Fundamentals of Human Resource Management 6th Edition by Raymond Noe, John Hollenbeck, Barry Gerhart,Patrick Wright

Exercise 17

Avoiding Unfair Labor Practices
The National Labor Relations Act prohibits employers and unions from engaging in unfair labor practices. For employers, this means they must not interfere with employees' decisions about whether to join a union and engage in union-related activities. Employers may not discriminate against employees for being involved in union activities or testifying in court about actions under the NLRA. Here are some specific examples of unfair labor practices that employers must avoid:
• Threatening employees with loss of their jobs or benefits if they join or vote for a union.
• Threatening to close down a plant if it is organized by a union.
• Questioning employees about their union membership or activities in a way that restrains or coerces them.
• Taking an active part in organizing a union or committee to represent employees.
• Discharging employees for urging other employees to join a union.
• Promising benefits, such as a holiday or better working conditions, to employees if they don't support a union.
• Asking employees or job applicants about any unionorganizing activities they might have engaged in.
• Preventing employees from promoting a union-for example, distributing literature -during breaks and other nonworking hours.
• Discouraging employees from conversations or other activities aimed at improving working conditions.
• Spying on employee activities to determine workers' views about a union.
• Forbidding employees from wearing union logos on shirts or jackets.
• Failing to bargain about the effects of a decision to close one of the employer's facilities.
Suppose you are an HR manager. You walk into the company lunchroom and notice several employees talking quietly but intensely. You think you hear the words "safety" and "organize," and you are concerned. What should you do