Deck 12: Industrial Relations

Question 1

Some Australian industries have been described as 'sheltered workshops' because of:

A) protectionism.
B) paternalism.
C) realism.
D) nationalism.

Answer 1

protectionism.

Question 2

Critics of globalisation have argued that it is an excuse for:

A) hiring cheaper labour and increasing employee benefits.
B) increased productivity and poorer quality goods and services.
C) anti-union behaviour designed to de-collectivise the workplace.
D) the introduction of new unions and changed employment conditions.

Answer 2

anti-union behaviour designed to de-collectivise the workplace.

Question 3

Which of the following characteristics tend to be associated with a collectivist perspective?

A) Broadly defined jobs
B) Minimal union involvement
C) Individual bargaining
D) No recognition of individual performance

Answer 3

No recognition of individual performance

Question 4

Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of a HRM approach?

A) Flexible work practices
B) Little trust between management and workers
C) An emphasis on teamwork
D) A belief that employees are an organisation's most valuable asset

Question 5

Under the unitarist approach to industrial relations:

A) organisations are coalitions of competing interests, where management's role is to mediate amongst the different interest groups.
B) trade unions are legitimate representatives of employee interests.
C) stability in industrial relations is the product of concessions and compromises between management and unions.
D) management and employees' work is grounded in mutual cooperation, individual treatment, teamwork and the sharing of common objectives.

Question 6

Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of the pluralist approach to industrial relations?

A) Industrial relations is grounded in mutual cooperation, individual treatment, teamwork and the sharing of common objectives.
B) Organisations are coalitions of competing interests, where management's role is to mediate amongst the different interest groups.
C) Trade unions are legitimate representatives of employee interests.
D) Stability in industrial relations is the product of concessions and compromises between management and unions.

Question 7

According to the pluralist approach to industrial relations:

A) workplace conflict is seen as a temporary aberration, resulting from poor management; employees who don't fit with the organisation's culture or trade union activity.
B) conflict is inherent in all organisations and the legitimacy of management authority is not automatically accepted.
C) trade unions are regarded as competitors for the employee's commitment and cooperation.
D) conflict in the form of strikes is regarded as not only unnecessary but destructive.

Question 8

The Marxist approach to industrial relations sees conflict as:

A) a temporary aberration, resulting from poor management.
B) an aspect of class conflict.
C) not only unnecessary, but destructive.
D) inherent in all organisations.

Question 9

Awards:

A) are written determinations setting out legally enforceable terms and conditions of employment.
B) are the result of individual negotiation between an employer and individual employee.
C) were regulated by the AFPC under WorkChoices.
D) were increasingly important under WorkChoices.

Question 10

The Howard Coalition government pursued policies promoting:

A) collectivism.
B) participative management.
C) individualism
D) union membership.

Question 11

Organisations that represent employer interests at industrial tribunals and provide a range of IR advisory services are known as:

A) employment bodies.
B) employer associations.
C) organisational advisory boards.
D) employment services associations.

Question 12

Formal organisations that represent individuals employed in one organisation, industry or occupation are known as:

A) trade unions.
B) employee associations.
C) craft guilds.
D) workers' support bodies.

Question 13

Trade unions have traditionally focused on all of the following EXCEPT:

A) conditions of work.
B) pay rates.
C) job satisfaction.
D) job security.

Question 14

The Australian Council of Trade Unions is:

A) a committee established to investigate trade union practices.
B) the national trade union organisation which represents the Australian trade union movement.
C) an organisation that periodically audits trade unions.
D) a body of people who are focused on recruiting new members for the various trade unions within Australia's manufacturing industries.

Question 15

Which of the following is NOT a function of the ACTU?

A) Consultation with state and federal governments
B) Encouraging closer cooperation between unions
C) Coordinating national industrial campaigns
D) Undertaking enterprise bargaining on behalf of individual employees

Question 16

Approximately what percentage of the Australian workforce is unionised today?

A) 59%
B) 18%
C) 31%
D) 12%

Question 17

Which of the following is NOT a challenge faced by trade unions?

A) Removal of job demarcations
B) Financial insolvency
C) Privatisation
D) Reduced workplace flexibility

Question 18

Research has found that it is not the trade union agenda that fails to appeal to younger workers but rather:

A) the perception that union fees are too expensive and not value for money.
B) the changing nature of work that gives them no time to be involved in union affairs.
C) the union movement's male, middle-aged, out of touch officials.
D) the independence they feel they need to have in a fast changing work environment.

