Labour and Employee Relations Flashcards
7 cards from real CHRP practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Labour and Employee Relations flashcards as text
An employer wants to change a term of employment not covered in the collective agreement. What must they do?
Answer: Negotiate the change with the union through the collective bargaining process
Terms of employment for unionized employees must be negotiated with the union; unilateral changes violate the duty to bargain in good faith.
Under the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA), which activity is considered an unfair labor practice by an employer?
Answer: Promising wage increases to employees who vote against union certification
Promising benefits to discourage union support constitutes interference with employees' Section 7 rights and is an unfair labor practice.
What does the term 'management rights clause' in a collective agreement typically reserve for the employer?
Answer: The right to manage the business and direct the workforce within the limits of the agreement
A management rights clause preserves the employer's authority to operate the business, subject to the terms negotiated in the collective agreement.
A grievance arbitration award orders reinstatement of a discharged employee. The employer believes the penalty is too lenient. What recourse does the employer have?
Answer: Seek judicial review if the arbitrator exceeded jurisdiction or made a reviewable error
Arbitration awards are generally final but can be challenged through judicial review on narrow grounds such as jurisdictional error or procedural unfairness.
Which principle requires that discipline be proportional to the severity of the misconduct and the employee's record?
Answer: Progressive discipline principle
Progressive discipline requires penalties to escalate in proportion to the seriousness and frequency of misconduct, moving from verbal warnings to termination.
An employee files a grievance alleging the employer violated the seniority provisions of the collective agreement when assigning overtime. At what step would this typically be resolved first?
Answer: Informal discussion between the employee, union steward, and immediate supervisor
Most collective agreements require grievances to begin at Step 1, an informal resolution attempt between the employee, union steward, and supervisor.
What is a 'zipper clause' in a collective agreement?
Answer: A provision stating the agreement represents the complete understanding of the parties, barring mid-term bargaining
A zipper clause closes off mid-term bargaining by declaring the collective agreement to be the complete and final expression of all agreed terms.