Labor Relations Striking a Balance Edition 4th Edition. Questions with 100 correct answers.

Chapter 01 Contemporary Labor Relations: Objectives, Practices, and Challenges True / False Questions Fundamentally, a labor union is a group of workers who join together to 1 influence the nature of their employment. . True False The widening gap between the richest and poorest individuals in the U.S. 2 is in part due to the weakened position of labor unions. . True False When an employer uses an employee suggestion box to gather ideas 3 and concerns from its employees, it is primarily addressing the labor . relations goal of efficiency. True False The goals of efficiency, equity, and voice in the workplace rarely conflict 4 with one another. . True False A key role of unions is to negotiate work rules and practices that ensure 5 fair treatment of employees by their managers and employers. . True False In the United States, employees have broad protections against arbitrary 6 dismissal such that employers must provide a good, business related . reason for firing someone. True False The official policy of the Unites States is to protect workers’ rights to act 7 together for mutual aid and protection in the workplace and to promote . collective bargaining as a way to resolve workplace conflict. True False In the U.S., workers can generally be discharged for good cause, no 8 cause, and even a morally wrong cause. . True False Most industrialized countries give employers wide latitude to dismiss 9 employees “at will” (i.e., without a just cause.) . True False In 2011, the Packers beat the Chicago Bears in their bid for the Super Bowl. The next day a Chicago car salesman was fired for wearing a 10 Green Bay Packers tie to work despite having sold 14 cars in the . previous month. In the U.S. such a dismissal is considered illegal. True False An organization that allows its employees to exercise their voice in the workplace using democratic principles similar to those that are 11 commonly accepted in a democratic society is one that . exercises industrial democracy. True False 12 The concept of employee voice suggests that employees should have . the right to express their opinions in the workplace but only if they are consistent with the majority of employees or with the employer’s perspective. True False While voice and equity are important to the employment relationship, 13 efficiency is really the critical component. If an employer can be efficient, . equity and voice will naturally follow. True False In the U.S., an employer has a right to own property and make a profit 14 but society has the right to place limitations and restrictions on how . those profits are made. True False Conflicts between what the employee wants and what the employer 15 wants are generally resolved privately between the individual and . his/her employer. True False Neoliberal market ideology places the needs and rights of workers 16 before efficiency and profits. . True False Labor relations systems in other countries tend to follow a neoliberal 17 market ideology, which sees the employment relationship as one in . which balance between competing interests must be achieved. True False 18 U.S. labor law tries to establish employer needs for efficiency as a . priority over employees’ need for equity and voice. True False Labor relations systems around the world generally assume that 19 corporations have significantly greater bargaining power than one . individual worker. True False One important goal of U.S. labor law is to increase purchasing power of 20 workers. . True False A collective bargaining agreement negotiated between an employer and 21 its workers is an informal agreement outlining the terms and conditions . of employment. True False Generally, if the majority of workers in a particular workplace want union 22 representation, their employer is required by U.S. law to negotiate with . them over wages, hours, and working conditions. True False One problem with the current legal framework governing labor relations 23 in the U.S. today is that it tends to be adversarial and does not promote . cooperative relationships between management and workers. True False The labor movement in the United States is considered by experts to be 24 very strong today. . True False Since 1935, U.S. labor law has proved to be very adaptable to changes in the business climate including the decline of mass manufacturing, 25 blurring distinctions between management and nonmanagement jobs, . and globalization. True False In nonunion environments, management has unilateral control over 26 when and how employees are allowed to express their voice. . True False Compared to businesses in other countries, U.S. businesses are more 27 likely to welcome the opportunity to bargain collectively with their . employees. True False The number of U.S. workers who say they want representation or a 28 “collective voice” at the workplace is very close to the number of . workers that actually have it through unions. True False 29 Because American unions were instrumental in pushing for increased . protective legislation such as workers’ compensation laws and unemployment insurance, the demand for union services has increased, rather than decreased, over time. True False Part of the decline in union density may be due to the fact that newer entrants to the workforce are less likely to have ever experienced the 30 benefits