Deck 13: Future Issues for Workers, Work Arrangements, Organizations, and the Industrial Relations System

Question 1

The greatest period for growth for Canadian union membership occurred during what period?

A) The mid-1960s
B) The mid-1970s
C) The mid-1980s
D) The mid-1990s

Answer 1

A

Question 2

The relative low level of unionization in what sector suggests non-traditional work is still underrepresented by unions?

A) The public sector
B) The industrial sector
C) The high-tech sector
D) The private sector

Answer 2

C

Question 3

In the last 30 years, the number of female workers belonging to Canadian unions has risen to a point where both the percentage and density of female union members is comparable to that of male union members. Which of the following is one of the factors causing this increase?

A) An increase in the percentage of women in the overall workforce
B) The unionization of the private sector
C) Changes in union constitutions allowing for females to be elected to the executive
D) Men assuming more traditional female jobs

Answer 3

A

Question 4

How is globalization affecting the Canadian union movement?

A) It is forcing unions to seek mergers with international unions
B) It is affecting their travel and communication costs
C) It is raising concerns about potential job loss and reduced protection for employees
D) It is increasing their resource base

Question 5

Organizations are exploring new forms of structure that involve decreasing levels of hierarchy. How are these changes problematic for unions?

A) They make communication more difficult
B) They reduce the traditional hierarchical distinctions between managers and employees
C) They complicate the bargaining process
D) All of the above

Question 6

Which of the following is a concern regarding racial and ethnic inclusiveness in unions?

A) Immigrants mostly believe in a "free market" system
B) Immigrants may not be encouraged to participate in some unions
C) Immigrants may object to the payment of union dues on political grounds
D) Immigrants may come from cultures where unions are perceived as corrupt or as an unwarranted challenge to management's right to manage

Question 7

What is the term given to a situation where an employee works partially or fully at home and communicates with the workplace through computers and telephones?

A) Remote work access
B) Self employment
C) Telecommuting
D) Job sharing

Question 8

Young workers tend not to work in highly unionized industries. Which of the following is not a reason for this under representation?

A) They are generally not aware of unions
B) They question the legality of unions
C) They do not see unions as helping them get into the workforce
D) Popular culture images of unions tend to indicate corruption

Question 9

How are unions getting information out to young people?

A) Telephone campaigns
B) Websites and social media
C) Word of mouth
D) Job fairs

Question 10

Most unions now have policy statements on issues such as workplace equality, affirmative action, harassment, and violence. The existence of these statements at the ________ level, indicates their importance.

A) Operational
B) Grassroots
C) Strategic
D) Local

Question 11

All but which of the following constitute changes to traditional scheduling?

A) Contract or temporary work
B) Flex time
C) Compressed work weeks
D) Job sharing

Question 12

Female workers may be less likely to participate in union activities. What effect might this gender imbalance have?

A) Resentment on the part of female workers
B) Women's issues being marginalized as special interest
C) A two-tiered approach to benefits
D) Issues traditionally associated with men become the only concern of the union

Question 13

Given the increase in non-traditional work arrangements, what is the priority in collective bargaining for most industrial based unions today?

A) Maintaining the standards associated with full-time permanent employment and its benefits
B) Improving conditions for telecommuters
C) Eliminating part-time work
D) Regulating temporary contracts

Question 14

Precarious employment refers to what type of work?

A) Those employment situations that are dangerous and neglect their health and safety obligations
B) Employment that results in a high incidence of workplace accidents
C) Part-time work, temporary work, holding multiple jobs and self-employemnt
D) Precarious employment is not a well defined term in labour relations

Question 15

Which of the following is true Canadian unions were originally structured to operate in which of the following contexts?

A) The public sector
B) The railway
C) Traditional hierarchical relationships between workers and management
D) For profit industries

Question 16

Part-time employment is more prevalent among what age group in the Canadian workforce?

A) Canadians aged 16-24
B) Canadians aged 40-49
C) Canadians aged 15-25
D) Canadians aged 15-24

Question 17

It is generally acknowledged that if unions wish to survive and provide effective representation for their membership, some of the characteristics of traditional unionism need to change. These characteristics are based on the assumption that workers are:

A) White, heterosexual males who are full-time workers
B) White, full-time, male and female workers
C) Long time union members unwilling to diversify their workplaces
D) Full-time male workers

Question 18

Which of the following can be viewed as an employer strategy to avoid giving an employee the full range of benefits?

A) Telecommuting
B) Continual renewal of temporary contracts
C) Flexible work hours
D) Shift-work

Question 19

What is meant by the term "salting" in union organizing campaigns?

A) Excluding certain employees as potential union members
B) Adding some spice in the union's organizing rhetoric
C) Hiring specially trained organizers from outside the bargaining unit
D) Using workers already employed in the potential bargaining unit as the primary organizers

Question 20

What is the term given to legislation, which identifies historically disadvantaged groups and encourages organizations to develop plans to increase representation of these groups in the workforce?

