Labor Relations and Union Management Flashcards
6 cards from real Civil Service Supervisor Exam practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 Labor Relations and Union Management flashcards as text
An employee covered by a union agreement files both a grievance and an EEO complaint about the same incident. The supervisor should:
Answer: Treat both processes as separate and comply with the requirements of each
Grievance and EEO processes are legally distinct and run concurrently; refusing to process either is improper.
A union proposes contract language that would limit management's ability to assign overtime. Under public sector labor law, management's typical response option is to:
Answer: Bargain over the proposal in good faith, asserting management rights positions as appropriate
Good faith bargaining requires engaging with union proposals, even on management-rights-adjacent subjects, while defending the agency's position.
Which of the following best describes the role of an arbitrator in a public sector labor dispute?
Answer: A neutral third party who issues a binding decision on unresolved grievances
In grievance arbitration, a mutually selected neutral hears evidence from both sides and issues a binding decision interpreting the contract.
A supervisor receives a notice that the union is requesting information about employee overtime records. The supervisor should:
Answer: Provide the relevant records in a timely manner, redacting only legally protected personal information
Unions have a statutory right to information necessary for bargaining and grievance processing; timely compliance is a good-faith obligation.
The concept of 'past practice' in labor relations means that:
Answer: A consistent, longstanding, mutually accepted workplace practice may be enforceable even if not written in the contract
Arbitrators often enforce past practices as implied contract terms when they are clear, consistent, longstanding, and mutually recognized.
A first-line civil service supervisor's MOST important role in labor relations is to:
Answer: Apply contract terms consistently and fairly in daily supervisory decisions
Front-line supervisors implement the contract day-to-day; consistent application prevents grievances and builds a stable labor-management relationship.