10.13 Exercises/Activities for Teachers and Students
Exercises
- Discuss the most important reasons why employees want to unionize? Brainstorm in large group.
- Research online United States unions. What are the major differences between unions in the United States versus Canada? Individual research. Share with a partner.
- What are the differences between craft unions and trade unions? Share with a partner.
- Research the role of a Union Steward. Individual. What are the primary responsibilities of a Union Steward? List them and share with a partner.
- Why did unions decide to join together to create international associations? Share with a partner.
- Review the Fortune 500 Focus related to Walmart. Do you believe this story has impacted other union campaigns? How? Share with a partner.
- As an individual, do you support unions? What do you think your support/lack of support for unions is influenced by? Would you work for a unionized company? Why? What not? Discuss in a small group.
- Part time workers appear to have difficulty unionizing? What do you think the reasons for this is? Share with a partner.
- Statistics suggest that unionizing for men has been declining over the years. Complete some research, individually. Discuss your research with a partner.
- There has been a shift to social unionism with unions. What do you think the reasons are for this shift? Discuss in a small group.
- As the HR Manager of a company, you have an employee come to and shares they have been approached by another employee about a union campaign that was started. The employee is anti-union, and does not want to join a union. What do you do with this information? Share in a small group.
- You, as the HR Manager, have been asked by the President of the company to lead the first negotiations with the union employees. What information do you need to gather? Who do you need to involve? Share in a small group.
- You, as the HR Manager, have been asked to provide information for the union-management team related to new employee demands for the upcoming union negotiations. The employees want more money, better health benefits, more vacation, and a change to job classifications. What type of data can you provide to the union-management team? Share in a small group.
- Through the grapevine of the company, you as the HR Manager, have heard rumours that the employees are going to picket the company next week. They are supporting another company’s legal issues with their company related to contracting work out to non-employees. How do you deal with this information? Share in a small group.
- An anti-union employee comes to you, as the HR Manager, and they say they refuse to pay union dues, and do not want the union dues deducted from their pay cheque. How do you handle this situation? Share with a partner.
- Rationalize why these people should/should not be part of the negotiating team? 1. CEO 2. Lawyer 3. Yourself 4. Payroll Clerk 5. Plant Supervisor. Discuss in a small group.
- Some people believe unions are more important in today’s workplace, while other people believe unions are “dead.” Each student takes a position. Complete research online to defend your position individually. Argue your position. Complete with a partner.
- As the HR Manager, management and union reps have been complaining about each other. They are suggesting they do not have any cooperation from the other side. Grievances from the union have been increasing in the last months. What strategy could you implement to avoid these complaints? Share in small group.
- Research Common Law on Canada government website, individually. With a partner, explain what you understand Common Law to mean. How would you use Common Law in a situation with an employee who has been underperforming?
- A Supervisor verbally hired a new employee, and offered them a starting date of first day of next month. Upon reflection, the Supervisor decided not to hire this candidate. They come to you to find out how to tell the candidate. What advice do you offer the Supervisor? Teacher poses question to large group.
- An employee has showed up to work late for 3 days in a row. A Supervisor terminates the employee. The workplace is non unionized. The employee has the right to what? And, how would you handle this situation with the Supervisor? Discuss in pairs.
- You have noticed that an employee who works beside you has been on Facebook at least five times every day for the last week. The two of you are working on a project together. This employee has yet to complete their sections of the project that is due today. You think you need to speak to an HR Specialist. What do you expect the HR Specialist will do to correct this issue?
- You are in a public space after hours; and a fight ensues. Somehow you get involved in the fight. The police come, charge you and several others with public disorder. The incident is on the news the following day. Your boss sees the news; and fires you. What are your rights, if any? Discuss in pairs. Share with larger group.
