Chapter 3,4,5 - Terms

Question 1

Co-determination

Answer 1

is a system in which management shares decision-making authority with the union.

Question 2

Competitive strategy

Answer 2

refers to the basis on which a firm competes.

Question 3

Cost leadership

Answer 3

is a competitive strategy based on having the lowest price.

Question 4

Differentiation

Answer 4

is a competitive strategy based on having a distinctive or unique product.

Question 5

Employee involvement group

Answer 5

is a group of employees who meet to resolve problems or offer suggestions for organizational improvement.

Question 6

Employee–management committees

Answer 6

are ongoing groups made up of management and employee representatives who advise management.

Question 7

High commitment HR strategy

Answer 7

involves the adoption of better technology and requires investment in training and development of human resources.

Question 8

Job design

Answer 8

is an approach to enhance organizational efficiency and worker satisfaction through technological and human considerations.

Question 9

Labour relations strategy

Answer 9

is how an employer deals with the unionization of its employees.

Question 10

Low commitment HR strategy

Answer 10

involves traditional production methods and a low emphasis on development of workforce skills.

Question 11

Problem-solving groups

Answer 11

are teams of employees that consider issues and make recommendations to management.

Question 12

Quality circles

Answer 12

are groups of employees who investigate problems relating to quality and make recommendations to management for improvements.

Question 13

Re-engineering

Answer 13

is a fundamental re-thinking and redesign of business processes to achieve improvements in efficiencies, costs and quality.

Question 14

Self-directed teams or self-managing work teams

Answer 14

are groups of employees that take on functions previously performed by management.

Question 15

Union acceptance

Answer 15

is a strategy in which the employer remains neutral in an organizing attempt, and if the attempt is successful tries to negotiate the best deal with the union.

Question 16

Union avoidance or substitution

Answer 16

is a strategy aimed at preventing unionization using legal means to convince employees they do not need a union.

Question 17

Union opposition

Answer 17

is an employer strategy of attempting to remain union-free.

Question 18

Union removal

Answer 18

is a strategy in which the employer attempts to rid itself of any union.

Question 19

Union resistance

Answer 19

is a strategy in which the employer attempts to limit the further spread of unionization in the organization.

Question 20

Business agent

Answer 20

is a staff person who works for one or more locals providing expertise and support.

Question 21

Directly chartered union

Answer 21

receives a charter from a labour congress and is not affiliated with a national or international union.

Question 22

Independent local unions

Answer 22

are not affiliated with a parent national or international union.

Question 23

Industrial unions

Answer 23

organize workers in different occupations in a company or firm.

Question 24

International union

Answer 24

has members in two or more countries (e.g., Canada and the United States) with the parent union headquarters located in one country.

Question 25

Labour council

Answer 25

is an association of unions in a municipality or region.

Question 26

Labour federation or labour congress

Answer 26

is an association of unions.

Question 27

National union

Answer 27

is a union whose membership is situated only in Canada.

Question 28

Parent union

Answer 28

is a generic term referring to the central or head office of a national or international union.

Question 29

Raiding

Answer 29

refers to one union persuading members of another union to change unions.

Question 30

Right-to-work legislation

Answer 30

in certain states of the United States prohibits the compulsory deduction of union dues.

Question 31

Social contract legislation

.

Answer 31

rolled back wage increases in collective agreements

Question 32

Trusteeship

Answer 32

refers to a parent union temporarily taking direct control of one of its union locals.

Question 33

Union local

Answer 33

is an administrative unit of a national or international parent union.

Question 34

Union coverage

Answer 34

is the percentage of employees covered by a collective agreement, including those who do not become union members.

Question 35

Union

Answer 35

is an organization, external to and also within a work setting, that has the primary objective of improving the compensation and working conditions of the employees it represents.