Question

Which one of the following strategies is NOT a strategy that is commonly used to increase a public employer's cost of continuing to disagree with a union bargaining proposal?

a. A threat to "blow the whistle" on a questionable management practice.
b. A threat to conduct a recall election.
c. A threat to withdraw the political support of union members
d. Malicious obedience or "working to rule" in order to slow down work
e. Use of various job action techniques.

Answer 1

The correct answer is B.a threat to conduct a recall election, which is not a commonly used strategy to pressure public employers during disputes with unions. Typical strategies include whistleblowing, withdrawal of political support, working strictly by the book, and job actions.

Step-by-step explanation:

One strategy that is not commonly used to increase a public employer's cost of continuing to disagree with a union bargaining proposal is a threat to conduct a recall election. The strategies commonly used include threats to 'blow the whistle' on questionable management practices, withdrawal of political support, 'malicious obedience' or 'working to rule', and the use of various job action techniques.

History shows that unions have often leveraged unity to fight for workplace reforms and benefits such as work conditions, overtime, parental leave, and regulation of pensions, which have at times been reinforced through legislation supported by union lobbying. However, the passage of protective labor laws can ironically decrease the perceived need for unions among workers.

Moreover, company unions were created as a strategic method by employers to counteract the influence of independent unions by implementing modest reforms or bonuses, hoping workers would see them as an effective alternative to unions that charged membership fees, thus undermining the efforts of those independent unions.