of unionization and therefore are less likely to become union . members themselves. True False If the reasons for the decline in unionization rates in the U.S. are largely 31 structural and a result of declining demand for union services, there is . no real need for labor law reform. True False Multiple Choice Questions From a societal standpoint, the weakened position of unions in the U.S. is potentially problematic for all of the following reasons except: A. A weakened labor movement is less able to provide management with the flexibility it needs to succeed in toda 3 2 B. Weaker unions are unable to counter trends toward a greater income inequality in society. . C. Weaker unions are less able to provide training and work standards that ensure high quality, safe products and D. Aggrieved workers are pushed to strike or act out in other ways (e.g., sabotage) that are detrimental to the flow 3 From a societal standpoint, the main purpose of a labor relations system 3 is: A. To equalize the distribution of income across society. B. To ensure public safety, promote worker voice in politics, and reduce income inequalities that create a tax bur . C. To control the actions of employers and employees so that they are clearly acting in the best interests of socie D. To protect the profit maximization goals of business and ensure competition in the marketplace. When an employer allows supervisors to arbitrarily discipline employees without cause, it is most directly violating which objective of the employment relationship? A. Efficiency. 3 4 B. Equity. . C. Voice. D. None of the above are violated. 3 When an employer adopts an employee participation program, such as a 5 workplace safety committee, it is most directly addressing which objective . of the employment relationship? A. Efficiency. B. Equity. C. Voice. D. Exclusive representation. An employer creates a safety team of 6 employees who are asked to recommend changes to the workplace that will reduce accident rates. The team recommends eliminating a job rotation program that allows the employer to move employees in and out of various jobs on an as-needed basis. They argue that job rotation both increases employee stress and reduces the amount of experience that employees have with the various safety procedures associated with a particular job. This scenario describes a conflict between which two objectives of the employment relationship? 3 6 A. Equity and efficiency. . B. Efficiency and voice. C. Equity and voice. D. None, there is no conflict. 3 According to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights issued by the 7 United Nations, it is considered a basic human right for: . A. Individuals to have the right to form and join trade unions for their own protection and the protection of othe B. Employers to have the right to unilaterally determine the terms and conditions of employment. C. Individuals to unilaterally determine the terms and conditions of their employment. D. Employers to form and join employer associations for their own protection and the protection of other emplo Which of the following outcomes cannot generally be attributed to unions? A. Higher income and living standards for workers. 3 8 B. Greater protection for workers against unfair treatment by employers. . C. Greater flexibility in work rules. D. Greater emphasis on legislation and social programs that assist working people. Which of the following is not considered an argument for treating employees as “more” than simply another commodity that can be bought and sold in the labor market? 3 A. Most modern workers are completely dependent upon jobs, not property, in determining the quality of their l 9 . B. Working adults spend a considerable proportion of their life at work and hence work provides an important soc C. When workers agree to supply their labor in exchange for pay and benefits, they are freely choosing to follow m D. Workers have feelings and free will that can, if they wish, interfere with the quantity and quality of work they Regardless of the impact on productivity or efficiency, it is argued that industrial democracy is important to the U.S. because: A. Democracy is often the most efficient means by which to make decisions. 4 0 B. A country cannot truly value the concept of democracy without supporting democratic principles in the workp . C. In a democratic society, businesses can be an important training ground in which individuals learn to express t D. All of the above Which of the following appears to be true about management and worker views on employee voice? A. Managers prefer to negotiate with groups of employees, in order to get multiple perspectives at the same tim 4 1 B. The majority of workers prefer to negotiate with management individually over workplace issues. . C. Workers express a preference for representation in the workplace that is independent of management. D. Managers prefer for employees to have independent representation in the workplace. Most countries base their industrial relations system on the perspective that: A. Worker rights should be valued over employer rights. 4 2 B. Employer rights should be valued over worker rights. . C. There should be balance between worker and employer rights. D. Consumer rights should be valued over worker rights. Conflicts between employers and employees can best be described as conflicts between: A. Property rights and individual rights.