Deck 15: Labor Relations and Collective Bargaining

Question 1

Which of the following best describes a "yellow dog" contract?

A) As a condition of employment, an employee agrees not to picket.
B) Union members agree to the agency shop form of union security.
C) Employers agree to give union members preference in hiring.
D) As a condition of employment, an employee agrees to not join a union.
E) Employers agree to abide by the guidelines of the local labor unions.

Answer 1

D

Question 2

Right to work laws inhibit union formation by ________.

A) outlawing unions in right to work states
B) prohibiting any form of union security
C) making union membership a precondition for employment
D) leaving the question of union affiliation up to each company
E) leaving the question of union security up to each company

Answer 2

B

Question 3

Which type of union security was outlawed in 1947?

A) agency shop
B) closed shop
C) union shop
D) preferential shop
E) maintenance of membership

Answer 3

B

Question 4

Which of the following best describes the closed shop form of union security?

A) A company can hire nonunion people if they agree to join the union.
B) Union members receive higher wages than nonunion employees.
C) Employees who do not belong to the union are required to pay dues.
D) Union members receive preferential treatment in hiring.
E) A company can hire only union members.

Question 5

One of the earliest unions in the United States,the Knights of Labor,was formed by a group of ________.

A) coal miners
B) tailors
C) carpenters
D) railroad workers
E) printers

Question 6

Which form of union security requires employees who do not belong to the union to pay union dues on the assumption that the union's efforts benefit all workers?

A) closed shop
B) union shop
C) agency shop
D) open shop
E) maintenance of agreement

Question 7

With the maintenance of membership arrangement of union security,how long must union members employed by a firm maintain union membership?

A) until the union disbands
B) until negotiations are over
C) until there is a wage increase
D) for the contract period
E) for at least one year

Question 8

Which of the following best describes the AFL-CIO?

A) voluntary federation of national and international labor unions
B) local union for automobile workers in Detroit, Michigan
C) political lobbying group for public school teachers
D) federation of firms that fight unionization in their plants
E) regional branch of the National Labor Relations Board

Question 9

The ________ form of union security means that the company can hire only union members.

A) closed shop
B) union shop
C) agency shop
D) preferential shop
E) maintenance of membership

Question 10

In which human resource activity does a typical labor agreement NOT give the union a role?

A) recruitment
B) selection
C) compensation
D) dismissal
E) appraisals

Question 11

Which of the following was the primary goal of the American Federation of Labor?

A) achieving political reform
B) gaining a higher social status
C) addressing immigrant labor
D) improving work conditions
E) creating labor legislation

Question 12

About ________% of people working in the United States belong to unions.

A) 5
B) 12
C) 20
D) 45
E) 62

Question 13

The term ________ describes statutory or constitutional provisions banning the requirement of union membership as a condition of employment.

A) termination at will
B) right to work
C) open shop
D) free labor
E) yellow dog

Question 14

Which of the following was part of the New Deal and made union organization easier?

A) Fair Labor Standards Act
B) National Industrial Recovery Act
C) National Labor Relations Act
D) Occupational Safety and Health Act
E) Labor Management Relations Act

Question 15

Who was responsible for forming the American Federation of Labor in 1886?

A) Samuel Gompers
B) Benjamin Franklin
C) Frederick Taylor
D) George Meany
E) Alexander Hamilton

Question 16

Which of the following best explains why union membership has fallen since the 1970s?

A) Legislation provides workers with protections that were once exclusive to unions.
B) Union members earn less on average compared to non-union members.
C) Union membership is too expensive for most blue collar workers.
D) Foreign-owned manufacturers will not hire union members.
E) Unions are considered largely ineffectual.

Question 17

The ________ form of union security means that the company can hire nonunion people,but those people must join the union within a prescribed period of time and pay dues.

A) closed shop
B) union shop
C) agency shop
D) open shop
E) maintenance of agreement

Question 18

Which of the following best defines the preferential shop form of union security?

A) A company can hire nonunion people, but they must then join the union.
B) A company can hire only current union members.
C) Employees who do not belong to the union must still pay dues.
D) A company gives hiring advantages to union members.
E) Union members must maintain membership for the contract period.

