- Outline the pros and cons of the NLRA’s election-based union recognition process. Why do labor unions seem to criticize this process more than businesses? Describe some alternative means for deciding questions of representation. What do you think would be best for the workplaces and workforce of the 21st century? Refer back to the “Labor Relations Application: The Case against Employer Campaigning” box on p. 208—should employers be excluded from the representation process?
- Should employees be allowed to use company e-mail systems to discuss common work related concerns pertaining to their wages, benefits, and other terms and conditions of employment? How about to discuss unionizing? If not, what types of restrictions should companies be allowed to place on the use of their e-mail systems?
- Distributive bargaining is sometimes referred to as “win-lose bargaining.” Where does this label come from? How can it be misleading? Also, some people casually characterize any negotiated settlement as “a win-win.” Why is this accurate in layperson’s terms but inaccurate in light of how negotiation experts use the term win-win?
- In a concise paragraph, paraphrase what you have learned about bargaining strategies to inform a friend about the options for negotiating his or her starting salary and other items for a new job.