An organizational improvement strategy that involves work groups meeting periodically, usually one hour per week, to discuss ways to improve productivity. Unit 5: Employee and Labor Relations Quality Circle

An election that is held to determine whether the workers want to be represented by a union. Unit 5: Employee and Labor Relations Representation election

Allows past employers to share relevant job- related personal information about an applicant with future employees. Unit 5: Employee and Labor Relations Qualified privilege doctrine

An exception to the secondary boycott rule. When a neutral employer performs the work that was performed by the striking employee, it may be subject to lawful picketing. Unit 5: Employee and Labor Relations Ally doctrine

A group of workers that form an appropriate entity for collective bargaining. Unit 5: Employee and Labor Relations Bargaining Unit

Disciplinary actions follow an accepted procedure that protects an employee from arbitrary, capricious, and unfair treatment. Unit 5: Employee and Labor Relations Due process

Negotiations that result in wage reductions or work rule “give backs.” Unit 5: Employee and Labor Relations Concession bargaining

Methods of resolving disagreements without litigation, including negotiation, mediation, biding arbitration, and rent-a-judge services. Unit 5: Employee and Labor Relations Alternative dispute resolution

A union comprised of member who work for the same company or industry regardless of their particular crafts. Unit 5: Employee and Labor Relations Industrial union

When two people are romantically involved and one partner received preferential treatment, then other members of the work group who did not get promoted can claim that they were the victims of unlawful sex discrimination. Unit 5: Employee and Labor Relations Indirect sexual harassment

An oral or written promise by an employer to continue the employment relationship either indefinitely or for a designated time. Unit 5: Employee and Labor Relations Implied contract

An agreement that requires an employer to cease doing business with a nonunion company. These agreement are illegal. Unit 5: Employee and Labor Relations Hot cargo clauses

A work-related complaint or formal dispute that is bought to the attention of management. Unit 5: Employee and Labor Relations Grievance

The requirement that both parties meet and make offers and counter proposals in an effort to reach an agreement. Unit 5: Employee and Labor Relations Good-faith bargaining

An alternative work schedule in which employees work fewer days per week by working more hours on the days they work. The most typical is four 10-hour days, called the 4/40 plan. Unit 5: Employee and Labor Relations Compressed workweek

An NLRB election is barred because the initial year following certification of the union has not lapsed. Unit 5: Employee and Labor Relations Certification bar

A refusal to work by a group of employees. Unit 5: Employee and Labor Relations Strike

A means for overcoming a bargaining impasse by referring the labor dispute to an outside party with agreement beforehand that both sides will accept the intermediary’s decision. Unit 5: Employee and Labor Relations Binding arbitration

A decision-making process that uses two-party bargaining agreement. Unit 5: Employee and Labor Relations Bilateral decision making

The range of feasible alternatives on each bargaining issue that both management and union are willing to consider during negotiations. Unit 5: Employee and Labor Relations Bargaining zone

A provision that allows union dues to be paid directly to the union by the company’s payroll office if a member signs an affidavit agreeing to a payroll deduction. Unit 5: Employee and Labor Relations Dues check-off

An illegal strike that is called by a group to protest the results of a certification election and to force the employer to recognize a union other than the union that won certification. Unit 5: Employee and Labor Relations Certification strike

A union security provision that an employer hire only union members. Illegal except in the construction industry. Unit 5: Employee and Labor Relations Closed shop

The practice that allows employers to hire whomever they want for as long as they want; either party may terminate the employment relationship at any time. Unit 5: Employee and Labor Relations Employment-at-will doctrine

When an employer, upon learning that the employees have petitioned for a representation election, consents to an election and agrees to a date. Unit 5: Employee and Labor Relations Consent election

A decision constructed by a court that an employee who quit was actually discharged because of intolerable working conditions. Unit 5: Employee and Labor Relations Constructive discharge

A union-initiated public boycott of an employer’s goods or services. Unit 5: Employee and Labor Relations Consumer picketing

An NLRB election is barred because a valid union contract already exists. Unit 5: Employee and Labor Relations Contract bar

A union security provision requiring both union members and nonmembers to pay dues to the union. Unit 5: Employee and Labor Relations Agency Shop

A bargaining strategy in which each party tried to maximize its own outcomes at the expense of the other party. Unit 5: Employee and Labor Relations Distributive bargaining

