Exam 12: Dealing With Employeemanagement Issues

In the past, a variety of professionals have served as mediators. If a labor dispute were to break out between the management at an auto manufacturer and the local union that represents workers at the auto manufacturing plant, it would be highly unusual for a university professor who has studied labor relations to be asked to mediate. The disputing parties would save his time for something more serious like arbitration.

The AFL was concerned primarily with

As an employee of the human resource department of a major corporation, you are concerned about the potential costs of drug abuse. You are contemplating testing employees for substance abuse. Before adopting such tests, you should know that

Management at Eagle Enterprises has assigned Ernesto to work at two different facilities, which will require him to commute an extra 25 miles on the days he must work at both plants. Ernesto believes that the negotiated labor-management agreement requires the company to reimburse him for the extra mileage he has to drive. Management disagrees. Ernesto has decided to file a charge that management is not abiding by the terms of the negotiated agreement. Ernesto's complaint is called a grievance.

The tragedy at the Triangle Shirtwaist Company caused

If management and union officials cannot resolve a grievance, a(n) ________ is asked to listen to the arguments of each side and to make a decision that both sides will have to comply with.

One of the things that labor is interested in is fairness.

The NLRB oversees the decertification of unions. Company owners can petition and seek the signatures of 30% of the employees in order to decertify the union; in other words, officially, the union could no longer represent the employees in any bargaining negotiations.

The American Federation of Labor (AFL) was initially intended to be a single craft union.

A major reason John L. Lewis and his followers broke with the AFL and formed the CIO was that

The Taft-Hartley Act

A major difference between early labor organizations in the United States and today's labor unions is that the early labor groups often were temporary organizations that disbanded after achieving a short-range goal, while today's unions are permanent organizations.

According to noted economist Thomas Piketty

Over the years, Jennifer has acted in a number of supporting roles on TV sitcoms. Her last contract obligated her to perform in 22 episodes for a stipend of $500 per episode. Upon completion of the 11th episode, Jennifer broke her leg and was not able to complete the episodes in a timely manner. The studio claimed that Jennifer broke her contract and they are not obligated to pay her. She is confident that an impartial third party will view her circumstances as exceptional and will rule that she be reimbursed for the 11 performances. She has agreed to mediation.

The Taft-Hartley Act made the union shop agreement illegal in all states.

For 20 years, the CIO was a major rival of the AFL in the contest for leadership of the labor movement.

On-site childcare remains the only acceptable way for firms to meet the child care concerns of their employees.

Strikes have been an effective way of settling labor disputes without violence and bitterness.

The number of households that face the burden of caring for one or more elderly parents has increased significantly and is expected to continue growing over the next 20 years.

Tactics used by management when collective bargaining breaks down include injunctions and lockouts.