Chapter 16: Labour Relations

Question 1

Labour Union

Answer 1

an officially and legally recognized association of employees practising a similar trade or employed in the same company or industry who have joined together to present a united form and collective voice in dealing with management

Question 2

Labour Management Relations

Answer 2

ongoing interaction between labour unions and management in organizations

Question 3

Collective Bargaining Agreement

Answer 3

a formal agreement between an employer and the union representing a group of employees regarding terms and conditions of employment

Question 4

Collective Bargaining

Answer 4

negotiations between a union and an employer to arrive at a mutually acceptable collective agreement

Question 5

Bargaining Unit

Answer 5

the groups of of employees in a firm, a plant, or an industry that has been recognized by an employer or certified by a labour relations board as appropriate for collective bargaining purposes

Question 6

Business Unionism

Answer 6

the activities of labour unions focusing on the economic and welfare issues, including pay, benefits, job security, and working conditions

Question 7

Social Unionism

Answer 7

activities of unions directed at furthering the interests of their members by influencing the social and economic policies of the governments at all level, such as speaking out on proposed legislative reforms

Question 8

Labour Relations Strategies

Answer 8

a component of an organization’s HR strategy that is specific to the overall plan for dealing with unions, which sets the tone for its union-management relationships

Question 9

Union Acceptance Strategy

Answer 9

managers view the union as the legitimate representative of the firm’s employees

Question 10

Union Avoidance Strategy

Answer 10

managers select this strategy when they believe it is preferable to operate in a non-unionized environment

Question 11

Union Substitution Approach

Answer 11

managers become so responsive to employees needs that there is no inceptive for them to unionize

Question 12

Union Suppression Approach

Answer 12

managers desire to avoid a union at all costs

Question 13

Labour Unions in Canada can be classified according to the following characteristics

Answer 13

• types of workers eligible for membership
• geographical scope

Question 14

Craft Unions

Answer 14

a labour organizations representing workers practising some type of craft or trade

Question 15

Industrial Unions

Answer 15

a labour organization representing all workers eligible for union membership in a particular company or industry, including skilled trades people

Question 16

International Unions

Answer 16

labour unions with head offices in other countries that charter branches in both canada and one or more countries

Question 17

National Unions

Answer 17

Labour unions that charter branches in Canada only and have their head office in this country

Question 18

Local Unions

Answer 18

labour unions that are purely local in geographical scope

Question 19

Union Stewards

Answer 19

responsible for representing the interests and protecting the rights of bargaining unit employees in their department or area

Question 20

Labour Relations Process

Answer 20

1. Desire for Collective Representation
2. Union Organizing Campaign
3. Union Recognition
4. Collective Bargaining
5. Contract Administration

Question 21

Three Reasons Why Individuals Join Unions

Answer 21

1. Dissonance Reasons (desire to join due to conflict between expectations of work and work experience)
2. Utility Reasons (desire to join based on rational calculation of the costs and benefits)
3. Political/Ideological Reasons

Question 22

Authorization Card

Answer 22

a card signed by an employee that indicates the person’s willingness to have the union act as their representative for purposes of collective bargaining

Question 23

Steps of Union Organizing Campaign

Answer 23

1. employee/union contact
2. initial organizational meeting
3. formation of in-house organizing committee
4. organizing campaign
5. outcome

Question 24

Voluntary Recognition

Answer 24

an employer in every Canadian jurisdiction expect Quebec can voluntarily recognize a union as the bargaining agent for a group of its employees

Question 25

Regular Certification

Answer 25

n: present evidence of at least a minimum level of membership support in the form of a signed authorization card to the appropriate LRB with an application for union certification

Question 26

Representation Vote

Answer 26

a vote conducted by the LRB in which employees in the bargaining unit indicate by secret ballot whether or not they want union representation

Question 27

Prehearing Vote

Answer 27

an alternative mechanism for certification used in situations in which there is evidence of violations of fair labour practices early in an organizing campaign