A) Human rights legislation
B) Anti-defamation legislation
C) Employment equity legislation
D) Labour standards legislation

Question 21

It is easy for unions to adapt to the business models of multinational organizations with businesses in different locations and spanning different industries.

Question 22

What novel approach was taken in 2009 by a group of B.C. pulp mill workers to save unionized jobs?

A) They agreed to a long term collective agreement with no wage increases
B) They went on strike to have the CEO removed and were successful
C) They successfully changed the wage structure to allow for performance based bonuses
D) They formed a coalition with employers and investors to buy the mill

Question 23

Employment relationships such as contract or temporary work continue to be seen as inferior or supplemental to full-time permanent work.

Question 24

Women enter and leave the labour force more often than men because they do not have the same financial responsibilities as men.

Question 25

While non-permanent employment relationships allow greater opportunity for workers, they also limit the power of employers to terminate employees.

Question 26

What obstacle does a company face in operating in unionized workplaces across various jurisdictions in Canada?

A) Educating the management in union/management relations
B) Accommodating variations in legislation across jurisdictions
C) Ensuring that the Employment Standards legislation is imposed on the workforce
D) Ensuring that official language legislation is implemented

Question 27

The majority of Canadian workers aged 15 to 24 fall into the category of non-standard work.

Question 28

In 2007, the newly elected Saskatchewan Party government made sweeping changes to that province's labour law. Some of those changes included which of the following?

A) It introduced essential services legislation eliminating the participation of the union
B) It created automatic certification
C) It raised the required level of employee support for certification from 25% to 45%
D) It provided new guidelines for organizing construction sites

Question 29

Nearly two million Canadians between the ages of 15 and 24 hold some sort of paid job.

Question 30

Unions evolved within the context of traditionally structured hierarchical organizations where different levels have different amounts of power.

Question 31

According to twenty-something Sonier, now a member-at-large for her union executive what issues are of greater concern for younger workers?

A) How to effectively file grievances
B) Looking to the future - Pension Issues
C) Health and Safety issues
D) Having a good union network

Question 32

In what industry did we see significant improvements in the early 20^th century devolve to sweatshop conditions at the beginning of the 21^st century?

A) Film industry.
B) Garment industry.
C) Steel industry
D) Manufacturing industry

Question 33

In Canada, industrial relations follows the more traditional models of union/management relationships. What is one cause of this?

A) Resistance to change
B) Canadian unions have more success with this model
C) Legislation forces this type of relationship
D) It is too costly to embrace new models

Question 34

There exists a gender imbalance in union participation even when men and women are equally represented.

Question 35

What is the big question that must be addressed in relation to the future of the Canadian industrial relations system?

A) How can unions recruit more members?
B) How can unions organize in hard-to-organize industries
C) Do unions have a role in an organization without a traditional hierarchical structure?
D) How do unions get marginalized members involved in union business?

Question 36

Canadian labour law is much stricter than American labour law in restricting what during strikes?

A) Picketing
B) Replacement workers
C) Work slow downs
D) Work to rule campaigns

Question 37

The initiative undertaken by the CAW to include same-sex spousal benefits in collective agreements has been hailed as an example of what?

A) Progressive leadership which would appeal to new members and activists
B) Leading the auto industry out of the Dark Ages
C) Implementing changes sought through an employee survey
D) An effective recruitment strategy

Question 38

More visible minority than non-minority women work in jobs involving manual labour.

Question 39

The types of work and work arrangements that young workers tend to be employed in are part of the labour market that has historically been difficult to organize.

Question 40

Canadian union density has remained at what level of the overall workforce in the past decade?

A) 25%
B) 30%
C) 35%
D) 40%

Question 41

Discuss how legislation, politics, and union organizing will affect the future of industrial relations in Canada. (Page 410-417)

Question 42

Discuss the impact of globalization on unionism and some union responses. (apge 405-410)

Question 43

Discuss the interrelationship between visible minorities and underemployment.

Question 44

Discuss some of the challenges faced by young workers in today's labour market.

Question 45

Describe some of the ways the composition of the Canadian workforce is changing.

Question 46

What are some of the difficulties associated with organizing people who work in a telecommuting arrangement?

Question 47

Why has globalization become a challenge for Canadian unions?

Question 48

Why are the new flatter organizations problematic for unions?

Question 49

What are some of the reasons why young workers are reluctant to join unions?

Question 50

How are Canada's unions responding to competing positions when faced with organizational restructuring?

Question 51

What are the advantages to the union in using the salting technique in organizing drives?

Question 52

What are some initiatives undertaken by unions to deal with the changing workforce?

Question 53

Discuss the issue of ethnic and racial diversity in the workforce. Focus on some of the demographic issues and the challenges faced by unions in organizing this group of workers. (Page 391-393)

Question 54

Discuss the participation of women in the labour force and in the union movement and the problem of gender imbalance in unions. (Page 388-390

Question 55

Discuss some of the different forms of work scheduling which are having an effect on employees and unions in the workplace. (Page 397)