HRM Final Exam - Unions and Labor Relations | Questions
and Answers
Union membership in the US has dropped substantially to less than ___% of the non-farm US
workforce and less than ___% among private organizations. ** Answ** 13%; 10%
In unionized firms, many of the HR decisions (compensation, benefits, layoffs, and termination)
require _____ _____. ** Answ** union involvement
Early labor endeavors were quite political and these movements advocated dramatic reform to
the existing _____ system, which was a major factor in their downfall. ** Answ**
capitalistic
A few successful trade unions, arising during the Civil War period, accepted capitalism and
focused on basic economic issues such as raising _____ and improving _____ _____. **
Answ** wages; working conditions
Commonwealth v. Hunt ** Answ** Overturned the criminal conspiracy doctrine as actions
designed to convince nonmembers to join were no longer seen as criminal. The courts though
tended to sympathize with businesses during this period.
The American Federation of Labor (AFL) accepted _____ and worked to improve the worker's
_____ position ** Answ** capitalism; economic
The AFL leadership actively opposed change in the 1930s by resisting _____ unionists and
strictly adhered to _____ unionism. ** Answ** industrial; craft
Norris-LaGuardia Act ** Answ** severely restricted employers ability to obtain an
injunction by the courts forbidding the union from engaging in peaceful picketing or striking and
made yellow-dog contracts (signing a contract saying that the employee would not join a union)
unenforceable.
NLRA/Wagner Act ** Answ** recognized worker's right to organize and bargain
collectively with representatives of their own choosing
After WWII, there were many _____ because of labor's attempt to regain wages. ** Answ**
strikes
Taft Hartley Act ** Answ** This act intended to regulate labor's activities by describing
what constituted unfair labor practices by unions such as: prohibiting union discrimination
, against workers who did not want to participate in union activities. It also provided states with
the option of enacting right-to-work laws
right-to-work laws ** Answ** declare that union security agreements (union and agency
shop) that require membership as a condition of employment are illegal.
One reason union membership began to decline in _____ is that the labor movement has had
more difficulty organizing in the _____ sector. ** Answ** 1955; service
Right to work laws have hurt _____ _____, especially in the southern states. ** Answ**
union growth
Landrum-Griffin Act ** Answ** It was designed to protect workers from their unions or
their leadership.
Wages and benefits are still key issues but _____ _____ has become one of the most important
issues. ** Answ** job security
Three general reasons Why Workers Join Unions ** Answ** 1) perceptions of the work
environment
2) desires to participate in or influence employment conditions
3) employee beliefs about the effects of unions
Recently, one of the key issues for workers has been _____ _____. ** Answ** job security
Most workers find it ______ to fight for work improvements when in a union. ** Answ**
easier
Union advocates maintain that the collective voice reduces worker _____ _____, thereby,
leading to the retention of experienced workers, lowering a firm's training costs and raising its
productivity. ** Answ** quit rates
Most national unions are: ** Answ** 1) composed of local parts
2) affiliated with the American Federation of Labor and the Congress of Industrial Organizations
(AFL-CIO)
Craft unions ** Answ** made of members all having a particular skill or occupation
Industrial unions ** Answ** made up of members who are linked by their work in a
particular industry such as steelworkers or autoworkers
the local union steward is responsible for: ** Answ** 1) ensuring the terms of collective
bargaining contract are enforced
2) represents the employees in contract grievances
and Answers
Union membership in the US has dropped substantially to less than ___% of the non-farm US
workforce and less than ___% among private organizations. ** Answ** 13%; 10%
In unionized firms, many of the HR decisions (compensation, benefits, layoffs, and termination)
require _____ _____. ** Answ** union involvement
Early labor endeavors were quite political and these movements advocated dramatic reform to
the existing _____ system, which was a major factor in their downfall. ** Answ**
capitalistic
A few successful trade unions, arising during the Civil War period, accepted capitalism and
focused on basic economic issues such as raising _____ and improving _____ _____. **
Answ** wages; working conditions
Commonwealth v. Hunt ** Answ** Overturned the criminal conspiracy doctrine as actions
designed to convince nonmembers to join were no longer seen as criminal. The courts though
tended to sympathize with businesses during this period.
The American Federation of Labor (AFL) accepted _____ and worked to improve the worker's
_____ position ** Answ** capitalism; economic
The AFL leadership actively opposed change in the 1930s by resisting _____ unionists and
strictly adhered to _____ unionism. ** Answ** industrial; craft
Norris-LaGuardia Act ** Answ** severely restricted employers ability to obtain an
injunction by the courts forbidding the union from engaging in peaceful picketing or striking and
made yellow-dog contracts (signing a contract saying that the employee would not join a union)
unenforceable.
NLRA/Wagner Act ** Answ** recognized worker's right to organize and bargain
collectively with representatives of their own choosing
After WWII, there were many _____ because of labor's attempt to regain wages. ** Answ**
strikes
Taft Hartley Act ** Answ** This act intended to regulate labor's activities by describing
what constituted unfair labor practices by unions such as: prohibiting union discrimination
, against workers who did not want to participate in union activities. It also provided states with
the option of enacting right-to-work laws
right-to-work laws ** Answ** declare that union security agreements (union and agency
shop) that require membership as a condition of employment are illegal.
One reason union membership began to decline in _____ is that the labor movement has had
more difficulty organizing in the _____ sector. ** Answ** 1955; service
Right to work laws have hurt _____ _____, especially in the southern states. ** Answ**
union growth
Landrum-Griffin Act ** Answ** It was designed to protect workers from their unions or
their leadership.
Wages and benefits are still key issues but _____ _____ has become one of the most important
issues. ** Answ** job security
Three general reasons Why Workers Join Unions ** Answ** 1) perceptions of the work
environment
2) desires to participate in or influence employment conditions
3) employee beliefs about the effects of unions
Recently, one of the key issues for workers has been _____ _____. ** Answ** job security
Most workers find it ______ to fight for work improvements when in a union. ** Answ**
easier
Union advocates maintain that the collective voice reduces worker _____ _____, thereby,
leading to the retention of experienced workers, lowering a firm's training costs and raising its
productivity. ** Answ** quit rates
Most national unions are: ** Answ** 1) composed of local parts
2) affiliated with the American Federation of Labor and the Congress of Industrial Organizations
(AFL-CIO)
Craft unions ** Answ** made of members all having a particular skill or occupation
Industrial unions ** Answ** made up of members who are linked by their work in a
particular industry such as steelworkers or autoworkers
the local union steward is responsible for: ** Answ** 1) ensuring the terms of collective
bargaining contract are enforced
2) represents the employees in contract grievances
