CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION TO LABOUR RELATIONS
True/False
1. Some human resource managers use the terms industrial relations and labour relations
interchangeably.
Answer: True
2. There is a consensus on the meaning of the terms industrial relations and labour
relations.
Answer: False
3. Labour relations are important because they affect both union and non-union
employees.
Answer: True
4. Labour relations is defined as the study of all aspects of the union-management
relationship.
Answer: True
5. The issue of improving health and safety in the workplace is within the domain of
industrial relations.
,Answer: True
6. Collective bargaining refers exclusively to the negotiation of a contact between the
union and the employer.
Answer: False
7. Unions have equal strength and importance in all provinces.
Answer: False
8. After an employer has been unionized an employee in the bargaining unit cannot make
an agreement with the employer providing for additional vacation time.
Answer: True
9. When employees are not represented by a union the employment relationship is
governed by the contract between the parties, common law, and employment
legislation.
Answer: True
10. A unionized employer must give members of the bargaining unit reasonable notice to
terminate them.
Answer: False
,11. The courts have the authority to order employers to reinstate non-union employees
who have been wrongfully dismissed.
Answer: False
12. Constructive dismissal means that an employer could not reduce an employee's pay by
15% unless the employee consented.
Answer: True
13. Unionization affects the profitability but not the productivity of employers.
Answer: False
14. A systems approach to labour relations refers to the industrial relationship, parties,
processes, and outputs.
Answer: False
15. The processes in labour relations refer only to joint union-management activities such
as contract negotiations.
Answer: False
16. Human resource managers and labour relations specialists may have a different
perspective on unions.
Answer: True
, 17. Without a union, the employment relationship would be governed exclusively by
agreements between employers and individual employees.
Answer: False
18. “Wrongful dismissal” means that an employer must have a valid reason to terminate an
employee.
Answer: False
19. It is possible for collective agreements to provide less notice of termination to
employees than the common law reasonable notice period.
Answer: True
20. There are studies indicating that unionized employees have lower job satisfaction than
non-union employees.
Answer: True
21. A systems framework for labour relations contains five elements: the parties, processes,
the environment, outputs, and feedback.
Answer: True
22. The environmental factors affecting labour relations refer exclusively to the economy,
technology, and legal issues.
INTRODUCTION TO LABOUR RELATIONS
True/False
1. Some human resource managers use the terms industrial relations and labour relations
interchangeably.
Answer: True
2. There is a consensus on the meaning of the terms industrial relations and labour
relations.
Answer: False
3. Labour relations are important because they affect both union and non-union
employees.
Answer: True
4. Labour relations is defined as the study of all aspects of the union-management
relationship.
Answer: True
5. The issue of improving health and safety in the workplace is within the domain of
industrial relations.
,Answer: True
6. Collective bargaining refers exclusively to the negotiation of a contact between the
union and the employer.
Answer: False
7. Unions have equal strength and importance in all provinces.
Answer: False
8. After an employer has been unionized an employee in the bargaining unit cannot make
an agreement with the employer providing for additional vacation time.
Answer: True
9. When employees are not represented by a union the employment relationship is
governed by the contract between the parties, common law, and employment
legislation.
Answer: True
10. A unionized employer must give members of the bargaining unit reasonable notice to
terminate them.
Answer: False
,11. The courts have the authority to order employers to reinstate non-union employees
who have been wrongfully dismissed.
Answer: False
12. Constructive dismissal means that an employer could not reduce an employee's pay by
15% unless the employee consented.
Answer: True
13. Unionization affects the profitability but not the productivity of employers.
Answer: False
14. A systems approach to labour relations refers to the industrial relationship, parties,
processes, and outputs.
Answer: False
15. The processes in labour relations refer only to joint union-management activities such
as contract negotiations.
Answer: False
16. Human resource managers and labour relations specialists may have a different
perspective on unions.
Answer: True
, 17. Without a union, the employment relationship would be governed exclusively by
agreements between employers and individual employees.
Answer: False
18. “Wrongful dismissal” means that an employer must have a valid reason to terminate an
employee.
Answer: False
19. It is possible for collective agreements to provide less notice of termination to
employees than the common law reasonable notice period.
Answer: True
20. There are studies indicating that unionized employees have lower job satisfaction than
non-union employees.
Answer: True
21. A systems framework for labour relations contains five elements: the parties, processes,
the environment, outputs, and feedback.
Answer: True
22. The environmental factors affecting labour relations refer exclusively to the economy,
technology, and legal issues.