When a firm has two separate operations, one union and one nonunion. Unit 5: Employee and Labor Relations Double breasting

When more than one employer negotiates with a single union. Unit 5: Employee and Labor Relations Coalition bargaining

A powerful federation of labor that represents about 80 percent of all unionized workers. Unit 5: Employee and Labor Relations American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO)

An informal process of agreement used by the National Labor Relations Board or the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service to resolve industrial disputes. Unit 5: Employee and Labor Relations Conciliation

A representation election that is directed by the regional director of the NLRB after determining that employees’ pretension for an election meets the necessary criteria. Unit 5: Employee and Labor Relations Directed election

A bargaining strategy in which both parties work together cooperatively to achieve the best outcome for both. Unit 5: Employee and Labor Relations Integrative bargaining

A court order prohibiting a person or group from carrying out a given action, such as a strike or boycott, that would cause irreparable damage. Unit 5: Employee and Labor Relations Injunction

A large number of individuals parading in front of a company to advertise their labor dispute. Unit 5: Employee and Labor Relations Mass picketing

The process of negotiations between an employer and a union regarding wages and working conditions. Unit 5: Employee and Labor Relations Collective bargaining

The application of technology and engineering to human abilities, interest, and feelings. Sometimes called biotechnology, it considers the mutual adjustment of people and machines in improving organizational effectiveness. Unit 5: Employee and Labor Relations Ergonomics

An NLRB election is barred because a valid election was held during the preceding twelve months. Unit 5: Employee and Labor Relations Election bar

The degree to which a task consists of a whole or complete unit of work as opposed to a small, specialized, repetitive act. Unit 5: Employee and Labor Relations Task identity

Making a job larger by adding more of the same kinds of elements. Unit 5: Employee and Labor Relations Job enlargement

Established by Congress through the Wagner Act to protect the right of employees, employers, unions, and the general public. Conducts representation elections and resolves unfair labor practices. Unit 5: Employee and Labor Relations National Labor Relations Board (NLRB)

Making slanderous or libelous statements about a person that harms the person’s reputation or professional credibility. Unit 5: Employee and Labor Relations Defamation

An election held by the NRLB to determine whether the majority of employees wish to get rid of a union. Unit 5: Employee and Labor Relations Decertification election

An individual who observes an illegal or immoral action and makes the information public. Unit 5: Employee and Labor Relations Whistleblower

A union security provision that all employees must belong to the union. If new employees are not members, they are required to join, usually within thirty days. Unit 5: Employee and Labor Relations Union shop

A provision granted by Section 14(b) of the Taft Hartley Act that allows states to forbid union shops, thus making union membership an optional rather than a mandatory requirement to hold a job. Unit 5: Employee and Labor Relations Right to work

Federal Anti-Injunction Act. A law passed in 1932 to encourage the formation of labor unions by neutralizing the differential power between employees and employers. Unit 5: Employee and Labor Relations Norris-La Guardia Act

When a union tries to get union members hired at non-union firms in an effort to organizing the other employees. Unit 5: Employee and Labor Relations Salting

An NLRB election is barred because a prior election petition was withdrawn by the requesting party within the past six months. Unit 5: Employee and Labor Relations Prior petition bar

The degree to which a job allows workers to develop and use their skills and to avoid the monotony of performing the same task repeatedly. Unit 5: Employee and Labor Relations Skill variety

Changing a job to make it significantly different in terms of the amount of variety, autonomy, and responsibility for the job. It involves a signification change in the content of the job, rather than just making it more of the same. Unit 5: Employee and Labor Relations Job enrichment

The degree to which a task has a significant impact on the organization, the community, or the lives of other people. Unit 5: Employee and Labor Relations Task significance

National Labor Relations Act. A law passed in 1925 to establish the legal right for labor unions to exist. Unit 5: Employee and Labor Relations Wagner Act

An action by secondary unions in support of a strike by a primary union that needs help. Unit 5: Employee and Labor Relations Sympathy strike

The right of employees to have union representation at investigatory interviews. Unit 5: Employee and Labor Relations Weingarten right

Giving workers greater authority and discretion by allowing them to perform functions previously reserved for higher level of management. Unit 5: Employee and Labor Relations Vertical loading

Unit 5: Employee and Labor Relations When employees strike an employer that shares its premises with another employer, the union’s picket signs must clearly indicate which employer they are striking. Common situs picketing