MG420 Research Assignment
Your task for this Research Assignment is to do all of the following (be sure to read and adhere to the notes below:
1. Define the term “collective bargaining” and list and describe four issues that are mandatory components of a collective bargaining agreement.
The term collective bargaining is defined as U.S. labor relations system that works effectively, efficiency, equity and voice in which are achieved through collective bargaining. Representatives of the employer and the employees negotiate the terms and conditions of employment that will apply to the employees.
There are four major issues including the following; compensation, personal policies and procedures, employee rights and responsibilities, and employer rights and responsibilities.
Compensation is based on wages, benefits, vacations and holidays, shift premiums, and profit sharing.
Personnel policies and procedures include layoffs, promotions, transfer policies, overtime and vacation rules.
Employer rights and responsibilities are the management rights; just cause discipline and discharge, subcontracting, and safety standards. (Text, pg. 11)
Efficiency, equity and voice, are the three primary objectives of labor relations, of employees, and even some management personnel. Employees seem to lean more towards equity and voice at the workplace, while management usually prefers efficiency. The tricky part is attempting to balance all three for an overall happy medium at the workplace for both employers and employees. One of the most promising directions that should be taken in achieving this balancing act would be through collective bargaining.

Include and discuss [showing relevance or applicability] at least one reference found in our text, along with a current web-based news item/magazine article about a real life example of a collective bargaining action.

Pick any two of the four mandatory components you've listed and include and discuss [showing relevance or applicability] at least one reference found in our text, along with a current web-based news item/magazine article about each of those [two] collective bargaining issues in action.

Write succinct and complete [individual] summaries on the contents of each of the articles you've provided along with your critical comments about each article. Support your findings with referenced research. (40 points)
2. List and discuss three U.S. laws that support collective bargaining, and three examples of employer unfair labor practices.
Three U.S. Laws that support collective bargaining include the following; The National Labor Relations Act of 1935, The Labor Management Relations act of 1947, and Labor Management Reporting and Disclosure Act of 1959.
The National Labor Relations Act of 1935, which is also known as the Wagner Act, made it legal to form unions and engage in collective bargaining. The Wagner Act created a labor environment to equalize the bargaining power between the employer and employees as stated by the policy of the United States to eliminate the cause of certain substantial obstructions to the free flow of commerce and to mitigate and eliminate these obstructions when they have occurred by encouraging the practice and procedure of collective bargaining. The main purpose of the Wagner Act was to encourage collective bargaining in the private sector by protecting workers’ rights to join and form labor unions. Furthermore, this act also gave more expensive powers to the federal government with the regulating of labor relations and it banned employers from punishing workers for using their collective bargaining rights. Americans did have the right to join unions and strike, prior to the enactment of this law. Previously, employers had been free to spy on, to question to discipline, to discharge, to terminate and to blacklist employees for either joining unions or striking.
The National Labor Relations Act of 1935, the federal law regulating labor relations of enterprises engaged in interstate commerce, and it nullified parts of the Federal Anti-Injunction Act of 1932. The act established control of labor disputes on a new basis by enlarging the national Labor Relations Board and providing that the union or the employer must, before terminating a collective-bargaining agreement, serve notice on the other party and on a government mediation service. The government was empowered to obtain an 80-day injunction against any strike that it deemed a peril to national health or safety. The Labor Management Relations Act provided the government far more oversight over union activities, including the right of the U.S. president to stop a strike if it was deemed dangerous to national health. The act also stripped unions of their power in several ways, including forbidding unions from contributing to political campaigns and only allowing unions to organize after a majority vote by employees. Although President Truman vetoed the act, it passed easily over his veto, and this act remains the heart of the U.S. labor law.
The Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act of 1959. Also called the Landrum-Griffin Act, this law amended the Taft-Hartley Act to protect the rights of union members within their union and imposed new reporting requirements and codes of conduct on unions and employers. This act was created in response to the surge of corruption from various labor union officials who used violence as a way to quail the union opposition from employers and employees. Another process of the Labor-management Reporting and Disclosure Act of 1959 was to stop labor unions from be infiltrated by communist. Furthermore, former members of the Communist party and former convicts were prevented from holding a union office for a period of five years after resigning their Communist party membership or being released from prison.

Include and discuss [showing relevance or applicability] at least one reference found in our text, along with a current web-based news item/magazine article about each of those laws.

