Deck 13: Labor Relations in the Public Sector

Question 1

If a governmental unit privatizes a government service to a private business,the private employer is likely to be covered under the Labor Management Relations Act.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

If a subject of collective bargaining is permissible,both parties are required to negotiate in good faith,even though an agreement may not be reached.

Answer 2

False

Question 3

The threat of a strike seems to encourage voluntary settlement efforts at the bargaining table while the availability of interest arbitration may reduce such incentive producing a "chilling effect" on negotiations.

Answer 3

False

Question 4

A majority of teachers,firefighters,and police are represented by public-sector unions.

Question 5

The Federal Service Impasse Panel (FSIP)investigates any negotiation impasse presented to it but is not authorized to take any action to settle the dispute.

Question 6

Union negotiators have more difficulty determining "who speaks for management" in public-sector bargaining as compared to private-sector negotiations.

Question 7

The Civil Service Reform Act (CSRA)makes it an unfair labor practice for a party to refuse or fail to cooperate in impasse procedures.

Question 8

Public-sector union membership is much greater in the Northeast,North,and West than in the South and Midwest.

Question 9

A major advantage of the Civil Service Reform Act (CSRA)was that it established the framework for labor relations in the federal government by legislation,instead of by Executive Order.

Question 10

The sovereignty doctrine makes it difficult to delegate decision-making authority to specific administrative officials

Question 11

Under the Civil Service Reform Act (CSRA),management is prohibited from assisting a labor organization.

Question 12

While strikes have been outlawed for most public employees,they still occur in some states.

Question 13

Under final offer arbitration (FOA),the arbitrator selects the best package settlement presented by the union or management or proposes a compromise of both positions by splitting the difference.

Question 14

Under the Homeland Security Act of 2002,the President may waive employee and union rights granted under the Civil Service Reform Act.

Question 15

The budget tends to play a more conspicuous role in private-sector collective bargaining than it does in public-sector bargaining.

Question 16

In the federal sector,the agency and the exclusively recognized union have a duty to meet at reasonable times and confer in good faith with respect to mandatory subjects of collective bargaining.

Question 17

The so-called "free rider" issue is of little concern for public-sector unions.

Question 18

Public-sector supervisors and other lower to midlevel managers have the right to engage in collective bargaining in more than a dozen states.

Question 19

As in the private sector,the market economic system controls the price,quality,and availability of most services in the public sector.

Question 20

Favorable public-sector labor legislation appears to be a significant factor encouraging growth in public-sector bargaining within a state.

Question 21

A criticism of public-sector interest arbitration is that it:

A) Has no finality.
B) Has a "narcotic effect" on the parties.
C) Ends with a recommendation only but is not binding.
D) Should be more formalized.
E) Can go on almost indefinitely.

Question 22

Which of the following has NOT contributed to the growth of public-sector unionization?

A) The general public's somewhat favorable attitude toward public-sector unionization
B) The establishment and success of impasse procedures to resolve public-sector labor disputes
C) Favorable public-sector labor laws
D) Privatization and downsizing of public-sector jobs
E) Reducing management's cost of agreeing with the union by campaigning to fund the negotiated labor agreement.

Question 23

The Federal Labor Relations Authority (FLRA)was established by:

A) Executive Order 11838.
B) The Civil Service Reform Act of 1978.
C) The Department of Health,Education,and Welfare.
D) A joint venture between Congress and union leaders.
E) Congressional Order 56552.

Question 24

Each of the following subjects is permissible in federal-sector negotiations except:

A) Types and grades of positions assigned to any organizational unit.
B) Management rights such as determining mission,budget,and internal security practices.
C) Tour of duty.
D) Use of technology in the workplace.
E) Methods and means of performing work.

Question 25

Which of the following is NOT considered an unfair labor practice under the Civil Service Reform Act (CSRA)?

A) Refusing to negotiate over a "permissible" bargaining subject
B) Restraining and coercing employees in the exercise of their rights
C) Encouraging or discouraging union membership
D) Controlling or assisting a labor organization
E) Refusing to negotiate with a designated labor organization

Question 26

Which one of the following strategies is NOT a strategy that is commonly used to increase a public employer's cost of continuing to disagree with a union bargaining proposal?

A) A threat to "blow the whistle" on a questionable management practice.
B) A threat to conduct a recall election.
C) A threat to withdraw the political support of union members
D) Malicious obedience or "working to rule" in order to slow down work
E) Use of various job action techniques.

Question 27

The existence of monopolistic conditions in the public sector,and their control of the services rendered and products offered also exist in the private sector.

Question 28

Which one of the following organizations consists of one chairperson and at least six members appointed by the President that investigate any negotiation impasse presented and is authorized to take any necessary action to settle the dispute?

A) Federal Service Impasse Panel
B) Federal Trade Commission
C) National Labor Relation Commission
D) Federal Labor Relations Authority
E) Federal Negotiations Service

Question 29

Employee grievances over matters concerning adverse action,position classification,and equal employment opportunity are covered by the CSRA.

Question 30

At what level of government are the highest percent of public-sector employees who are union members found?

A) Federal.
B) Municipal.
C) Regional.
D) State.
E) Local.

Question 31

The federal government agency that administers the federal relations program and investigates unfair labor practices is the:

A) Federal Labor Relations Board.
B) National Labor Relations Board.
C) Civil Service Reform Board.
D) Federal Labor Relations Authority.
E) Federal Reserve System.

