Labor Relations and Collective Bargaining - Chapter 15

Union membership has declined, with approximately 14 million workers in the U.S. currently belonging to unions.

Unions are formed by employees to collectively bargain with employers for better working conditions, pay, and benefits.

Unions aim to ensure workers receive a fair share of the company's profits, often through collective bargaining negotiations.

Unions can protect workers from arbitrary decisions made by management, promoting fairness and consistency in workplace policies.

Poor employee relations, such as low morale, fear of job loss, and poor communication, can motivate workers to form unions.

Union security refers to the measures taken to ensure the financial stability and effectiveness of a union. Examples include securing membership and maintaining fair wages and benefits.

A right-to-work law prohibits requiring union membership as a condition of employment. This can impact union membership and bargaining power.

Unions strive to improve wages, working hours, and benefits for their members through collective bargaining negotiations with employers.

The period of labor law history where government actively promoted union formation and collective bargaining.

The Norris-LaGuardia Act (1932) and the National Labor Relations Act (Wagner Act, 1935) were key pieces of legislation during this time.

This period of labor law saw the balance shift, with regulations and limitations placed on both unions and employers.

The Taft-Hartley Act of 1947 (Labor Management Relations Act) introduced regulations on unions and expanded employee and employer rights.

Actions by employers that violate the right of workers to form unions and engage in collective bargaining.

The Wagner Act (1935) specifically prohibited five unfair employer practices.

This includes actions like interfering with workers' right to organize, dominating union formation, discriminating against union members, and refusing to bargain collectively.

This period of labor law focused on detailed regulations of internal union affairs and aimed to protect union members' rights.

The right to refuse to bargain in good faith is a prohibited practice for unions under the Taft-Hartley Act.

Employers must avoid threats, promises, coercion, and direct interference with workers during a union drive.

The Landrum-Griffin Act (1959) established rights for union members, including the right to nominate candidates for union office and participate in fair elections.

Unions may not restrain or coerce employees in exercising their bargaining rights. This prohibits tactics like intimidation or pressure.

An authorization card gives a union permission to represent a worker in collective bargaining. This card is a crucial step in the union drive.

After a union drive, an NLRB (National Labor Relations Board) hearing determines if enough evidence exists to form a bargaining unit. This unit represents a group of workers who will be collectively bargained for.

During a union drive, management can campaign against the union by sharing their perspective through their actions and communication.

The election process in a union drive involves a secret ballot to determine whether the majority of workers wish to be represented by a union.

Actions that weaken the union's chances during an election.

A legal process where employees terminate a union's right to represent them.

Strategies used by unions to increase their chances of winning an election.

Supervisors are allowed to express opinions, share facts, and explain rules, but they cannot threaten, interrogate, promise, or spy on employees.

A process where management and labor legally negotiate wages, hours, and working conditions with the goal of reaching an agreement.

Examples include delaying negotiations, making unreasonable demands, or refusing to provide information.

The legal right of employees to end their union's representation.

A union strategy that prioritizes early contract negotiations after winning an election.

A point in negotiations where both sides cannot agree and the process is stuck.

A neutral third party who helps to facilitate a resolution between the labor union and management during a negotiation impasse.

A legal process where a neutral third party reviews the facts of a dispute and provides a non-binding recommendation for settlement.

A formal process by which a neutral third party reviews the facts of a dispute and issues a binding decision that both sides must accept.

A step in which labor unions put pressure on management by temporarily stopping work. This usually happens when negotiations reach an impasse and an agreement is not reached.

A formal document outlining all the agreed-upon terms and conditions of employment between the labor union and the employer. It covers topics like wages, hours, benefits, and dispute resolution.

A formal process by which employees can file complaints or concerns about workplace issues.

A form of labor relations where labor unions and management work together to improve productivity and solve problems in a collaborative way.