Several Webster Groves police officers called in sick—one after the other. As the dispatcher took the calls, she thought there could be more to this story than she was hearing. In fact, she thought it might be related to the discussion she heard in the break room last night. Several officers were leaving their shifts and were not happy with the recent changes in scheduling, the excessive overtime hours, and management's reluctance to begin negotiations on a new benefits package. She even heard one officer saying, "It's time for a mental health day!" Although it is illegal for police to strike, what the police dispatcher was witnessing may have been

________ is the process by which a union becomes recognized by the National Labor Relations Board as the bargaining agent for a group of employees.

The box "Walking a Fine Line" discusses

________ is the demand for equal pay for jobs requiring similar levels of education, training, and skill.

As an advisor to a company setting up its sexual harassment policy, which of the following tactics would you suggest?

Membership in the Knights of Labor was

In a union shop

You've been on your hour-long lunch break for less than 45 minutes when your boss orders you to return to work immediately or lose an hour's pay. You complain that the current labor contract specifies a full hour for your lunch break and you still have over 15 minutes left. Your boss stands firm on his order for you to return to work. Under protest, you return to work, but plan to file a grievance. The first step you should take is to contact a(n)

The ________ was set up as a federation of many separate craft unions.

In its early years, the AFL's strategy was to

As an employee of the human resource department of a major corporation, you are concerned about the potential costs of drug abuse. You are contemplating testing employees for substance abuse. Before adopting such tests, you should know that

Last year, a retired schoolteacher moved her parents from Michigan to northern Illinois to live with her. For the past year, she was traveling two times each month to provide care for this 86-year-old couple, including coordinating medical services and meals. In conversations with her family members, the teacher remarked, "If I were not already retired, I would have to quit my job to continue this way!" This retired teacher:

At this time, the largest labor organization in the United States is the

Mini-Case The workers at Endrun Corporation are not affiliated with a union. Until recently, the workers felt they were well paid and treated fairly by the company, so they had little interest in seeking union representation. However, worker morale at Endrun has declined steadily since the board of directors fired the old CEO last year and replaced him with Ty Runt, a no-nonsense, autocratic manager with a reputation for cutting costs. As soon as he took over, Ty fired other members of the old top management team and replaced them with people who shared his views. Together, the new management team made a series of moves that did not sit well with Endrun's workers. First, they announced changes in work procedures designed to speed up the production line. Many workers complained that the new methods cut corners and were unsafe, but management refused to listen. A few months after changing work methods, the company told workers that it was reducing their health benefits. This led to even greater worker unrest. Finally, just a few weeks ago, workers received word that the wages of all production-line employees would be cut by 6 percent. Many employees felt this was the last straw, especially since the company's board of directors recently approved big salary increases and more lucrative stock option plans for Ty and his management team. A spokesperson for the board explained that the raises were justified because of the management team's "outstanding efforts to reduce costs, increase productivity, and improve the company's profits." Several disgruntled employees, led by Ima Striker and Boyd Cotter, now believe it is time to obtain union representation. Top managers at the company have hinted that workers who actively participate in the union campaign may be among the first workers laid off if the company decides to downsize. Ima and Boyd are not intimidated by these management threats. "I wish we didn't have to do this," Ima recently told many of her fellow workers at the plant. "But someone has to stop Ty Runt and his team from ruining our jobs." Ty Runt has always taken a hard line against unionization efforts. Two years ago, when workers at his previous company tried to obtain union representation, the company closed down the plant and refused to let employees work until they abandoned their efforts to form a union. This management tactic is called a(n)

When workers go on strike, management is often compelled to keep the business operation running. If it is unable to achieve this on its own, management may

In 1997, the Supreme Court rendered a decision on a case stipulating that sexual harassment law

The ability of unions to achieve key goals in the future will depend on their ability to

Which of these evolving workplace issues will likely continue to be a focus during future contract negotiations?

Which of the following is likely to remain a controversial labor-management issue in the future?

The ________ sets the tone and clarifies the terms and conditions under which labor and management agree to function over a specific period of time.