Question 32

Nonpaying employees must be represented in collective bargaining,grievance administration,and arbitration by the unions are called:

A) Freely represented.
B) Free-from-dues.
C) Free to work.
D) Free members.
E) Free riders.

Question 33

The public-sector employee group most likely to participate in strikes is:

A) Garbage collectors.
B) Police.
C) Educators.
D) Public utility workers.
E) Mass transit workers.

Question 34

The designation granted to a labor union by the federal government that indicates that the union has been selected by secret ballot of employees to be the exclusive representative of a group of employees is called:

A) Multilateral bargaining.
B) Exclusive recognition.
C) Amalgamation.
D) Nnational consultation.
E) Empowered representation.

Question 35

The Civil Service Reform Act (CSRA)created the Merit System Protection Board (MSPB)which is an independent quasi-judicial agency to hear appeals from federal employees.

Question 36

The most used and least studied dispute resolution procedure used in the public sector is:

A) Arbitration.
B) Fist-fighting.
C) Fact finding.
D) Mediation.
E) Referendum.

Question 37

The patronage system,also called the "spoils system" was applauded for providing qualified individuals that could get things done.

Question 38

Which of the following is NOT a responsibility of the Federal Labor Relations Authority (FLRA)?

A) Oversees the creation of bargaining units.
B) Supervises representation elections.
C) Conducts hearings and resolves complaints of unfair labor practices.
D) Hears appeals regarding arbitrator awards.
E) Provides assistance in resolving negotiation impasses.

Question 39

Fact-finding and arbitration are successful in resolving impasses because these procedures provide deadlines for the parties to resolve their differences.

Question 40

Which of the following is NOT true about privatization?

A) Where employees lacked collective bargaining rights in the public sector,privatization of their jobs has provided many of them with the opportunity to be represented by a union in the private sector.
B) Privatization of public-sector jobs was begun in the 1980s under the Reagan administration.
C) The Bush administration has proposed privatizing up to half of all federal public-sector jobs.
D) Public-sector jobs are more likely to be privatized when the public sector union-management relationship is adversarial.
E) The private sector cannot enter into contract with government agencies.

Question 41

State laws that allow citizens to observe the collective bargaining process are referred to as:

A) Sunshine laws.
B) Blue laws.
C) Sunset laws.
D) Watergate laws.
E) Fishbowl laws.

Question 42

The term used when unions support political leaders who in turn reward public employees with better pension benefits and job security is:

A) ​Kickbacks.
B) ​Jury rigged.
C) ​Returned favors.
D) ​Hand-wash-hand
E) ​Payola.

Question 43

Using the _______________ approach,an arbitrator chooses the entirety of either the union's or management's final offer covering all disputed issues.

A) Issue-by-issue final offer arbitration (FOA)
B) Whole issue SOL
C) Whole issue final offer arbitration (FOA)
D) Bottom line final offer arbitration (FOA)
E) Total package selection final offer arbitration (FOA)

Question 44

What is the labor relations term used to describe the involvement of multiple parties in the collective bargaining process,particularly applicable to state and local level public sector bargaining?

A) Sunshine bargaining.
B) Transpartite bargaining.
C) Sovereignty bargaining.
D) Multilateral bargaining.
E) End-run bargaining.

Question 45

The agency which provides assistance in resolving negotiation impasses between federal agencies and unions in the federal government is the:

A) ​Federal Labor Relations Authority.
B) Federal Service Impasse Panel (FSIP).​
C) ​Merit System Protection Board (MSPB).
D) ​Civil Service Reform Act (CSRA).
E) ​Empowerment Agency.

Question 46

The independent,neutral agency that administers the federal labor relations program and investigates unfair labor practices is the:

A) ​Federal Labor Relations Authority.
B) ​Federal Service Impasse Panel (FSIP).
C) ​Merit System Protection Board (MSPB).
D) ​Civil Service Reform Act (CSRA).
E) ​Empowerment Agency.

Question 47

Which of the following statements about the rights and obligations of public-sector employees is NOT correct?

A) Because citizens indirectly pay public-sector workers' salaries,employers have to be mindful of the image that employees project.
B) Public-sector employees' political activities and off-the-job behavior are regulated more closely than most private-sector workers.
C) A public-sector employee's rights to expression and association cannot be limited any more than the similar rights of private-sector workers.
D) Tenured public-sector employees have the right to be informed of the charges against them and have an opportunity to respond before they can be fired.
E) A public-sector employee's First Amendment right to expression cannot be overruled simply by the employer's need for efficient work operations.

Question 48

Which of the following statements is false about the differences between the public and private sectors?

A) There are frequently no good substitutes available for the products/services offered by the public sector.
B) Monopolistic conditions frequently exist in the public sector.
C) Market forces act to constrain union and management negotiators in the public sector in much the same way that market forces constrain their private sector counterparts.
D) Productivity bargaining is especially difficult because it is so difficult to measure productivity when it comes to many public-sector services.
E) The market economy does not operate in the public sector.

Question 49

The quasi-judicial agency that hears appeals from federal employees who allege violations of their employment rights is the:

A) ​Federal Labor Relations Authority.
B) ​Federal Service Impasse Panel (FSIP).
C) ​Merit System Protection Board (MSPB).
D) ​Civil Service Reform Act (CSRA).
E) ​Empowerment Agency.

Question 50

The term used to describe the involvement of multiple parties in the collective bargaining process,particularly at the state and local levels is called

A) ​End-run bargaining.
B) ​Sunshine Law.
C) ​Multilateral bargaining.
D) ​Interest arbitration.
E) ​Round-table meeting.