There has been some discussion among the employees in your company's insurance claims processing unit about forming a union. Company management has asked you to research existing labor agreements in the industry. You utilize the Department of Labor's Office of Labor-Management Standards website and access a collective bargaining agreement from the Online Public Disclosure Room
(www.dol.gov/olms/regs/compliance/rrlo/lmrda.htm). You find the contract between the American National Insurance Company and the United Food and Commercial Workers. The UFCW is the union your employees are talking to, so you want to see how they have worked with other employers. You review the contract and highlight points that you think are interesting and notable.
a. Assess the Management Rights clause. Has the company retained important rights, or does it appear that the union has substantial power to direct business operations? Are there additional rights you think should be retained by the company? Has the union included language to protect its own security and interests?
b. Evaluate the compensation and benefits that employees receive. Is paid time off adequate or overly generous? Do employees receive generous retirement benefits? What is your overall evaluation of how "tough" the union is likely to be if your employees elect it as a representative?