Final answer:
True, an employer's refusal to bargain collectively with a union represents an unfair labor practice under the Labor-Management Relations Act (LMRA), also known as the Taft-Hartley Act.
Step-by-step explanation:
An employer's refusal to bargain collectively with a union that represents its employees is indeed an example of an unfair labor practice under the Labor-Management Relations Act (LMRA). This is captured under U.S. labor law, which establishes the right of unions to engage in collective bargaining with employers. When an employer does not negotiate in good faith with a union, this undermines the fundamental principles of the labor movement that trace back to the industrial revolution when organized labor was legalized.
The LMRA, also known as the Taft-Hartley Act, includes provisions to maintain a balance in the labor-management relationship. One feature of this act is the ability for the government to intervene in severe cases of labor disputes, as was the case with the port shutdowns where the government stepped in to enforce a cooling-off period.