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1. You are the new leader of the local union at your company. There are many new employees who have joined the union in the past year, and they have questions about the way union membership works. These new employees are not sure about how to be in the union and still interact with the boss. It seems to some of them that in their non-union jobs, they would just say and do what it took to get their questions answered, and they did not see much difference between themselves and the boss. Others want to run to the union steward every time the boss says something they don t like. The questions involve management rights and employee rights. Your job is to develop a summary sheet which lists the content for a union meeting. Your summary should include the basics of how unions operate and specifics on management rights and employee rights in the union environment.

2. The development of unions in the U.S. has a dynamic and complex history. Despite the growth and power that unions enjoyed in the past, today they are on the decline. Unions are working in various ways to improve their status and membership levels in the U.S. There are a number of social, economic, and business factors that are either helping or slowing down the development of the union movement.

(a) Compile the various statistical, historical, economic, and social factors that have led to the decline of unions.

(b) Devise a plan to help unions reverse these trends and potentially turn back to a growth pattern.

3. Contract negotiations will typically reflect the current status of the economy, political/legal concerns, social factors impacting society in general, and other concerns held by management and labor. The issues can become complex, with each side presenting their view of what has changed in the economy, as well as their own needs for changes to wages and benefits, etc. The proof that is brought to the bargaining table supports either management's perspective or that of the union. Play the role of a consultant to management.

(a) Summarize for the management team the economic, political/legal, social, and other factors that you believe the union will integrate into their negotiations package.

(b) Devise a counter proposal that management can bring to the table.

4. When management and labor interact during negotiations, during a grievance, or just on a daily work basis, their relationship is largely defined by a variety of federal and state laws. These laws can be seen as helping, or they can be considered a hindrance to labor or management as they try to reach their goals. Both sides have their point of view. In the past, the laws were created to help the unions organize and members to join a union. Later, the laws helped management deal with the union. The labor laws of this country have helped to bring some balance to the labor and management relationship. Consider the major labor legislation passed over the years.

(a) Explain how key components of the labor laws impact the union/management relationship today.

(b) In your explanation, describe how both management and labor benefit from these key provisions.

5. Describe the differences between the AFL-CIO and "Change to Win" federations. How are these organizations competing for the same employees?

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1. The typical labor agreement includes disciplinary procedures that are advantageous to both managers and the union and union workers. Describe the disciplinary procedures and outline the sections that may be advantageous to employees versus those that are advantageous to management. Contrast your findings with a non-union environment. Describe the effectiveness of each approach.

2. Two industries (Industry X and Industry Y) are run by labor unions. Even though the unions overseeing these industries are considered honest and conscientious, we have seen a large disparity in pay between the industries. In fact, the wages in Industry X are now three times the rate as those of Industry Y. What factors account for the differences in these two industries?

3. Wage issues are often the catalyst for a strike. While the union is focusing on what they can get in terms of total income to the union member, management is looking at the impact of these costs on the total business picture. From a management perspective, defend what you would judge to be the most desirable arrangement for your organization. Consider the ability-to-pay approach and the comparative approach. Be sure to include other factors around the wage issue that might impact your decision.

4. Your boss is new to the union environment and your organization is three weeks into a grievance for discharging an employee without just cause. Your role is to prepare your boss for the grievance process. Outline a typical grievance/arbitration procedure and evaluate the impact of that procedure on your organization.