Question 19

Which type of union security accounts for almost three-fourths of union contracts?

A) maintenance of membership
B) preferential shop
C) closed shop
D) union shop
E) agency shop

Question 20

Which of the following is a false statement about union membership?

A) Union members work in both blue-collar and white-collar industries.
B) Insurance plan benefits are better for union workers than for nonunion workers.
C) Union members have better long-term disability benefits than non-union workers do.
D) Union workers receive more holidays and unpaid leave than nonunion workers do.
E) Employers prefer nonunion workers, so they pay them higher wages than union members.

Question 21

Which of the following bans certain unfair labor practices and provides for majority rule and secret ballot elections?

A) Landrum-Griffin Act
B) Norris-LaGuardia Act
C) Taft-Hartley Act
D) Davis-Bacon Act
E) Wagner Act

Question 22

Which of the following was passed in 1935 to amend the Norris -LaGuardia Act?

A) Taft-Hartley Act
B) New Deal Act
C) Wagner Act
D) Landrum-Griffin Act
E) Equal Pay Act

Question 23

Which law sought to protect union members from possible wrongdoing on the part of their unions?

A) Norris-LaGuardia Act
B) Taft-Hartley Act
C) Civil Rights Act
D) Wagner Act
E) Landrum-Griffin Act

Question 24

Which of the following was NOT designated an unfair labor practice by the Wagner Act?

A) bribing employees
B) requiring yellow dog contracts
C) using company spy systems
D) moving businesses to avoid unionization
E) black-listing union sympathizers

Question 25

Hyper-Tech Enterprises manufactures mechanical parts used in air conditioning and heating units.The company employs over 300 workers at its Alabama facility.None of the Hyper-Tech employees belong to a union; however,management believes that unionization is in the near future.A representative of a local union has recently visited Hyper-Tech in an attempt to solicit members and have them sign authorization cards.Enough eligible employees have signed authorization cards to petition the NLRB for an election.Hyper-Tech's top executives are considering fighting the unionization efforts.
Which of the following questions is LEAST relevant to the decision by Hyper-Tech to fight unionization efforts?

A) How many Hyper-Tech employees were hired within the last year?
B) What percentage of Hyper-Tech employees signed authorization cards?
C) Does Hyper-Tech qualify for coverage by the National Labor Relations Board?
D) What is the opinion of Hyper-Tech's shareholders and creditors regarding unionization?
E) What are the laws regarding what Hyper-Tech managers can and cannot do during a campaign?

Question 26

You are a manager at a manufacturing facility,and you tell your subordinates that unions are dangerous to the economy.Which law protects your right to express these views?

A) Norris-LaGuardia Act
B) Taft-Hartley Act
C) Gompers Act
D) Wagner Act
E) Landrum-Griffin Act

Question 27

According to the Landrum-Griffin Act,national and international unions must elect officers at least once every ________ years.

A) two
B) three
C) four
D) five
E) six

Question 28

Which of the following is the most likely reason for the passage of the Taft-Hartley Act?

A) pressure from AFL-CIO
B) high unemployment rates
C) significant economic boom
D) major shifts in the workforce
E) numerous union strikes

Question 29

Which of the following guaranteed each employee the right to bargain collectively without interference,restraint,or coercion?

A) National Labor Relations Act
B) Norris-LaGuardia Act
C) National Labor Relations Board
D) AFL-CIO
E) Taft-Hartley Act

Question 30

Union authorization cards serve all of the following functions EXCEPT ________.

A) authorizing a union election
B) subjecting the employee to union rules
C) stating that the employee has applied for membership
D) enabling employers to modify employment conditions
E) designating the union as a bargaining representative

Question 31

The Taft-Hartley Act prohibits all of the following union labor practices EXCEPT ________.

A) requiring an employer to pay an employee for services not performed
B) forcing an employer to fire a worker for failing to attend union meetings
C) refusing to bargain in good faith with an employer about wages and hours
D) restraining or coercing employees from exercising their guaranteed bargaining rights
E) demanding an employer to fire a worker who fails to pay union dues in a closed shop

Question 32

Which of the following was established by the Wagner Act?

