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Chapter 1: Introduction to Labor Relations
1. The term “labor relations” refers to ________.
a. the process of recruiting and hiring employees
b. any activity between management and a representative of employees concerning a
negotiation
c. the process of training the newly hired employees
d. any activity between a manager and an employee concerning the appraisal of the employee
2. A written and signed document between an employer entity and a labor organization
specifying the terms and conditions of employment for a specified period of time is known as
a(n) ________ bargaining agreement.
a. distributive
b. arena
c. collective
d. surface
3. A collective bargaining agreement is negotiated under the provisions of the ________ Act.
a. Job Creation and Worker Assistance
b. Selective Training and Service
c. National Labor Relations
d. Comprehensive Employment and Training
4. Which of the following statements is true regarding a collective bargaining agreement?
a. It is negotiated between an employee and a union.
b. It is negotiated under the provisions of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
c. It is ratified by the union.
d. It can be changed only when a new union is elected.
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5. Which of the following terms best represents the process by which union leaders representing
groups of employees negotiate specific terms of employment with designated representatives
of management?
a. integrative bargaining
b. surface bargaining
c. distributive bargaining
d. collective bargaining
6. As defined by the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA), a(n) “________” is any employee
committee or other organization of any kind in which employees deal with employers
concerning grievances, labor disputes, wages, hours, or working conditions.
a. quality circle
b. kaizen group
c. labor organization
d. employee board
7. The ________ Act makes it illegal to discriminate against someone on the basis of race,
color, religion, national origin, or sex. Also, according to this act it is illegal to retaliate
against a person who complained about discrimination, or participated in a lawsuit.
a. Family and Medical Leave
b. Civil Rights
c. Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification
d. Older Workers Benefit Protection
8. According to ________, covered employers are required to recruit and advance qualified
minorities, women, persons with disabilities, and covered veterans.
a. the Equal Pay Act
b. the Fair Labor Standards Act
c. the Family and Medical Leave Act
d. E.O. 11246 (Affirmative Action)
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9. The Employee Polygraph Protection Act ________.
a. makes it illegal to discriminate against employees or applicants because of genetic
information
b. makes it illegal to discriminate against a qualified person with a disability in the private
sector and in state and local governments
c. protects people aged 40 and older from discrimination because of age, and makes it unlawful
to retaliate against a person who complained about pay discrimination, or participated in a
lawsuit
d. prevents employers from using lie detector tests, either for preemployment screening or
during the course of employment, with certain exemptions
10. Generally, union membership tends to ________.
a. decrease the time spent on grievances
b. provide greater individual rewards based on performance
c. lower personnel costs
d. provide higher wages
11. Which of the following acts banned child labor in the U.S.?
a. Family and Medical Leave Act
b. Occupational Safety and Health Act
c. Age Discrimination Act
d. Fair Labor Standards Act
12. ________ is a “hard” union–management issue.
a. Employee recognition
b. Employee empowerment
c. Wage increase
d. Working conditions
13. Which of the following is most likely to be considered a “soft” union–management issue?
a. health insurance benefits
b. employee empowerment
c. wage increases
d. retirement benefits
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14. In a unionized organization, ________.
a. the employees have Weingarten rights
b. promotions and transfers are determined unilaterally and subjectively by the employer
c. employees have no rights of access to information
d. changes in working conditions can be made at any time, without warning, by the employer
alone
15. Union density refers to ________.
a. the proportion of unionized organizations to nonunionized organizations in a state
b. the proportion of employers in a particular industry who have unionized organizations
c. the number of unions for employees in a particular industry in proportion to the total number
of organizations in that industry
d. the number of union employees in proportion to the total number of employees in a state
16. Which of the following countries defied prevailing trends to record an increase in the
percentage of employees joining unions between 1990 and 2008?
a. Spain
b. Australia
c. Germany
d. New Zealand
17. The Employee Free Choice Act is a proposed law which, if implemented, will require that
________.
a. employers give workers a 60-day advance notice of plant transfers and plant shutdowns
b. the National Labor Relations Board certifies a union to represent workers if a majority signs
cards that authorize the union
c. employees be allowed to solicit support for a union from their fellow employees during
working times and at the workplace
d. an employer who entertains a good-faith reasonable doubt whether a majority of its
employees support an incumbent union will be able to withdraw recognition from the union
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18. The ________ industry is the only industry in the U.S. in which the union membership has
increased over the past few years.
a. airline
b. hospitality
c. health care
d. manufacturing
19. Union members who present themselves as job applicants and upon hiring organize from
within the company, are referred to as ________.
a. free agents
b. salts
c. free riders
d. whistle-blowers
20. ________ programs involve union and management representatives that meet to improve
communications and their general quality of life in the workplace.
a. Affirmative action
b. AFL-CIO
c. Preemption
d. QWL
21. The earliest labor unions in America were formed by ________.
a. unskilled factory workers
b. professors and teachers
c. skilled craft workers
d. members of various churches
22. Which of the following workers can become a member of a craft union?
a. a professor
b. a factory worker
c. a carpenter
d. a pilot
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23. Transportation unions in the airline industries are governed by the ________ Act.
a. National Labor Relations
b. Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification
c. House Page Board Revision
d. Railway Labor
24. In the sports industry, the “salary arbitration” process specified in a sport’s CBA provides
that if a player and team cannot agree on a new salary for a future, ________.
