Labour Studies
Midterm Exam
Course Introduction
Labour Studies explores the dynamics of work, workers, and workplaces from historical, social, economic, and political perspectives. The course examines the development of labor movements, the nature of employment relationships, and the impact of globalization and technological change on the workforce. Students analyze labour law, collective bargaining, workplace rights, and social justice issues, while considering the roles of trade unions, employers, and governments in shaping working conditions. Through case studies and contemporary debates, the course encourages critical thinking about the challenges and opportunities facing workers in a rapidly changing world.
Recommended Textbook
Industrial Relations in Canada 4th Edition by
Fiona A.E. McQuarrie
Available Study Resources on Quizplus
13 Chapters
712 Verified Questions
712 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/study-set/3585
Page 2
Chapter 1: An Introduction to Industrial Relations in Canada
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
55 Verified Questions
55 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/71174
Sample Questions
Q1) In what percentage of Canadian jurisdictions is unionization an option for workers who are dissatisfied with their treatment?
A) 20 percent
B) 40 percent
C) 50 percent
D) None of the above
Answer: D
Q2) In 1995 the government of Ontario excluded farm workers from the jurisdiction of labour law claiming they would cause excessive labour costs.
A)True
B)False
Answer: True
Q3) Industrial relations is a broad, interdisciplinary field of study and practice that encompasses some aspects of the employment relationship.
A)True
B)False
Answer: False
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above. Page 3
Chapter 2: Theories of Industrial Relations
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
54 Verified Questions
54 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/71175
Sample Questions
Q1) According to Marx and Engels, what is the reason for the existence of unions and what is their ultimate objective?
Answer: The emergence of unions was a symptom of an ongoing class struggle. Unions were the means by which the working class could avoid exploitation by the upper class. In order to survive, unions had to have a larger political purpose. They would be a vehicle of class discontent which would eventually lead to the overturning of capitalism and the development of a classless society.
Q2) According to the Webbs, what was the primary reason for the emergence of unions? Explain.
Answer: They suggested that the primary reason for the emergence of unions was the separation between capital and labour. In the pre-Industrial Revolution economy, labour and capital were both controlled by the worker who invested in his or her own work and gained the benefits from the sale of that work. In the factory-based economy, the worker provided labour, but the capital was provided by the factory owner. This division between capital and labour would lead owners to exploit labour for their own gain. The objective of unions was to regulate the conditions of employment in order to protect workers' interests.
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above.
Page 4
Chapter 3: History of the Canadian Union Movement
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
54 Verified Questions
54 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/71176
Sample Questions
Q1) What was the effect of the British Privy Council decision in the matter of Snider v. Toronto Electrical Commission?
A) To prohibit strikes in public utilities
B) To limit the legislative authority of the federal government in labour relations matters to federally regulated industries
C) To limit the legislative powers of provincial governments in labour relations matters
D) All of the above
Answer: B
Q2) What political party has traditionally been allied most closely to the Canadian labour movement at the federal level?
A) The Liberal Party
B) The Social Credit Party
C) The New Democratic Party
D) The Conservative Party
Answer: C
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above.
5
Chapter 4: The Structure of Canadian Unions
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
55 Verified Questions
55 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/71177
Sample Questions
Q1) Name the individual paid to assist in union operations and briefly describe their responsibilities.
Q2) Which of the following is not a determinant in the size of a local union?
A) The number of workers
B) The geographic location of workplaces
C) The finances of the union
D) The structure of the relevant employment sector
Q3) What two factors determine how local union decisions are made?
A) Majority of votes cast in favour and influence of the executive
B) Wishes of the membership and influence of the business agent
C) High member participation and turnout at membership meetings
D) None of the above
Q4) Describe the structure and function of each level of the Canadian labour movement.
Q5) An affiliate can claim justification to the CLC by outlining the reasons for the organizing action being considered.
A)True
B)False
Q6) What are some of the services provided by provincial labour federations?
Q7) Describe the function of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC).