A) National Labor Relations Committee
B) Labor Management Relations Board
C) National Labor Relations Board
D) Knights of Labor
E) AFL-CIO

Question 33

The National Labor Relations Board was primarily established for the purpose of ________.

A) establishing branches in right-to-work states
B) negotiating contracts on behalf of local unions
C) managing the membership of the AFL-CIO
D) investigating unfair labor practice charges
E) overseeing the establishment of local unions

Question 34

Which of the following terms refers to an unfair labor practice in which a union requires an employer to pay an employee for services not performed?

A) coercing
B) padding
C) ballooning
D) inflating
E) featherbedding

Question 35

Which of the following best describes the purpose of the Wagner Act?

A) guaranteeing each employee the right to bargain collectively free from interference and coercion
B) banning unions from preventing employees from exercising their guaranteed bargaining rights
C) allowing secret-ballot elections for determining whether a firm's employees would unionize
D) making it illegal for a union to refuse to bargain in god faith with the employer
E) protecting union members from possible wrongdoing on the part of their unions

Question 36

Which of the following is a union organizing tactic by which union members are placed on nonunion job sites?

A) featherbedding
B) union salting
C) mediating
D) bargaining
E) picketing

Question 37

What percentage of eligible employees in a bargaining unit must sign authorization cards in order for the union to petition the NLRB for an election?

A) 10
B) 20
C) 30
D) 40
E) 50

Question 38

Prior to 1930,employers attempted to limit the influence of unions using all of the following methods EXCEPT ________.

A) spies
B) collective bargaining
C) firing union agitators
D) blacklisting union members
E) requiring yellow dog contracts

Question 39

What is the first step in the union drive process?

A) obtaining authorization cards from employees
B) making initial contact with employees
C) holding an initial organization hearing
D) campaigning for employee votes
E) holding a consent election

Question 40

The Taft-Hartley Act amended the Wagner Act in all of the following ways EXCEPT by ________.

A) prohibiting unfair labor practices
B) enumerating the rights of employers
C) enumerating the rights of employees as union members
D) limiting the power of the National Labor Review Board
E) allowing the U.S. President to bar national emergency strikes

Question 41

Which of the following terms refers to a collective bargaining situation that occurs when the parties are not able to move further toward settlement?

A) impasse
B) picketing
C) arbitration
D) fact finding
E) wildcat strike

Question 42

Which third-party intervention uses a neutral third party to assist the principals in reaching agreement?

A) fact finding
B) mediation
C) binding arbitration
D) interest arbitration
E) non-binding arbitration

Question 43

All of the following are examples of mandatory bargaining items EXCEPT ________.

A) employee security
B) shift differentials
C) profit-sharing plans
D) indemnity bonds
E) employee drug testing

Question 44

Negotiators use all of the following types of third-party interventions to overcome an impasse EXCEPT ________.

A) binding arbitration
B) nonbinding arbitration
C) mediation
D) fact finding
E) picketing

Question 45

Which of the following terms refers to the group of employees the union will be authorized to represent?

A) bargaining unit
B) union delegation
C) mediating group
D) negotiating team
E) grievance committee

Question 46

Which of the following is an illegal bargaining item?

A) membership of bargaining team
B) discriminatory treatment
C) employee drug testing
D) continuance of past contract
E) employment of strikebreaker

Question 47

All of the following increase the likelihood that an employer will lose an NLRB election EXCEPT ________.

A) focusing primarily on wage and benefits issues
B) appointing a committee to manage the campaign
C) distributing employee need and attitude surveys
D) delegating personnel relations issues to plant managers
E) focusing on salaried professionals instead of hourly workers

Question 48

Hyper-Tech Enterprises manufactures mechanical parts used in air conditioning and heating units.The company employs over 300 workers at its Alabama facility.None of the Hyper-Tech employees belong to a union; however,management believes that unionization is in the near future.A representative of a local union has recently visited Hyper-Tech in an attempt to solicit members and have them sign authorization cards.Enough eligible employees have signed authorization cards to petition the NLRB for an election.Hyper-Tech's top executives are considering fighting the unionization efforts.
Which of the following,if true,supports the argument by the NLRB that Hyper-Tech has conducted unfair labor practices?

