Deck 6: Negotiating the Labor Agreement

Question 1

A party's resistance point on a bargaining issue represents that point beyond which that party would prefer no settlement to settlement on unacceptable terms.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

Any failure to reach an agreement on contract language concerning a mandatory bargaining subject represents a violation of the duty to bargain in good faith.

Answer 2

False

Question 3

In some cases a specific,single action by an employer constitutes an unfair labor practice in bargaining.

Answer 3

True

Question 4

Approaching the bargaining process as a mutual problem-solving exercise is a characteristic of distributive bargaining.

Question 5

When a distributive bargaining approach is used to negotiate labor contract terms,the same party always wins (gains more)on every bargaining issue.

Question 6

Smaller-sized (less than 10 individuals)bargaining teams are generally preferable to larger bargaining teams to enhance bargaining effectiveness.

Question 7

Bargaining power is more likely to be an important determinant of negotiated outcomes when the parties use a distributive bargaining approach or strategy.

Question 8

Possible government intervention in a labor dispute is a factor which could alter a union's or management's perception of their relative bargaining power in that labor dispute.

Question 9

Management would probably prefer centralized bargaining if it had three separate manufacturing facilities (bargaining units),each making the same product.

Question 10

"Voluntary" (also called permissive or non-mandatory)issues must be bargained over but agreement does not have to be reached.

Question 11

Profit sharing represents a mandatory subject of bargaining.

Question 12

Unions do not place upper limits on their bargaining ranges because they maintain,"nothing ventured,nothing gained."

Question 13

The proportion of an employer's total operating costs comprised of labor costs is termed the degree of labor intensiveness.

Question 14

Where there is substantial continuity in a unionized firm's operation after transfer of ownership occurs,the purchaser of the business would be classified as a new employer for the purpose of determining the employer's legal duty to bargain.

Question 15

It is unlawful for an employer to refuse to comply with a union's request to furnish information held by the employer which is relevant and necessary for the union to represent bargaining unit members in contract negotiations or grievance handling duties.

Question 16

Auto industry contract negotiations in 2007 represent an example of pattern bargaining.

Question 17

Generally,high unemployment reduces the union's cost of disagreeing with management.

Question 18

In labor negotiations,it is possible for both union and management negotiators to perceive they have been successful after completing contract negotiations.

Question 19

Centralized (multi-employer)bargaining is frequently not found in the construction,coal,and trucking industries.

Question 20

A dispute between union and management negotiators over what the terms and conditions of employment will be is termed an interest dispute.

Question 21

Which of the following does not pertain to successor (new)employer bargaining obligations?

A) the desire of the owner to operate on a nonunion basis
B) the degree of change in the firm's operation brought about by new ownership
C) whether most employees remain the same after the ownership change
D) whether the firm remains in the same location after the ownership change
E) all of these pertain to successor (new) employer bargaining obligations

Question 22

Contract negotiations can result in which of the following outcomes?

A) decertification of the union as the employees' bargaining representative
B) a lock-in by the union to force management into a contract settlement
C) a voluntarily negotiated contract settlement
D) a lock-in by management to force the union into a contract settlement
E) all of these

Question 23

Which one of the following would not be a characteristic of a distributive bargaining approach?

A) a focus on maximizing your own party's interests
B) a focus on cost/benefit analysis to determine the acceptability of contract proposals
C) an attempt to structure communication patterns during negotiations to maintain focus on your own party's proposals
D) an effort to identify multiple alternatives capable of achieving a mutually satisfactory bargaining outcome rather than focusing on narrowing the gap between each party's established position on issues in dispute
E) none of these are characteristics of a distributive bargaining approach

Question 24

Which one of the following are mandatory bargaining subject?

A) profit-sharing plan
B) job promotion criteria
C) amount of employee discount on the purchase of company products or services
D) all of these
E) none of these

Question 25

In the Chamberlain and Kuhn bargaining power model,one party's bargaining power can be conceptualized as equal to the other party's cost of _____ the proposed settlement terms divided by their cost of _____ to such terms.

A) agreeing with; disagreeing
B) disagreeing with; agreeing
C) seeking to arbitrate; seeking to mediate
D) seeking to mediate; seeking to arbitrate
E) agreeing with; seeking to arbitrate

Question 26

Which one of the following bargaining tactics would be least likely to be used by either union or management negotiators because of the high credibility risks involved?

