Labor Organization and Economic Systems Quiz

Questions and Answers

The strength of any labor organization depends on which of the following?

Its organizational and financial stability (Management)

Its ability to work within political and economic systems

The support/non-support of legislation, the media, and public opinion

Satisfying member goals and interests

All of the above (correct)

Which two of the following were reasons markets and firms expanded?

Increased competition created pressure to minimize wages

Improved road and rail transportation systems

New mass-production technologies were created (factories) (correct)

Movement from rural to urban areas caused labor surpluses (correct)

___________- buying so much of a product that the price decreases because you're making the seller more money by buying so much that he cuts a deal.

Buyer cooperatives

What gives you the greatest economic output?

Capitalism Signup and view all the answers

The 8-hr Work Day Movement was created to decrease overall employment.

False Signup and view all the answers

_______- A federation of unions that each independently represented a unique skilled craft or occupation.

The American Federation of Labor Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following concepts does NOT reflect the American Federation of Labor?

Focused on moving away from the use of collective bargaining to settle labor disputes Signup and view all the answers

This historical figure related to the American Federation of Labor believed in living within the capitalistic system.

Samuel Gompers Signup and view all the answers

_______- Struck the national railroads to put pressure on the Pullman company to reach an agreement with the union.

The American Railway Union Signup and view all the answers

_______- Placed federal mail on the trains and obtained an injunction prohibiting the union from interfering with the trains.

Railroad Owners Signup and view all the answers

_______- statement by legal authority stating you need to stop doing this and start doing this or else you will go to jail.

Injunction Signup and view all the answers

An example of _______ is when a union leader comes to a boss and says - employees are upset we might have a strike - employer says what can I do to make you hold it off - let me use your cabin in the summer.

Sweetheart contracts Signup and view all the answers

Sweetheart contracts are legal.

False Signup and view all the answers

Initial goal of __________ was to overthrow the capitalist system by any means necessary.

The Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) Signup and view all the answers

The Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) failed to establish an effective organization for which of the following reasons?

Lack of permanent membership and financial base Signup and view all the answers

What was the purpose of government contracts during wartime?

To enforce union standards and guarantee uninterrupted war production Signup and view all the answers

Why did unions oppose immigration?

Immigrants took jobs away from the members of their union Signup and view all the answers

Open or Closed Shop: union controls who is hired by the employer - must be in union to be employed.

Closed shop Signup and view all the answers

Open or Closed Shop: company controls who is hired and fired - doesn't have to be in union to be employed.

Open shop Signup and view all the answers

Employers wanted __________ because it meant workers did not have to be or become members of a union to get or keep a job.

Open shop Signup and view all the answers

Unions wanted __________ because it is an agreement requiring that an individual must be a member of the union before being hired by the employer.

Closed shop Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is a factor contributing to Labor's Inability to Overcome Anti-Union Sentiment?

All of the above Signup and view all the answers

Which two organizations joined together when production workers (semi and lower skilled) were becoming an increasingly larger percentage of the labor force?

AFL-CIO Signup and view all the answers

Most AFL Unions were open to inclusion of production workers in their unions and the AFL.

False Signup and view all the answers

Who was the leader of the Congress of Industrial Organizations?

John C. Lewis Signup and view all the answers

AFL unions expelled for dual unionism (in support of industrial unions) formed the _____________.

The Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO) Signup and view all the answers

What was the strongest piece of legislation affecting unions?

The Wagner Act (National Labor Relations Act) Signup and view all the answers

Which President became very friendly towards the unions because they helped the workers?

Roosevelt Signup and view all the answers

Which President tried to balance out the changes of employee attitudes due to the Wagner Act?

Taft Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following factors accounting for the CIO's success is directly related to the Great Depression?

Changes in employee attitudes toward unions Signup and view all the answers

When was union involvement at its height?

At the end of WWII Signup and view all the answers

Union involvement has been increasing since the end of WWII.

False Signup and view all the answers

Development of organized labor is aimed at both white collar AND public-sector employees.

True Signup and view all the answers

"As an employee, I can quit anytime I see fit - employer can fire anytime they want to" is an example of ________.

Employment at Will Signup and view all the answers

An example of ________ is if you want to work for Walmart - if I hire you, you promise you will not join a union - you can't make any under the table deals.

Yellow Dog Contracts Signup and view all the answers

This document said: in America no organization can do anything which would interfere with the flow of commerce - nothing should get in the way of business doing business whether it's starting a business, buying or selling.

Sherman Antitrust Act Signup and view all the answers

boycott - flow of commerce - price fixing are all relative to which of the following?

Sherman Antitrust Act Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following was originally intended to prevent the restraint of trade by regulating business monopolies?

Sherman Antitrust Act Signup and view all the answers

__________- government agency that we pay with our tax dollars to oversee unions.

National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) Signup and view all the answers

According to this, workers' rights are protected by law with or without a union. Employees can do certain things such as small boycotts.

Norris-La Guardia Act of 1932 Signup and view all the answers

A shortcoming of the Norris-La Guardia Act of 1932 was that there were no regulatory agency designated to enforce the act.

True Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is not a part of the Wagner Act?

Right to strike is abolished Signup and view all the answers

Union power growing to the point that it was damaging the public was a main reason for the re-balancing of which Act?

Taft-Hartley Act Signup and view all the answers

Although there were revisions to the Taft-Hartley Act, 3rd party strikes, sympathy strikes, and boycotts remained legal.

False Signup and view all the answers

An example of _______ is that the union would rather have more people working to increase their numbers although the positions could be filled by a single person.

Feather bidding Signup and view all the answers

Which shop requires mandatory union membership?

Union shops Signup and view all the answers

Which shop requires union membership by employee choice?