Page 6
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above.
Chapter 5: The Organizing Campaign
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
55 Verified Questions
55 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/71178
Sample
Questions
Q1) In the context of the certification process, what is meant by voluntary recognition?
Q2) A general policy in labour legislation is that unions should only represent non-managerial employees. Which of the following is not a reason for this policy?
A) Managers make more money than frontline workers and thus have no reason to be unionized
B) It would be a conflict of interest for a manager to discipline a fellow union member
C) A union is entitled to be established and administered without employer interference D) Managers have access to confidential material
Q3) An employer must demonstrate that it removed work from the workplace for reasons unrelated to the union's presence.
A)True
B)False
Q4) What are some of the challenges which confront labour relations boards as they attempt to determine if there exists the necessary level of support for certification and which employees should be included? (132)
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above.
Chapter 6: Establishing Union Recognition
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
54 Verified Questions
54 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/71179
Sample Questions
Q1) What is the minimum number of positive votes required in a representation vote in most jurisdictions in order for a certification to be successful?
A) 50 percent
B) 35 percent
C) 50 percent + 1
D) 60 percent
Q2) The labour board has the option of holding a hearing during the assessment of the certification application. When does it usually exercise this option?
A) When the employer is angry
B) If there is a dispute over the content of the application
C) If it believes that the union is an improper bargaining agent
D) When the employees ask for it
Q3) Discuss 'time bars' and why they are significant to the Certification process. (154)
Q4) Explain why it is important for the labour relations boards to remain sensitive to the power imbalance between the employer and the employees. (167-168)
Q5) What is the effect of the issuance of certification by a labour relations board?
Q6) What is an application bar?
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above.
Page 8
Chapter 7: Defining and Commencing Collective Bargaining
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
55 Verified Questions
55 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/71180
Sample Questions
Q1) What is a religious exemption?
Q2) Explain why Mount Allison University has had what they characterize as successful collective bargaining sessions in 2010 and 2013?
Q3) Which of the following forms of union security requires membership in the union as a condition of employment?
A) Hiring Hall
B) Company union
C) Rand formula
D) Closed shop
Q4) What is the term used when one of the parties bargains without any serious intent of concluding a collective agreement?
A) Surface bargaining
B) Circumvention
C) Intransigence
D) Boulwarism
Q5) Name a few of the considerations used in determining the size of the bargaining team in collective bargaining.
9
Q6) Describe the union security provision known as the Rand formula.
Q7) Discuss the ideal composition of a management bargaining committee. (183-184)
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above.
Chapter 8: The Collective Bargaining Process
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
55 Verified Questions
55 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/71181
Sample Questions
Q1) Which of the following best describes the term "factional conflict"?
A) Disputes between chief negotiators on bargaining priorities
B) Disputes within an organization about conflicting demands
C) Disputes between bargaining committees on key issues
D) All of the above
Q2) Environmental factors affecting negotiations include public opinion, legislation, and the economy.
A)True
B)False
Q3) List and describe the factors affecting the union's bargaining power.
Q4) List and describe the factors affecting the employer's bargaining power.
Q5) The most highly visible negotiation sub-process is the integrative bargaining process.
A)True
B)False
Q6) Describe what is common during the pre-negotiation stage and why it is important.
Q7) Describe the transaction costs associated with negotiations.
Q8) Why is it difficult to determine the amount of bargaining power held by either union or management in the negotiation process?
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above. Page 10
Chapter 9: Strikes and Lockouts
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
55 Verified Questions
55 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/71182
Sample Questions
Q1) What is a wildcat strike?
A) An illegal strike that takes place during the term of a collective agreement
B) A legal strike that takes place during the term of the collective agreement
C) A legal strike that takes place at the outset of collective bargaining
D) An illegal strike that occurs at the expiry of the collective agreement
Q2) Which of the following is not an economic factor that may influence the decision to strike or lockout?
