Final answer:
Option (E), In the union pre-election campaign, soliciting signatures on authorization cards is not typically a stage, as it is more related to the actual formation of the union.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question pertains to the union pre-election campaign stages, which typically do not include soliciting signatures on authorization cards. In the United States, forming a union entails announcing the intention to form a union, setting an election date, and then voting in a secret ballot. During this process, the union supporters and the firm's management respectively lobby for 'yes' and 'no' votes. By comparison, in Canada, a union is established when enough workers (about 60%) sign an official card stating their desire to form a union, making the process somewhat more straightforward and with less direct confrontation between union supporters and management.
In the context of union elections, the options presented in the question (contacting employees, airing grievances, calling meetings, and identifying and educating leaders) are all common activities, while the act of soliciting signatures on authorization cards is more related to the actual formation of the union than the pre-election campaign.