Question 1

Discuss the different ways that workplace health and safety issues have been handled in Canadian workplaces over the past century. What have more recent approaches added that earlier approaches were not covering? Discuss key issues that you believe still need to be addressed.

Accepted Answer

Suggested student response: Students should discuss the administrative model of regulation, the no-fault compensation system, and the internal responsibility system , with the most discussion of the latter, including joint health and safety committees (JHSCs). A number of contentious issues are discussed in the text , including problems with employer self-regulation, management rights, and overly narrow definitions of health and safety issues.

Question 2

Briefly discuss at least three different workers' rights that current Canadian health and safety legislation attempts to protect.

Accepted Answer

1. The right to refuse unsafe work: Canadian health and safety legislation protects workers' right to refuse work that they believe to be unsafe without fear of reprisal from their employer. This right is outlined in the Canada Labour Code and various provincial occupational health and safety acts.

2. The right to know about workplace hazards: Workers have the right to be informed about potential hazards in their workplace and to receive proper training and information on how to protect themselves. This includes access to safety data sheets, training on hazardous materials, and information on workplace safety policies and procedures.

3. The right to participate in health and safety activities: Canadian health and safety legislation also protects workers' right to participate in health and safety committees, to be involved in workplace inspections, and to have a say in the development and implementation of health and safety policies. This ensures that workers have a voice in creating a safe and healthy work environment.

Question 3

Which of the following is the best definition of what Michael Mann called "explosions of consciousness?"

Accepted Answer

A)   Short-term feelings of solidarity with other workers that can be generated by participating in a strike.
B)   Patterns of left-wing voting by union members during a specific election.
C)   The marches organized by unemployed Canadian workers during the Depression.
D)   General strikes against government policies involving many different unions. A

Question 4

Which of the following conclusions can be drawn from research on different approaches to worker ownership in North America?

Accepted Answer

A)   Employee share ownership plans (ESOPs)  are more likely to be available to workers in smaller companies.
B)   Producer co-operatives are often more sensitive to local concerns about economic development than are privately owned companies.
C)   Producer co-operatives have only been successful when they have been very large.
D)   Worker buyouts are almost always economically unsuccessful.

Question 5

"No fault compensation systems" for dealing with workplace health and safety issues in Canadian workplaces are characterized by which of the following?

Accepted Answer

A)   Injured workers are compensated for lost wages but cannot sue their employer.
B)   The system is funded by contributions provided by both workers and companies.
C)   Companies' safety records do not affect how much they have to pay into the system.
D)   The system is jointly funded by unions, companies, and provincial governments.

Question 6

Joint Health and Safety Committees (JHSCs) in Canadian workplaces focus on providing a range of different rights to workers. Which of the following is not a worker right protected by JHSCs?

Accepted Answer

A)   The right to be involved in health and safety issues.
B)   The right to refuse unsafe work.
C)   The right to not work with someone who appears to be unconcerned about safety.
D)   The right to be informed about potentially hazardous materials.

Question 7

In a few sentences, explain what is meant by Germany's "codetermination" (or dual-representation) approach to industrial democracy.

Accepted Answer

The answer of In a few sentences, explain what is...

Question 8

With respect to approaches to promoting workplace health and safety, briefly explain what is meant by the "administrative model of regulation," and by "no-fault compensation systems."

Accepted Answer

The answer of With respect to approaches to promoting workplace...

Question 9

Which of the following is an essential defining feature of "industrial democracy"?

Accepted Answer

A)   Effective communication channels between management and workers.
B)   Opportunities for workers to decide how they do their own job.
C)   Government legislation regarding how workers must be paid and treated.
D)   Formal attempts to involve workers in decisions about workplace issues that go beyond how they do their own jobs.

Question 10

Compare and contrast the different approaches to industrial democracy found in Germany and Sweden. Would either of these approaches, or some aspects of them, possibly be useful in Canada? Explain your answer.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Compare and contrast the different approaches to...

Question 11

What is the purpose of Sweden's Wage Earner Funds, introduced in 1984?

Accepted Answer

A)   Set aside funds to cover the costs of benefits paid to injured workers.
B)   Redirect corporate taxes into company share purchases for employees.
C)   Reduce the gender wage gap within companies.
D)   Pay for daycares and other benefits to make workplaces more family-friendly.

Question 12

Which model of worker ownership has delivered more of the democratizing and work-humanizing outcomes promised by the new managerial paradigms that emerged over the past several decades?

Accepted Answer

A)   Employee share ownership plans (ESOPs) .
B)   Worker buyouts.
C)   Producer co-operatives.
D)   High-performance workplaces.

Question 13

Sweden's approach to industrial democracy goes beyond Germany's approach in which of the following ways?

Accepted Answer

A)   Employees are given positions on boards of directors of companies.
B)   Employees have representation in all but the smallest companies.
C)   Government as well as private-sector employees are included.
D)   Unions must be given complete access to companies' financial records.

Question 14

Which of the following observations about the Mondragon producer co-operatives is correct?

Accepted Answer

A)   They have shown that worker ownership is successful in Canada but not elsewhere.
B)   They demonstrate how industrial democracy and quality-of-working-life programs are not compatible.
C)   They have virtually eliminated the need for factory workers.
D)   Some of their success can be traced to support from the local Roman Catholic Church.

Question 15

Which of the following generalizations has emerged from research on worker militancy in various countries?

Accepted Answer

A)   Left-wing political parties can help workers translate their grievances about work into criticisms of the larger society.
B)   British workers have generally been more militant than French workers.
C)   Participating in a strike usually has a significant long-term effect on workers' militancy.
D)   Umbrella organizations like the Canadian Labour Congress (CL
C)   are effective in convincing union members to vote for left-wing political parties.

Question 16

Sweden's approach to industrial democracy is different from Germany's approach because of which of the following?

Accepted Answer

A)   Sweden's economy's much greater reliance on services, compared to Germany's manufacturing-dominated economy.
B)   The influence of the Communist Party in East Germany prior to 1989.
C)   The much smaller companies that are typical of the Swedish economy.
D)   A broader government commitment in Sweden to reducing inequality and providing full employment.

Question 17

Briefly explain the key difference between a "worker buyout" and a "producer co-operative."

Accepted Answer

The answer of Briefly explain the key difference between a...

Question 18

The history of attempts to reduce workplace health and safety risks in Canada supports which of the following generalizations?

Accepted Answer

A)   Canada has really not moved beyond an "administrative model of regulation."
B)   There has been very little improvement over time in accident and fatality rates.
C)   "No fault compensation systems" are basically ineffective.
D)   The "internal responsibility system" encourages workers and management to work together to reduce risks.

Question 19

Which of the following forms of worker involvement are most typical of industrial democracy in Germany?

Accepted Answer

A)   Mandatory works councils in all but the very smallest workplaces.
B)   Extensive quality-of-working-life programs.
C)   Government support for high-performance workplaces.
D)   Widespread employee share ownership plans.

Question 20

Comparing the German and Swedish models of industrial democracy, which of the two would lead to more long-term job security for workers, and why?

Accepted Answer

A)   Sweden, because of the emphasis on providing fulfilling work for all workers.
B)   Sweden, because of the emphasis on negotiation, not just consultation, with unions.
C)   Germany, because of industry-wide wage bargaining by unions.
D)   Germany, because of the much longer tradition of works councils.

Exam 12: Alternative Approaches to Economic Organization