Pick any two of the three examples of employer unfair labor practices you’ve listed and include and discuss [showing relevance or applicability] at least one reference found in our text, along with a current web-based news item/magazine article about one and a current web-based news item/magazine article about the other of the two examples of employer unfair labor practices you've chosen.

Write succinct and complete [individual] summaries on the contents of each of the articles you've provided along with your critical comments about each article. Support your findings with referenced research. (80 points)
3. Describe the process of establishing and decertifying a collective bargaining unit in the workplace.

Include and discuss [showing relevance or applicability] at least one reference found in our text, along with a current web-based news item/magazine article about any part of the process of establishing a union.

Include and discuss [showing relevance or applicability] at least one reference found in our text, along with a current web-based news item/magazine article about the decertification process, proceeding, or action.

Write succinct and complete [individual] summaries on the contents of each of the articles you've provided along with your critical comments about each article. Support your findings with referenced research. (40 points)
4. Describe the process of administering a collective bargaining agreement (CBA) to include the role and function of an arbitrator. What are the issues, and how are they handled?

Include and discuss [showing relevance or applicability] at least one reference found in our text, along with a current web-based news item/magazine article about a CBA being implemented.

Include and discuss [showing relevance or applicability] at least one reference found in our text, along with a current web-based news item/magazine article about an arbitrator or a labor relations-related arbitration action.

Write succinct and complete [individual] summaries on the contents of each of the articles you've provided along with your critical comments about each article. Support your findings with referenced research. (40 points)
NOTE:
• At least 75% of the verbiage in your offering for each question must be in your own words. Up to 25% can be the words of others taken from either the text or from the articles you used in support of your offering. You may paraphrase (which is taking the words of others and restating them in your own words – see http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/02/), or you may quote the words of others as long as you give proper credit (see MLA below). Be careful not to plagiarize which is using the words of others and presenting them as your own. Any verbiage presented in your offering that is not properly cited or given appropriate credit will be deemed as you presenting those words as your own.
• You may upload your fully completed Research Assignment to the Course Home Research Assignment basket in the drop box area as a single file at any time, but in order for you to receive any credit whatsoever it must be posted not later than midnight (CST) on Sunday, of Week 6.

I want to make sure we are absolutely clear on this, so there are no misunderstandings down the line. Last minute emergencies, technological problems (computer crashes), etc. will not be grounds for me to give you any more time than the time you have now to do get the assignment uploaded. Be sure to back up and save a copy of your Assignment in case you or we experience technical problems.
• Assignments must be uploaded as a single file attachment (no multiple files will be accepted) to the drop box as either a Word document (.doc, .docx, or .rtf file formats only – do not send in any other Word format), or if you are using another word-processing program I will be able to accept any file saved in Rich Text Format (.rtf) format. No other file formats will be accepted for credit.
• The file name for your assignment must be name as follows:
Your First name Your Last Name MG420 Research Assignment.[file extension]

Example: John Smith MG420 Research Assignment.doc
• This is a 400-level (senior level) class ~~ I expect at least 400-level (senior level) work. You will be graded on what you submit (see grading rubric).
• Questions MUST be numbered and restated in their entirety at the top of each page and each question should have its own page(s) devoted to it ~~do not run question 1 into question 2 on the same page. Bottom line -- go out of your way to make your assignment easy to read and to grade! You can unnecessarily lose valuable points on this assignment by not following these formatting requirements – please do not let that happen to you. See the Sample Research Format document located in the Doc Sharing Area.
• The assignment must be completed following the Modern Language Association (MLA) Documentation Style (see http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/01/). Note that you must use parenthetical citations and you must include full URLs in your citations. You must reference your work for all questions~~ I'm not interested in hearsay. When citing the course text, a simple reference to "course text" or "Labor Relations" and the applicable page numbers will suffice.
• Be sure to include COMPLETE URL for any articles you are using in support of each paper. You should test and retest the URL to be sure that I can see what you want me to see. Sending a complete and active URL is your responsibility. If I cannot see your article, you will not receive credit for that article. Note: Sometimes when using electronic or web-based library databases the web site and/or URL you locate requires one to sign up and log in to see the article. I do not wish to have to do this so, it may become necessary to copy and paste the contents of the article onto a separate page in your word processing program (such as Microsoft Word). Check and re-check the URL you provide to make sure I can see what you want me to see.
• When writing your papers, be sure to include applicable excerpts from the article (in quotes and referenced) that you use in support of your statements.
Good luck all -- don't wait too long to get started on this.