Question 19

Negotiated agreements ratified by the Australian Industrial Relations Commission at the request of both management and the union were called:

A) consent awards.
B) collective bargaining.
C) arbitrated awards.
D) Australian Workplace Agreements.

Question 20

If you, as an employee, had a grievance you wanted to settle, your first step would be to:

A) approach your immediate supervisor to discuss the grievance.
B) approach the shop steward, who approaches the supervisor about your grievance.
C) ask the shop steward to contact a union organiser.
D) take your grievance to the FWA immediately for conciliation.

Question 21

When a grievance cannot be resolved at the workplace level:

A) it must be delegated to the relevant employer association to resolve.
B) the employer has the option of invoking a lockout of employees.
C) the matter may be referred to Fair Work Australia.
D) a meeting of all affected employees and supervisors is a recommended action.

Question 22

An employer or union representative who argues a case before an industrial tribunal or court is known as a(n):

A) legal representative.
B) advocate.
C) supporter.
D) advisor.

Question 23

Which one of the following is NOT a requirement for successful advocacy before an industrial tribunal?

A) Extensive knowledge of legal technicalities and the rules of evidence.
B) Polite behaviour and appropriate business attire.
C) Being able to present the case in a logical and clearly understandable fashion.
D) Thorough knowledge of industrial law and industrial relations.

Question 24

Under WorkChoices, an Australian Workplace Agreement (AWA) was:

A) an agreement made between employers to standardise wage rates.
B) a union backed move to improve productivity through increased work hours.
C) an agreement made directly between an employer and an employee.
D) an agreement relating to working conditions made by the employer, the union and employees.

Question 25

Which of the following was NOT one of the objectives of the WorkChoices amendments?

A) Promotion of centralised wage-fixing
B) Further marginalisation of trade unions
C) Promotion of individual and collective workplace agreements
D) Productivity improvements and workplace flexibility

Question 26

Which of the following is NOT one of the new National Employment Standards (NES)?

A) A maximum of 38 hours per week for full time employees
B) Paid parental leave
C) At least four weeks annual leave for full time employees
D) Notice of termination and redundancy must be put in writing.

Question 27

The key elements of the Fair Work Act 2009 are:

A) individual agreements, the AIRC and 10 national employment standards (NES).
B) collective bargaining, Fair Work Australia and 10 national employment standards (NES).
C) collective bargaining, the Workplace Authority and 20 national employment standards (NES).
D) individual agreements, Fair Work Australia and 20 national employment standards (NES).

Question 28

Under the Fair Work Act 2009:

A) all employees are now protected from unfair dismissal regardless of length of service.
B) all employees are now protected from unfair dismissal after six months probation or twelve months where the employer employs fewer than 15 employees.
C) firms with up to 50 employees are exempted from unfair dismissal claims.
D) firms with up to 100 employees are exempted from unfair dismissal claims.

Question 29

The requirements for taking employee industrial action under the Fair Work Act:

A) are now less onerous than under WorkChoices.
B) remain largely unchanged from WorkChoices.
C) are now more stringent than under WorkChoices.
D) are largely unchanged, however, the requirement for a secret ballot has been removed.

Question 30

Managers:

A) in large workplaces were slow to exploit the opportunities for greater workplace flexibility offered by AWAs.
B) have wholeheartedly embraced high performance HR practices in a majority of organisations in Australia.
C) in small businesses were reluctant to implement individual agreements.
D) did not use AWAs as a means to reduce the number of allowances paid to workers.

Question 31

Casualisation of the workforce:

A) has been promoted by the ACTU as a means of increasing flexibility for workers.
B) has increased significantly in recent years.
C) accounts for approximately 75 per cent of employment in the technology sector.
D) is more likely to be undertaken by skilled workers.

Question 32

Which of the following is NOT true of independent contractors?

A) They benefit from the same protective legislation as employees.
B) Unskilled independent contractors may experience lower wages and conditions due to their relatively weak bargaining position.
C) Independent contractors are perceived as being part of a customer-supplier business relationship.
D) Some independent contractors have expressed resentment over trade union interference.

Question 33

Under WorkChoices, the AFPC was responsible for all of the following EXCEPT:

A) promoting economic prosperity.
B) setting and adjusting minimum and award classification wages.
C) assisting employers and employees in resolving industrial disputes.
D) setting casual loadings.

Question 34

Australia's minimum wage:

A) is relatively low by international standards.
B) has been criticised for pricing workers out of jobs.
C) does not protect the standard of living of unskilled workers.
D) when increased, does not have flow-on effects to workers in higher wage brackets.