A) attempting to appear more firmly committed to one's bargaining position than they are
B) deliberate deception or falsification of information
C) painting a picture of the economic loss to the other side
D) imposing time pressure (e.g., strike deadline, proposal acceptance deadline)
E) taking a recess during a negotiation meeting

Question 27

The point (terms)beyond which a bargaining party would prefer no settlement to settlement on the other party's less favorable proposed terms is termed that party's:

A) end point.
B) termination point.
C) preference point.
D) resistance point.
E) break-even point.

Question 28

In anticipating union bargaining proposals,management can consider:

A) the proceedings of the national union's convention.
B) recent contract settlements negotiated by the company's competitors.
C) collective bargaining agreements negotiated by other firms in the same geographical region.
D) all of these
E) none of these

Question 29

Under the bargaining power model,when is the union's bargaining power increased?

A) it costs more for management to disagree than agree with the union
B) it costs more for management to agree than to disagree with the union
C) it costs more for the union to agree than disagree with management
D) it costs less for the union to agree than disagree with management
E) it costs less for management to disagree than to agree with the union

Question 30

The minimum yearly cost of a one-cent-per-hour wage increase at a facility of 1,000 employees is:

A) $10,400.
B) $1,000.
C) $20,800.
D) $202,400
E) approximately $300,000.

Question 31

Bargaining power is more likely to be an important determinant of negotiated outcomes in which one of the following types of bargaining?

A) distributive bargaining
B) mutual gain bargaining
C) intraorganizational bargaining
D) interest-based bargaining
E) win-win bargaining

Question 32

The labor relations term for the increase in employee benefit costs that automatically occurs as the result of an increase in an employee's straight-time hourly wage rate is the:

A) magnifier effect.
B) acceleration factor.
C) booster effect.
D) roll-up factor.
E) progressive cost factor.

Question 33

A lock-in agreement:

A) requires each union-represented bargaining unit covered by the agreement not to reach a final contract settlement until all unions covered by the agreement are willing to settle.
B) is an agreement between unions.
C) forces the employer to address the concerns of all bargaining units at the same time.
D) has been ruled unlawful by the NLRB.
E) all of these

Question 34

Mutual gain bargaining is also referred to as:

A) distributive bargaining.
B) interest-based bargaining.
C) good-faith bargaining.
D) intraorganizational bargaining.
E) voluntary bargaining.

Question 35

One party is willing to meet at length and confer but merely goes through the motions of bargaining. Proposals are made that cannot be accepted,an inflexible attitude on major issues is taken,and no alternative proposals are offered.This scenario best describes:

A) bypassing the representative.
B) dilatory tactics.
C) imposing conditions.
D) surface bargaining.
E) intraorganizational bargaining.

Question 36

If an employer claims an inability to pay for a union's bargaining proposal,the union is entitled:

A) to receive stock options equal to the dollar amount the employer claims it is unable to pay.
B) to file an unfair labor practice against management's refusal to bargaining in good faith.
C) access to company financial information necessary to validate the employer's inability to pay claim.
D) to the same percentage wage and benefit increase planned for managerial employees.
E) to declare a bad-faith bargaining impasse.

Question 37

"Mandatory" subjects of bargaining:

A) must be negotiated if one party raises the issue.
B) must be negotiated until agreement is reached if one party raises the issue.
C) do not have to be negotiated if one party raises the issue.
D) mandates that a federal mediator will resolve the differences between the parties if they can't reach agreement on one or more bargaining subjects.
E) mandates that a federal mediator must approve the agreement.

Question 38

When would management officials probably prefer centralized (multi-plant)bargaining?

A) when the products at each plant are interdependent (Plant A's product is necessary for Plant B's product).
B) when the products at each plant are independent of each other (Plant A's product is not necessary to produce Plant B's product).
C) when both plants' products are labor intensive
D) when neither plants' products are labor intensive
E) when both plants' products are independent and labor intensive

Question 39

This hard-line approach developed by a labor relations manager at GE meant to circumvent the union was found to be an unfair labor practice:

A) Boulwarism
B) Gomperism
C) interdependent bargaining.
D) intensity bargaining.
E) mutual-gain bargaining.

Question 40

Which one of the following should not be a relevant consideration when selecting members for a management negotiating team?

A) whether the individual occupies a line or staff managerial position within the firm
B) perceived need for an individual's skills and abilities
C) political considerations
D) desired size of the bargaining team (i.e., number of team members)
E) all of these are relevant to consider when selecting members for a management negotiating team