A) Hyper-Tech managers prohibited union representatives from soliciting employees who were on duty.
B) Hyper-Tech managers intervened when pro-union employees solicited other employees while both were on duty.
C) Hyper-Tech managers barred nonemployee union representatives from entering the firm's building.
D) Hyper-Tech managers prevented nonemployee union representatives from the parking lot for safety reasons.
E) Hyper-Tech managers prohibited distribution of union literature in the company cafeteria.

Question 49

The union becomes the employees' representative if it receives ________.

A) a majority of the votes cast by stockholders
B) a majority of the votes cast by the bargaining unit
C) signed authorization cards from 30% of employees
D) written approval from the employer
E) a majority of the votes cast

Question 50

Hyper-Tech Enterprises manufactures mechanical parts used in air conditioning and heating units.The company employs over 300 workers at its Alabama facility.None of the Hyper-Tech employees belong to a union; however,management believes that unionization is in the near future.A representative of a local union has recently visited Hyper-Tech in an attempt to solicit members and have them sign authorization cards.Enough eligible employees have signed authorization cards to petition the NLRB for an election.Hyper-Tech's top executives are considering fighting the unionization efforts.
Which of the following,if true,best supports the suggestion that Hyper-Tech will lose an NLRB election?

A) Hyper-Tech recently distributed employee surveys that indicated overall job satisfaction.
B) Hyper-Tech executives have decided that a committee should manage the campaign.
C) Hyper-Tech is focusing exclusively on employee wages and benefits in its campaign efforts.
D) Hyper-Tech managers have been told to share their opinions about unions with subordinates.
E) Hyper-Tech managers have been told to avoid making promises to their subordinates.

Question 51

Which of the following terms refers to items in collective bargaining over which bargaining is neither illegal nor mandatory?

A) group bargaining items
B) permissible bargaining items
C) conditional bargaining items
D) benefits-related bargaining items
E) wage-related bargaining items

Question 52

All of the following are examples of permissible bargaining items EXCEPT ________.

A) cafeteria prices
B) use of union label
C) severance pay
D) scope of bargaining unit
E) pension benefits for retired employees

Question 53

________ is the process of legally terminating a union's right to represent employees.

A) Union salting
B) Featherbedding
C) Certification
D) Decertification
E) Collective bargaining

Question 54

Managers from Ford and representatives from United Auto Workers are in the first stage of collective bargaining over benefits and wages.Which of the following is most likely occurring?

A) Subcommittes are forming to create alternatives.
B) Each side is trading some of its demands.
C) Each side is checking terms with superiors.
D) Each side is presenting its demands.
E) Both parties are signing an agreement.

Question 55

Which of the following situations would most likely improve a union's chances of winning a certification election at your firm?

A) geographic area with low percentage of union workers
B) high unemployment in the geographic area
C) affiliation with the Teamsters union
D) small bargaining units
E) a large portion of workers voting

Question 56

Which of the following is a characteristic of good faith bargaining?

A) overlooking bargaining items
B) making counterproposals
C) making unilateral changes in conditions
D) bypassing the union representative
E) imposing unreasonable conditions

Question 57

According to research,which of the following variables has the greatest influence on NLRB elections?

A) bargaining unit demographics
B) employer tactics
C) election background
D) union tactics
E) employer characteristics

Question 58

When representatives of Ford's management and autoworkers union meet to negotiate a labor agreement,which of the following is most likely occurring?

A) certification
B) union salting
C) featherbedding
D) decertification
E) collective bargaining

Question 59

Which intervention method listed below is the most definitive of all third-party interventions?

A) fact finding
B) mediation
C) binding arbitration
D) interest arbitration
E) non-binding arbitration

Question 60

Hyper-Tech Enterprises manufactures mechanical parts used in air conditioning and heating units.The company employs over 300 workers at its Alabama facility.None of the Hyper-Tech employees belong to a union; however,management believes that unionization is in the near future.A representative of a local union has recently visited Hyper-Tech in an attempt to solicit members and have them sign authorization cards.Enough eligible employees have signed authorization cards to petition the NLRB for an election.Hyper-Tech's top executives are considering fighting the unionization efforts. Which of the following,if true,best supports the argument that Hyper-Tech should contest the union's right to an election?

