses hired as management are not eligible for collective bargaining.

Question 22

________ result when employees believe that the ________ has violated the contract agreement.

Question 23

Which statements by a nurse manager would the supervisor interpret as indicating an understanding of why collective bargaining is complicated for nurses? Note: Credit will be given only if all correct choices and no incorrect choices are selected. Select all that apply.

A) "There just are not many union options for nurses."
B) "None of the unions available for nurses were developed specifically for nurses."
C) "The determination of who is eligible to join a union is complicated."
D) "In some institutions, nurses have formed their own unions."
E) "No nursing unions have the backing of national organizations like the AFL/CIO."

Question 24

A nurse is interested in the possibility of collective bargaining in the workplace. What will the nurse find when researching this possibility? Note: Credit will be given only if all correct choices and no incorrect choices are selected. Select all that apply.

A) Most nurses do not work under collective bargaining agreements.
B) If the nurse is a manager, collective bargaining would be of no interest.
C) The NLRB has addressed collective bargaining in nursing.
D) The nurse works in a state hospital, where collective bargaining is not possible.
E) The cost of the dues or "fees" associated with collective bargaining is more than could be gained from joining.

Question 25

One of the areas of supervision defined by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) is "independent judgment." Which nurses fall into this category? Note: Credit will be given only if all correct choices and no incorrect choices are selected. Select all that apply.

A) A nurse who routinely reviews lab work and makes a clinical judgment of when to notify the physician
B) A nurse who works twice a month as charge nurse on an acute care unit
C) A nurse who makes team assignments as part of the charge nurse role
D) A nurse whose job includes choosing which assistants to place with which clients
E) A nurse who applies assessment findings when altering the plan of care for a client

Question 26

A nurse works in a federal hospital that is beginning the collective bargaining process with the nurses. The nurse is disappointed to discover that which concern cannot be addressed in negotiations?

A) Work hours
B) Job responsibilities
C) Wages
D) Conditions of client care

Question 27

The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) has certified a union to be the bargaining agent for a hospital. A nurse working in the hospital has a grievance and says to the nurse manager, "Wait until the union gets involved." Which response by the manager is appropriate?

A) "NLRB certification does not mean a union will develop."
B) "A union will not get involved in this situation."
C) "The NLRB is not concerned with your grievance."
D) "The grievance will be resolved with or without the NLRB."

Question 28

The manager tells a potential nurse hire that the organization is a "closed shop" organization. The nurse asks for clarification. Which response by the manager is most accurate?

A) "A 'closed shop' is an organization in which union representation and collective bargaining practices are not discussed."
B) "It is a term used to describe the collective bargaining practices in this state."
C) "It means you are required to join the union if you accept this position."
D) "You are required to sign a statement stating you received information regarding union membership."

Question 29

A nurse manager is conversing with a colleague at a national meeting. The colleague states, "I've just never understood why a nurse would want to join a union." What responses by the manager would explain the attraction of unionization? Note: Credit will be given only if all correct choices and no incorrect choices are selected. Select all that apply.

A) "It's usually a combination of factors such as low wages and high nurse-to-client ratios."
B) "Low wages cause so much job dissatisfaction that the nurses unionize."
C) "Having to work with supervisors as staff when nurses call in is one reason."
D) "Many nurses have supervisors who think they understand what it's like to work on the unit every day."
E) "Many nurses are frustrated because communication between nurses and administration is so poor."

Question 30

Grievances can usually be classified as what?

A) Interference of agency
B) Violations of federal and state law
C) Contract violations
D) Failure of management to meet responsibilities
E) Violation of agency rules

Question 31

Which job responsibilities indicate that a nurse has supervisory capacity? Note: Credit will be given only if all correct choices and no incorrect choices are selected. Select all that apply.

A) The nurse makes clinical judgments about client care.
B) The nurse assigns a nurse assistant to care for a team of clients.
C) The nurse discusses client care with the supervising physician.
D) The nurse hires staff to manage units.
E) The nurse retains responsibility for the actions of nurses assigned to provide client care.

Question 32

The nurse executive is addressing a conference on collective bargaining and nurses. Which statement should the executive include in this address?

A) "It is clear that collective bargaining is the way of the future for nursing."
B) "Collective bargaining does not help nurses influence the practice environment."
C) "Your concerns that collective bargaining may separate staff nurses and managerial nurses are well founded."
D) "The future of collective bargaining in nursing will begin to stabilize along with the healthcare environment."