Final answer:
Bill Bowman's role in negotiating labor contracts with the union is an example of Mintzberg's decisional role category, specifically the negotiator role.
Step-by-step explanation:
Bill Bowman's responsibility of reaching an agreement with the labor union for a new labor contract aligns with Henry Mintzberg's decisional role category. When Bowman engages in negotiations, he is involved in a classic managerial decisional role, more specifically, in Mintzberg's negotiator role. In this capacity, he is tasked with representing the organization during negotiations that will result in a binding agreement.
Mintzberg's managerial roles are divided into three main categories: interpersonal, informational, and decisional. The decisional category includes roles like entrepreneur, disturbance handler, resource allocator, and negotiator. It focuses on decisions that shape the future of the organization and address problems or opportunities the organization faces. Negotiating contracts with unions is an example where managerial decision-making is at the forefront, thereby putting Bowman's activity under the decisional role category.