A) The unemployment rate
B) The financial position of the employer
C) The general profit picture in the industry
D) The rate of economic growth in the country
Q3) In the United States, it has been found that medium sized bargaining units are more likely to undertake strike action.
A)True
B)False
Q4) What are the two major functions served by picketing?
Q5) Discuss each side's actions and motivations that can end a strike. (Pages 261-263)
Q6) What are the recourses available to an employer in the case of a wildcat strike?
Q7) What is the basic concept of the strikes as collective voice perspective?
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above. Page 11
Chapter 10: Third-Party Intervention During Negotiations
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
55 Verified Questions
55 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/71183
Sample Questions
Q1) What was the percentage increase in wages sought by air traffic controllers in their dispute with NAV Canada?
A) 40% over 2 years
B) 40% over 3 years
C) 60% over 2 years
D) 60% over 3 years
Q2) Special mediators often have expanded protection, privileges, and powers conveyed by legislation, and are usually directed to keep the minister informed on the progress of the mediation process.
A)True
B)False
Q3) What is the term used to describe a situation where the availability of a compulsory dispute resolution process weakens the parties' desire to resolve the issues on their own?
A) The narcotic effect
B) The chilling effect
C) Inhibited bargaining
D) Failure to bargain in good faith
Q4) Discuss Mediation/ Arbitration and its pros and cons as a process. (Page 293-294)
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above.
Page 12
Chapter 11: The Grievance Arbitration Process
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
55 Verified Questions
55 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/71184
Sample Questions
Q1) What is the purpose of a subpoena?
A) To compel a witness to appear
B) To compel the witness to bring other people
C) To request a witness to appear
D) To request production of documents
Q2) What is the standard of proof required in arbitration hearings?
Q3) Which of the following is not
A) It can lead to a more timely settlement
B) It encourages a non-adversarial approach
C) It encourages the use of lawyers
D) It is an informal process
Q4) What is the distinction between an individual grievance and a policy grievance?
Q5) Bearing in mind a union's duty of fair representation, which of the following is an option in the disposition of a grievance?
A) Settle the grievance
B) Withdraw the grievance
C) Proceed to arbitration
D) All of the above
Q6) Define the term "grievance."
Q7) Describe the process usually used for the selection of grievance arbitrators.
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above. Page 13
Chapter 12: Changes to the Union or the Employer
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
55 Verified Questions
55 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/71185
Sample Questions
Q1) What are some of the challenges faced by labour relations boards in determining whether or not successorship exists?
Q2) When a raiding union is successful and a new certification order is issued, what is the only change to the previous certification order?
A) The names of the employer and the union
B) The identification of the bargaining unit
C) The scope of the certification order
D) The name of the union
Q3) The restructuring of work due to technological change usually causes no substantive change in the composition of the bargaining unit or the structure of the employer.
A)True
B)False
Q4) In order to assess whether successorship exists, the labour board looks for an employer's anti-union animus.
A)True
B)False
Q5) Comment on the importance of the decertification process.
Q6) What is meant by the term successorship?
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above. Page 14
Chapter 13: Future Issues for Workers, Work Arrangements,
Organizations, and the Industrial Relations System
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
55 Verified Questions
55 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/71186
Sample Questions
Q1) In what industry did we see significant improvements in the early 20<sup>th</sup> century devolve to sweatshop conditions at the beginning of the 21<sup>st</sup> century?
A) Film industry.
B) Garment industry.
C) Steel industry
D) Manufacturing industry
Q2) Why are the new flatter organizations problematic for unions?
Q3) Canadian labour law is much stricter than American labour law in restricting what during strikes?
A) Picketing
B) Replacement workers
C) Work slow downs
D) Work to rule campaigns
Q4) Discuss some of the different forms of work scheduling which are having an effect on employees and unions in the workplace. (Page 397)
Q5) Discuss the impact of globalization on unionism and some union responses. (apge 405-410)
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above. Page 15
Q6) Discuss some of the challenges faced by young workers in today's labour market.