The Collective Agreement

Question 1

Mandatory Terms

Answer 1

Provisions that must be included in collective agreements because they are required by legislation

Question 2

Voluntary Terms

Answer 2

Provisions that the parties agree to include in the collective agreement; however, they are not required by legislation

Question 3

Articles

Answer 3

The terms or clauses in a collective agreement

Question 4

Recognition Article

Answer 4

A term in a collective agreement providing that the employer recognizes the union as the bargaining agent for a specified group of employees

Question 5

Grievance

Answer 5

An allegation that the collective agreement or an employment statute has been violated, together with the remedy that is claimed to rectify the situation

Question 6

Grievance Procedure

Answer 6

A series of steps in which union and employer representatives at progressively higher levels meet to try to resolve the dispute

Question 7

Steward

Answer 7

An elected local union official who assists employees with issues, including grievances, that arise in the course of administration of the collective agreement

Question 8

Arbitration

Answer 8

A dispute resolution method in which the parties present evidence and arguments to a third party who makes a final, binding decision

Question 9

Mandatory Time Limit

Answer 9

Must be met and the grievance might be dismissed if a step is not taken within the time allowed

Question 10

Directory Time Limits

Answer 10

Viewed as a guide and it is possible that the grievance will be allowed to proceed even if the time limit is not met

Question 11

Union Security

Answer 11

May be understood as measures taken by the union in collective bargaining to help “secure” the ongoing presence and influence of the bargaining agent in a unionized work setting

Question 12

Check-Off

Answer 12

The deduction of union dues from employees’ pay by the employer and remittance of the dues to the union

Question 13

Rand Formula or Agency Shop

Answer 13

A collective agreement term requiring the deduction of union dues from all employees in the bargaining unit, even for those employees who decide not to formally join the union

Question 14

Closed Shop

Answer 14

A place of work in which an individual must be a union member before being hired; new employees are hired through the union

Question 15

Union Shop

Answer 15

A place of work in which new employees do not have to be union members to be hired, but must become union members within a specified number of days

Question 16

Modified Union Shop

Answer 16

A place of work in which non-union employees already employed do not have to join the union, but all new employees must join, and those already members must remain in the union

Question 17

Maintenance of Membership

Answer 17

A type of union security in which employees are not required to join the union as a condition of employment, but all workers who voluntarily join must maintain their membership for the duration of the agreement as a condition of employment

Question 18

Open Shop

Answer 18

A place of work in which union membership is not required for an individual to obtain a job or continue employment

Question 19

Management Rights

Answer 19

An article providing that management retains the authority to manage the organization, except as otherwise provided in the collective agreement

Question 20

Reserved or Residual Rights

Answer 20

A theory that the employer has all rights to manage the organization except as expressly restricted by the collective agreement

Question 21

Contracting Out

Answer 21

Occurs when an employer arranges for another firm to do work that could be done by the employer’s own employees

Question 22

Sunset Clause

Answer 22

Language in a collective agreement that effectively removes from the employee’s record previous discipline after a certain period of time or a length of time in which the employee has been “discipline free”

Question 23

Super-Seniority

Answer 23

A provision that specified union officers will be the last to be laid off

Question 24

Bumping Rights

Answer 24

The displacement of an employee by another who has more seniority and would otherwise by laid off

Question 25

Sufficient Ability Clause

Answer 25

A provision that the employee with the most seniority is award a job provided he or she has enough ability

Question 26

Relative or Competitive Ability Clause

Answer 26

A provision that seniority will only be referred to if the skills and ability of two employees competing for a job are relatively equal

Question 27

Hybrid Seniority

Answer 27

A provision combines sufficient and relative ability

Question 28

Collective Agreement Provisions (4)

Answer 28

1. Rights & Obligations of Parties
2. Conditions of Employment
3. General Work Rules
4. Work Environment