chapter 9

Question 1

Union

Answer 1

Organizations formed for the purpose of representing their members’ interests and resolving conflicts with employers

Question 2

labour relations

Answer 2

Emphasizes skills that managers and union leaders can use to cultivate effective labour-management cooperation, minimize costly forms of conflicts (e.g. strikes), and seek win-win solutions to disagreements

Question 3

3 levels of labour relations decisions

Answer 3

1. labour relations strategy
   -management
2. negotiating collective agreements
   -decisions about pay structure, job security, work rules, workplace safety, and other issues
3. administering collective agreements
   -day-to-day activities which may involve handling disagreements

Question 4

types of unions

Answer 4

-craft union
-union locals
-industrial unions
-labour congresses

Question 5

decline in union membership

Answer 5

-Change in the structure of the economy
-Management efforts to control costs
-Human resource practices

Question 6

impact on company performance

Answer 6

Decrease productivity
-work rules and workload limits set by union contracts
-production lost to union activities
Increase productivity
-reduce turnover
-improve management practices

Question 7

management goals

Answer 7

• increase organisation’s profits
• keep labor costs low and increase output
  -maintain flexible operations

Question 8

labour union goals

Answer 8

-obtain pay and working conditions that satisfy members
-give members a voice in decisions
-better compensation and benefits

Question 9

societal goals

Answer 9

-union activities take place within context of society
-drive laws that affect unions
-ensure that workers have a voice

Question 10

unfair labour practices: management

Answer 10

-interfering in the formation of a union
-discriminating based on union membership
-coercing an employee to join

Question 11

unfair labour practices: unions

Answer 11

-try to bargain when the union is not the certified agent
-persuading employees during working hours
-illegal strikes

Question 12

collective bargaining

Answer 12

-negotiation between union representatives and management to arrive at an agreement defining conditions of employment

Question 13

typical collective agreement provisions

Answer 13

-rights of parties
-organization of work
-labour relations
-education and training
-conditions of work

Question 14

bargaining over new contracts

Answer 14

1- preparation for bargaining is important
2- union and management present proposals
3- each side considers proposals
4- union and management attempt to reach agreement

Question 15

when Bargaining breaks down

Answer 15

-strike: collective decision by union members not to work
-lockout: closure of a place of employment

Question 16

alternatives to strikes and lockouts

Answer 16

-mediation (mediator facilitates the process)
-conciliation (report on reasons for the dispute)
-arbitration (most formal intervention determines a binding settlement)

Question 17

collective agreement administration

Answer 17

-grievance procedure: Process for resolving union-management conflicts over interpretation or violation of collective agreement

Question 18

grievance procedure

Answer 18

1. employee discusses problem with supervisor
2. written grievance is submitted to production superintendent
3. union appelas grievance to top line management and senior industrial relations staff
4. union decides whether to appeal unresolved grievance to arbitration

Question 19

labour-management cooperation

Answer 19

Wider acceptance that greater cooperation is beneficial vs. adversarial