a. the issue is submitted to a mediator who can suggest a decision
b. the salary of the player will be increased as per the average industry standard
c. the salary of the player will be determined by a committee consisting of NLRB members and
members of the sport’s union that represents the player
d. the issue is submitted to an arbitrator who will make a final and binding decision
25. The NLRB oversees most labor relations activities in the private sector and was created by
the ________ Act.
a. Fair Labor Standards
b. National Labor Relations
c. Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification
d. Job Creation and Worker Assistance
26. In professional sports, free agents are ________.
a. players who act as arbitrators in salary arbitration situations
b. players who are permitted to negotiate contract terms with any club
c. players or managers who do not support the relevant unions
d. players who belong to more than one team and union simultaneously
27. The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) is appointed for a term of ________years.
a. two
b. five
c. ten
d. twelve
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28. Which of the following statements is TRUE of the NLRB?
a. The NLRB is appointed for a ten-year term.
b. The NLRB has jurisdiction over the employees of the Federal Reserve Bank.
c. The NLRB is a five-member body.
d. The NLRB is appointed by the Secretary of Labor.
29. The members of the NLRB are appointed by the ________.
a. Secretary of Labor
b. President
c. Secretary of State
d. Chief Justice Officer
30. Which of the following workers is under the jurisdiction of the NLRB?
a. an employee in a shipping company
b. an agricultural worker
c. a person employed by a spouse
d. a domestic servant
31. Which of the following statements is TRUE regarding the rights of employees under the
NLRA?
a. Employees of the U.S. government and the states are considered to be employees under the
definition of the NLRA.
b. Persons employed by a spouse or parent are considered to be employees under the terms of
the NLRA.
c. Employees of U.S. employers who are permanently stationed in another country do not have
rights under the NLRA.
d. Illegal aliens and undocumented workers are not covered by the NLRB.
32. Which of the following organizations will be included in the definition of employers
according to the NLRB?
a. the U.S. government
b. a manufacturing company
c. a wholly owned government corporation
d. the Federal Reserve Bank
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33. Which of the following is the only wholly owned government corporation that falls under the
jurisdiction of the NLRB?
a. Corporation for Public Broadcasting
b. Environmental Protection Agency
c. Federal Reserve System
d. U.S. Postal Service
34. If an activity is clearly protected under Section 7 of the National Labor Relations Act, then
federal law gets priority over state law on any issue regarding the activity. This is an example
of ________.
a. ratification
b. preemption
c. featherbedding
d. pink sheeting
35. According to the concept of preemption, ________.
a. the NLRB has authority only in purely local disputes
b. employees have the right to decide whether they want to join a union or not
c. federal law takes precedent over state law
d. wholly owned government corporations are under the jurisdiction of the NLRB
True/False
36. The term “labor relations” refers to any activity between management and unions or
employees concerning the negotiation or implementation of a collective bargaining
agreement.
37. A written and signed document between an employer entity and a labor organization
specifying the terms and conditions of employment for a specified period of time is known as
a surface bargaining agreement.
38. A collective bargaining agreement must be ratified by the union.
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39. A collective bargaining agreement is negotiated under the provisions of the Selective
Training and Service Act.
40. Collective bargaining is a continuous process beginning with the negotiation of a contract
through the life of the contract with almost daily interpretation and administration of its
provisions.
41. The Civil Rights Act prevents employers from using lie detector tests, either for pre-
employment screening or during the course of employment, with certain exemptions.
42. According to the Family and Medical Leave Act, an employee can take up to 20 weeks of
unpaid leave each year under certain specified circumstances.
43. The term “labor union” refers to a group of employees who join together to discuss and
usually positively affect their employment relationship.
44. In the National Labor Relations Act, labor organizations are referred to as “unions.”
45. Generally, union membership results in lower job security.
46. Union members are more likely to receive higher wages than non-unionized workers.
47. Unions tend to negotiate rewards that are across-the-board or are based on seniority, not
individual performance.
48. The presence of a union tends to increase work rule flexibility.
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49. Non-union employees do not have Weingarten rights.
50. In a unionized organization, the employer can change the working conditions at any time
without prior warning.
51. The term “union density” refers to the number of union employees in proportion to the total
number of employees in a state or other area.
52. Union membership in the United States has declined over the past years.
53. Craft unions represent a group of workers who share a skill or an occupation, such as
electricians, carpenters, and bricklayers.
54. Industrial unions began in factories where largely skilled laborers worked.
55. According to the salary arbitration procedure in baseball, the arbitrator must choose the final
salary offer of either the player or the team without any compromise.
56. Free agents are players who are permitted to negotiate contract terms with any club.
57. The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) is a ten-member body.
58. The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) is appointed for a seven-year term by the
Department of Labor, with the advice and consent of the Senate.
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59. The National Labor Relations Act gives the National Labor Relations Board no authority in
purely local disputes.
60. Agricultural workers and domestic servants do not come under the jurisdiction of the NLRB.
61. Employees of U.S. employers who are permanently stationed in another country do not have
rights under the National Labor Relations Act.
62. The Federal Reserve Bank is an employer, according to the NLRB.
63. The employers who are subject to the Railway Labor Act are excluded from the definition of
the employer by the NLRB.
64. According to the concept of preemption, state law takes precedent over federal law.
65. If an activity is clearly protected under Section 7 of the National Labor Relations Act, the
state is totally preempted from the field and federal law controls.