Open shops Signup and view all the answers

Which shop requires employees to pay only for representation?

Agency shops Signup and view all the answers

This Act was passed to protect union member rights and ensure union democracy by - Required secret-ballot elections of union officers, Required union membership approval in setting dues and levying assessments, Set federal financial reporting requirements for unions.

Landrum Griffin Act of 1959 Signup and view all the answers

A main function of the NLRB was to interpret and administer the __________.

The Wagner Act Signup and view all the answers

The Railway Labor Act of 1926 originally covered only railway employees but was later amended to include airlines.

True Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following was a result of the Airline Deregulation Act of 1978?

All of the above Signup and view all the answers

_________- requires union and employer cooperation to avoid bankruptcy filings and the alteration of contracts.

The Bankruptcy Act of 1984 Signup and view all the answers

_________- requires employers to notify employees and communities of major workforce reductions.

The Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act of 1988 Signup and view all the answers

Unions are in favor of WARN.

False Signup and view all the answers

Which act questions if you're going to lay off a certain number of people - in one swoop - you must give them something such as 90 days notice - what will happen to those employees' productivity?

The Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act of 1988 Signup and view all the answers

_________- relocating, illegal acts, refusal to bargain, decertification, and filing for bankruptcy.

Union suppression Signup and view all the answers

_________- positive human resources management.

Union avoidance Signup and view all the answers

Strategies to avoid a union are good wages and benefits, empowerment, participative rights.

True Signup and view all the answers

_________- company paternalism, company-sponsored employee organizations, forms of employee participation and involvement.

Union substitution Signup and view all the answers

If a state is a non-right to work state - if there is a union at the company then employees are not required to join that union.

False Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is a main way to avoid unionization?

All of the above Signup and view all the answers

Chamber of commerce represents the interests of all businesses but itself is NOT a business.

True Signup and view all the answers

Unions are organized similar to businesses - more republican.

False Signup and view all the answers

What is the biggest union in the United States?

Teachers Signup and view all the answers

__________- Employers hire only employees referred by the union if the union can supply enough qualified workers.

Union Hiring Hall Signup and view all the answers

__________- Union employees are given employment preference over nonemployees when a new facility is opened.

Preferential Treatment Signup and view all the answers

_________- The hall is required to refer both union members and nonmembers in a nondiscriminatory manner.

Union Hiring Hall Signup and view all the answers

_________- Yearly union membership fees are automatically deducted from union employees' paychecks by the employer.

Dues check-off Signup and view all the answers

Union Security is the same as Job Security.

False Signup and view all the answers

The average pay is LOWER in non-right to work states.

False Signup and view all the answers

Is Union Governance more or less democratic than the U.S. system of government? Example: National Conventions?

Less Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Labor Organization and Economic Systems

The strength of labor organizations relies on financial stability, ability to navigate political and economic systems, legislative support, and fulfilling member goals.
Expansion of markets and firms driven by increased competition, new mass-production technologies, urban labor surpluses, and improved transportation.

Impact of Production and Labor Dynamics

Purchasing large quantities of a product can lower prices due to increased revenue for the seller.
Capitalism is perceived to provide the highest economic output compared to socialism and industrialism.
The 8-hour workday movement aimed to improve working conditions, not decrease overall employment.

Unions and Their Structure

The American Federation of Labor represents various skilled crafts independently rather than through one unified organization, ensuring local unions manage their labor relations.
Samuel Gompers was a key figure in the AFL, advocating for labor rights while operating within capitalism.

Historical Labor Actions

The American Railway Union aimed to place pressure on the Pullman Company through national strikes, influencing labor relations during the industrial era.
Legal responses often included injunctions, reflecting judicial authority over labor disputes.

Labor Market and Employment Relations

Sweetheart contracts, where union leaders make agreements with employers, are controversial but can be legal.
The Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) initially sought to transform capitalism through radical means but struggled to establish a sustainable organization due to a lack of committed membership.

Government Influence and Labor Standards

The purpose of wartime government contracts was to maintain union standards and ensure continuous production during conflicts.
Legislation such as the Wagner Act provided significant protections for union workers, promoting collective bargaining rights and establishing an oversight body.

Union Membership Dynamics

Closed shops require union membership for employment, contrasting with open shops where union affiliation is not necessary.
Anticipated resistance to unionization arises from economic fears, perceived corruption, and the reluctance of employees to forfeit paychecks for union dues.

Historical Legislation and its Outcomes

The Taft-Hartley Act was a response to perceived union excesses, restructuring labor relations and restricting union powers.
The Norris-LaGuardia Act aimed to protect workers' rights to organize without interference, though it lacked enforcement provisions.

Employee Rights and Union Relationships

The Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act mandates advance notice for layoffs, affecting employer strategies during downsizing.
Union strategies to maintain influence include providing fair wages and building positive management relations to deter unionization.

Trends in Unionization and Workforce Dynamics

Union participation peaked after WWII, but has seen a decline since, indicating shifts in labor market dynamics and employee attitudes toward unions.
The landscape of labor relations continues to evolve, influenced by political changes, economic conditions, and changing workforce demographics.

Additional Union Concepts

Union governance involves electing officers and creating democratic structures, with membership dues often deducted directly from paychecks.
Union-specific practices, such as hiring halls and preferential hiring, reflect the ongoing negotiation between union influence and employer discretion.

Summary of Key Points

Strong labor organizations require cohesion and political savvy.
Historical labor movements reflect ongoing tensions within economic systems.
Legal frameworks evolve to balance power between unions, employers, and government oversight, shaping the future of labor relations.

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Description

Test your knowledge on labor organizations and their impact on economic systems. Explore the dynamics of production, labor movements, and the structure of unions like the American Federation of Labor. This quiz delves into historical and modern approaches to labor relations.