1. What are the laws that govern the collective bargaining process and labor relations management?

a. Include federal and state laws that govern unfair labor practices, bargaining in good faith, pro-union, and pro-management laws. 

b. What is the role of the NLRB in labor disputes?

2. What is the process that a union must go through before it can be recognized as representing a segment of an employer’s workforce? 

a. How do the steps in this process apply to the ABC situation?

 3. What are the reasons that employees generally support unions and management often opposes unions?

a. Include a discussion of the impact unionization can have on employee salary/wages and benefits from the perspective of the union and from the perspective of management. 

b. Discuss the possible impact on ABC’s ability to compete in today’s global economy if the machinists are able to successfully unionize. 

4. What are the steps in the collective bargaining process from beginning to end; both from the perspective of the union and from the perspective of management? 

a. Evaluate and explain the difference between mandatory and permissive bargaining subjects. 

b. What actions may the union and management take in the event that an impasse is reached during negotiations? 

c. Explain how the identified actions conform to local, state, and federal legislation requirements. 

5. What are the key provisions of a Collective Bargaining Agreement?

 a. Explain the concept of management rights as it relates to the ABC situation. 

6. Outline and propose specific elements of a gain-sharing program that will help ABC reach its goal of increasing productivity by at least 15% at its 3 locations. 

a. When outlining a gain-sharing program, you must critically evaluate at least one gain-sharing program that has been successful in the past. Incorporate evidence from this program into your report explaining how gain-sharing will lead to increased productivity at ABC.

 b. Does the gain-sharing program have to be bargained for if the machinists successfully unionize? 

c. What are the reasons why employees may and may not want to accept the gain-sharing program?