Pros and cons of union membership

Question

Question 1. What factors are contributing to the decline of union membership? Discuss.

Question 2. What do you believe to be the pros and cons of union membership? Which do you believe to be more beneficial? Why?

Question 3. Union membership has been on the decline. Do you believe this is a positive or negative trend? Why?

Question 4. Employees still resist unions almost 60 years after the passage of the National Labor Relations Act. Why do you believe this to be the case?

Question 5. If an employer has a good-faith reasonable doubt as to whether a majority of its employees support an incumbent union, what options are available to the employer? Which option do you think is in the employers best interest? Why?

Question 6. Discuss the difference between an employer's support of and domination of a union.

Question 7. Do you believe employee elections regulated by the NLRB are successful? Why or why not.

Question 8. What actions can an employer take to try to discourage their workers from organizing? Do you believe this would ultimately benefit or hurt the employer? Why?

Question 9. Explain the different styles used by negotiators, which do you think is the most effective? Why?

Question 10. Compare and contrast commonly used methods for resolving a negotiation impasse.

Question 11. Of the common methods used to resolve a negotiation impasse, which do you believe is the most effective? Why?

Question 12. Describe how interest based bargaining is different from other techniques.

Question 13. Explain the difference between profit-sharing plans and COLAs. Do you believe profit-sharing plans or COLAs are more beneficial to employees? Defend your answer.

Question 14. There are many nuances to the design of an acceptable pension program. Design a model program to be offered to the union and explain your rationale.

Question 15. During the past decade, employers and unions have moved away from the concept of Cost-of-Living Adjustments (COLAs) to Profit Sharing and Incentive style plans. Differentiate between the different styles of plans and defend or argue against the move to the new style plans.

Question 16. In recent years, management negotiators have increased their resistance to increases in private pension funding. Do you foresee any changes in this trend moving forward? Why or why not?