Labor Relations

LABOR RELATIONS Name Instructor Course Date LABOR RELATIONS 1 Suppose you're a union representative engaged in negotiating a labor contract. You assume that the wage and benefit levels of your particular bargaining unit shouldn't fall too far behind or move too far beyond the wage and benefit levels of other bargaining units in your industry. What determiner of basic wage rates guides your thinking? A. The comparative norm B. Cost-of-living C. Ability to pay D. The fairness doctrine Answer: A (The Comparative Norm) 2 How was the hypothetical case of Harold Swift finally resolved? A. Swift was suspended without pay for 10 days. B. Swift's case wasn't resolved; it's still under arbitration. C. Swift's termination was upheld based on the union committee's recommendation. D. Swift was reinstated in his job, but suspended for 3 days without pay. Answer: D (Swift was reinstated in his job, but suspended for 3 days without pay.) 3 In preparation for negotiating a labor contact, research conducted by either party A. offers the only viable approach to adopting precedents for "just cause." B. will focus on community wage levels. C. can explore just about any contract-related issue. D. will usually focus on justifying management positions. Answer: C (can explore just about any contract-related issue.) 4 With respect to negotiating wage rates and an employer's ability to pay, which of the following statements is true? A. An economic formula is often used to determine the relationship between profits and ability to pay. B. The ratio of labor costs to total costs is a significant factor. C. The way profits are to be used should have no bearing on ability-to-pay concerns. D. If a company has no profits, its inability to pay is obvious. Answer: B (The ratio of labor costs to total costs is a significant factor.) 5 The outcome of a five-month strike by New York Daily News employees in 1991 and the resolution of a 1999 dispute between Boeing and the International Association of Machinists were cited in the textbook to illustrate the importance of _______ to the outcomes of labor negotiations. A. persuasion B. public relations C. personality D. pandering Answer: D (pandering) Corrected Answer: C (personality) 6 Regarding the nature of grievance procedures, which of the following is false? A. Grievances are complaints citing some violation of a standing labor contract. B. Universally, grievance procedures are meant to provide bilateral resolutions. C. Grievance rulings can generally be appealed to higher levels of authority. D. Instances in which grievances are filed by employers are virtually nonexistent. Answer: D (Instances in which grievances are filed by employers are virtually nonexistent.) 7 Illustrating "imaginative statistical interpretations," Walter O'Malley complained to the media that the franchise had lost money when, in fact, the season's profits were only a bit less than $4 million. What franchise did O'Malley represent? A. Los Angeles Dodgers B. New York Giants C. New England Patriots D. Boston Red Sox Answer: A (Los Angeles Dodgers) 8 Which of the following statements is true regarding the cost of living? A. In labor negotiations, cost-of-living criteria are used more often than comparative norm data. B. Cost-of-living trends can't be based on the available historical data from the Consumer Price Index (CPI). C. Since 1900, consumer prices have increased by a factor of 10. D. Inflation tends to increase markedly during wartime. Answer: B (Cost-of-living trends can't be based on the available historical data from the Consumer Price Index (CPI).) Corrected Answer: D (Inflation tends to increase markedly during wartime.) 9 According to both the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS) and the American Arbitration Association (AAA), arbitration awards time lags A. average about 250 days. B. average anywhere from 10 to 350 days. C. have resulted in a nearly universal switch to miniarbitration. D. are brief and inconsequential. Answer: A (average about 250 days) 10 In general, unions object to _______ approaches to work scheduling because they're viewed as management tools for reducing overtime and increasing the work pace. A. differential shift pay B. flat rate C. flextime D. piece rate Answer: B (flat rate) Corrected Answer: C (flextime) In general, labor contract negotiations deal with four major areas. Given that this is the case, which of the following would fall under administrative clauses? A. Overtime pay B. Rights and duties of employers and unions C. Work rules and job tenure D. Pensions and benefits Answer: C (Work rules and job tenure) Which of the following items, according to your text, have not in some way characterized labor contract negotiations? A. Rational deliberation B. One-man, one-vote democracy C. Rhetoric and name-calling D. Poker-type strategies Answer: B (One-man, one-vote democracy) The greatest majority of grievances are resolved at the _______ level of a typical grievance procedure. A. first B. third C. second or third D. first or second level Answer: D (first or second level) To establish alternative issue-packages in the later stages of the bargaining process, _______ differ from _______ in that the latter have to do with compromises that occur within the bargaining process. A. trading points; counterproposals B. counterproposals; trading points C. costing procedures; trading points D. costing procedures; counterproposals Answer: A (trading points; counterproposals) With respect to escalator clauses, which statement is true? A. The trend toward longer-term labor contracts is likely to decrease the use of escalator schemes. B. Management tends to have a positive view of escalator-pay adjustments. C. They're normally based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI). D. They provide an alternative to cost-of-living pay adjustments. Answer: D (They provide an alternative to cost-of-living pay adjustments.) Corrected Answer: C (They’re normally based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI).) Which of the following is not a basic objective of the grievance procedure? A. Disputes are to be resolved in an orderly and friendly manner. B. A sequence of steps is normally provided for resolving a grievance. C. A time limit is placed on each step. D. A grievance procedure must include no less than five steps. Answer: D (A grievance procedure must include no less than five steps.) The Voluntary Labor Arbitration Tribunal was established by the A. U.S. Department of Labor. B. Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service. C. American Association of Management Services. D. American Arbitration Association. Answer: D (American Arbitration Association.) The principle of equal pay for equal work is denied when contracts call for a two-t...