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 comp...