A) Hyper-Tech has hired a labor relations consultant to provide advice on union campaign procedures and any relevant laws.
B) Managers believe that they may have inadvertently hired union salts, who most likely instigated the unionization movement at Hyper-Tech.
C) The process outlined at Hyper-Tech for filing employee grievances differs from the grievance procedures at other firms in the same industry.
D) Hyper-Tech management believes that if employees are provided with additional information from the firm that they will revoke their authorization cards.
E) Hyper-Tech managers will soon be conducting annual employee performance appraisals and determining what salary adjustments to make.

Question 61

The National Air Traffic Controllers Association and the Federal Aviation Administration have reached an impasse during collective bargaining.Which of the following will most likely be used to reach a settlement?

A) fact finding
B) mediation
C) binding arbitration
D) interest arbitration
E) non-binding arbitration

Question 62

Right to work refers to state statutory or constitutional provisions banning the requirement of union membership as a condition of employment.

Question 63

All of the following most likely explain the decline in union membership EXCEPT ________.

A) legislative protections for workers
B) improved wages and benefits
C) increased global competition
D) technological improvements
E) just-in-time production systems

Question 64

Employers dealing with an unfair labor practice strike can use all of the following responses EXCEPT ________.

A) shutting down the affected area until the strike ends
B) contracting out work to other operations
C) continuing operations with supervisors filling in
D) hiring temporary replacement workers
E) hiring permanent replacement workers

Question 65

The Knights of Labor were primarily interested in political and social reform during the industrial revolution in the United States.

Question 66

A strike that results from a failure to agree on the terms of a contract,such as wages and benefits,is known as a(n)________ strike.

A) arbitrary
B) wildcat
C) economic
D) sympathy
E) unfair labor practices

Question 67

The Landrum-Griffin Act of 1932 encouraged union activity by guaranteeing each employee the right to bargain collectively without interference,restraint,or coercion.

Question 68

Union membership is exclusive to blue-collar workers,such as those in the construction,manufacturing,and printing industries.

Question 69

Which of the following terms refers to a strike that takes place when one union strikes in support of another union?

A) wildcat strike
B) economic strike
C) unfair labor practices strike
D) bargaining strike
E) sympathy strike

Question 70

Union tactics designed to impede or disrupt production by encouraging employees to slow the pace of work,refuse to work overtime,and participate in sick-outs are called ________.

A) espionage
B) inside games
C) lockouts
D) injunctions
E) strikes

Question 71

All states give unions the right to require union membership as a condition of employment.

Question 72

Which of the following terms refers to the formal process for addressing any factor involving wages,hours,or conditions of employment that is used as a complaint against the employer?

A) negotiation
B) collective bargaining
C) court injunction
D) grievance procedure
E) arbitration method

Question 73

Jeff is a manager at a paper mill.He has received a grievance from a group of employees who are union members.The grievance claims that a plant rule barring employees from eating during unscheduled breaks is arbitrary and unfair.What should Jeff do?

A) Discuss the case privately with the union steward.
B) Respond to the grievance with long, written answers.
C) Agree to make informal changes to the rules.
D) Examine the grievants' personnel records.
E) Make special arrangements with the grievants.

Question 74

It is legal for union organizers to solicit employees for membership as long as the effort does not endanger the performance or safety of the employees.

Question 75

Right to work legislation outlaws unions and union membership in specific states.

Question 76

Weekly earnings of union members are much higher than those of nonunion workers.

Question 77

The Change to Win Coalition was formed by several large unions that left the AFL-CIO due to concerns that the AFL-CIO was not aggressively organizing workers.

Question 78

If passed,the Employee Free Choice Act would ________.

A) ban union membership for federal employees
B) allow mass union e-mails at the work place
C) allow the formation of global unions
D) institute a card check system
E) overturn the Wagner Act

Question 79

Fact finding seeks to end an impasse by ________.

A) assisting the principals in reaching an agreement
B) studying the issues and making a public recommendation
C) determining and dictating the settlement terms
D) interpreting and analyzing existing contract terms
E) communicating assessments of the likelihood of a strike

Question 80

The Taft-Hartley Act amended the National Labor Relations Act by prohibiting unfair union labor practices and specifying the rights of both employers and employees.