Question 28

Decertification

Answer 28

Process whereby the union is legally deprived of its official recognition as the exclusive bargaining agent for a group of employees

Question 29

Stages in Collective Bargaining

Answer 29

stage 1: preparation for negotiations
stage 2: face to face negotiations
stage 3: obtaining approval for the proposed contract
stage 4: third party assistance is required by law when talks break down
stage 5: strike or lockout if parties arrive at a bargaining impasse

Question 30

Caucus Sessions

Answer 30

sessions in which only members of one’s own bargaining team are present
They last as long as progress is being made

Question 31

Bargaining Zone

Answer 31

the area defined by the bargaining limits of each side in which compromise is possible, as is the attainment of a settlement satisfactory to both parties

Question 32

Distributive Bargaining

Answer 32

a win-lose negotiation strategy in which one party gains at the expense of the other

Question 33

Distributive Bargaining: Initial Point

Answer 33

higher than what the union expects to receive from management or lower than what management expects to give the union

Question 34

Distributive Bargaining: Target Point

Answer 34

negotiating team’s assessment of what is realistically achievable

Question 35

Distributive Bargaining: Resistance Point

Answer 35

bargaining zone limit, minimally acceptable level or maximum giving level

Question 36

Integrative Bargaining

Answer 36

a negotiating strategy in which the possibility of win-win, win-lose, and lose-lose outcomes is recognized, and it is acknowledged that achieving a win-win solution will depend on mutual trust and problem solving

Question 37

Mutual Gains Bargaining

Answer 37

a win-win negotiating approach based on training in the fundamentals of effective problem solving and conflict resolution, in which that interests of all stakeholders are taken into account

Question 38

Memorandum of Settlement

Answer 38

a summary of the terms and conditions agreed to by the parties that is submitted to the constituent groups for final approval

Question 39

Ratification

Answer 39

formal approval by secret ballot vote of the bargaining unit members of the agreement negotiated between union and management

Question 40

Conciliation

Answer 40

mandatory use of a neutral third party who has no direct input on the negotiation to help bring the parties together and keep them talking and have them communicate effectively so they can reach a mutually satisfactory collective agreement

Question 41

Interest Arbitration

Answer 41

the imposition of the final terms of the collective bargaining agreement (legally mandated for workers who are not permitted to strike)

Question 42

Interest Dispute

Answer 42

a dispute between parties over the terms of the collective agreement

Question 43

Strike

Answer 43

the temporary refusal by bargaining unit members to continue working for the employer

Question 44

Strike Vote

Answer 44

legally required in some jurisdictions, such a vote seeks authorization from bargaining unit members to strike if necessary

Question 45

Picket

Answer 45

stationing groups of employees at the entrances and exits of the operations to publicize the issues in the dispute and discourage people from entering

Question 46

Boycott

Answer 46

An organized refusal of bargaining unit members and supporters to by the products or use the services of the organization whose employees are on strike

Question 47

Lockout

Answer 47

temporary refusal of a company to continue to providing work for bargaining unit employees involved in a labour dispute, which may lead to closure of establishment

Question 48

Wildcat Strike

Answer 48

spontaneous walkout, not officially sanctioned by the union leaders that is illegal if it occurs during the term of a collective agreement

Question 49

Union Recognition Clause

Answer 49

clarifies the scope of the bargaining unit by specifying the employee classifications included therein or listing those excluded

Question 50

Union Security Clause

Answer 50

the contract provisions protecting the interests of the labour union, dealing with the issues of membership requirements and often the payment of union dues

Question 51

Grievance

Answer 51

ritten allegation of a contract violation relating to a disagreement about its application or interpretation

Question 52

Rights Disputes

Answer 52

a disagreement between parties regarding the interpretation or administration of the collective agreement

Question 53

Rights Arbitration

Answer 53

process of solving rights disputes