Question 35

The recruitment of international workers to resolve acute labour shortages:

A) is strongly supported by the ACTU.
B) has been criticised for increasing the negotiating power of Australian employees.
C) has resulted in some unscrupulous employers bringing in cheaper labour from low wage countries.
D) is not supported by the World Bank.

Question 36

To address existing labour shortages and the escalating demand for skilled workers by mega resource sector projects, in 2011 the federal government introduced:

A) an Enterprise Migration Agreements (EMAs) scheme.
B) a Skilled Migration Agreements (SMAs) scheme.
C) a special 457 visa.
D) a guest worker visa.

Question 37

Penalty rates have now become a major issue in industries such as:

A) retail and tourism.
B) education.
C) manufacturing.
D) textiles.

Question 38

Special payments listed in an award for work performance outside normal working hours are known as:

A) overtime.
B) penalty rates.
C) bonuses.
D) special allowances.

Question 39

An advantage of a minimum wage is:

A) it encourages employers to outsource unskilled jobs to low-wage countries.
B) it encourages employers to employer better qualified workers.
C) it may lead to jobs being automated or outsourced.
D) it promotes fair and equitable treatment of the working poor.

Question 40

Minimum wage workers are more likely to be"

A) young people in middle-income households.
B) people in low-income households.
C) single mothers.
D) disabled employees.

Question 41

Stone argues that for HRM to be accepted as a respected area of academic study it must:

A) attract more supporters.
B) establish a professional body.
C) show that it works in practice.
D) develop theory to explain events.

Question 42

Boxhall and Dowling note that HRM contributes in all of the following areas EXCEPT:

A) theory and research on management as an initiator of change in the industrial relations system.
B) frameworks for understanding enterprise-level relations.
C) detailed research into centralised award making.
D) frameworks for understanding direct and informal management.

Question 43

People differ in their approaches to industrial relations. Which of the following is NOT a perception of industrial relations discussed by Stone?

A) Class conflict
B) Mutual cooperation
C) Individual growth
D) Groups with competing interests

Question 44

According to the Marxist approach to industrial relations:

A) employment relations is grounded in mutual cooperation, individual treatment, teamwork and the sharing of common objectives.
B) organisations are coalitions of competing interests, where management's role is to mediate among the different interest groups.
C) state intervention via legislation and the creation of industrial tribunals is supportive of management's interests rather than ensuring a balance of power between competing interests.
D) power is heavily balanced in favour of unions rather than management.

Question 45

The Marxist approach to industrial relations views reforms such as enterprise bargaining, individual contracts, and employee participation as:

A) attempts to achieve a balance of power between unions and management.
B) moves designed to improve the working conditions of employees.
C) necessary to achieve good industrial relations throughout the organisation.
D) management techniques designed to reinforce management control and the continuance of the capitalist system.

Question 46

Costa argues that if the trade union movement is to regain relevance it needs to:

A) experiment with new products, services and structural forms.
B) re-establish a close relationship with the Labor Party.
C) attract back into membership those who have become disillusioned with its direction.
D) adopt strategies of unions in other countries that have been successful.

Question 47

Union bureaucracy:

A) is the foundation and cornerstone of union survival.
B) is needed to handle the different levels of management in organisations.
C) creates an in-built resistance to change.
D) is the breeding ground for change and innovation in unions.

Question 48

The longer an industrial dispute continues, the greater the probability that:

A) management will give in to union demands.
B) unions will give into management demands.
C) positions will become more entrenched and the atmosphere more emotionally volatile.
D) positions will become more flexible and both parties will be willing to compromise to reach an agreement.

Question 49

It has been argued that individualised forms of wage setting:

A) achieved economic competitiveness.
B) created material inequality, promoted greed and divided the nation.
C) increased the bargaining power of employees.
D) alleviated work intensification.

Question 50

Which of the following is NOT true of workforce casualisation?

A) It lowers training and development costs.
B) It enables some groups to effectively achieve work-life balance.
C) It enables employers to quickly respond to market changes.
D) It can diminish career development and opportunities.

Question 51

Identify the different approaches to industrial relations and consider how the focus of each approach impacts upon union activities.

Question 52

Outline the responsibilities of Fair Work Australia.

Question 53

Outline the advantages and disadvantages of non-traditional and casual employment

Question 54

What are the main challenges facing trade unions and how can they best be addressed in the current industrial relations climate?

Question 55

Identify the issues associated with recruitment of international employees to alleviate labour shortages in the Australian labour market.

Question 56

Outline the purpose of the National Employment Standards (NES) and briefly discuss the ten minimum standards that comprise the NES.