All management and Union representatives need to have a clear understanding of collective bargaining. Many of you probably think you have a good understanding of federal sector collective bargaining, but do you really?
To test that understanding, I have developed a short quiz. In preparation for the second day of my class on collective bargaining I ask the participants to read Chapter 9 in my book: The Essential Guide to Federal Labor Relations.
At the beginning of the next morning’s class, they take a quiz on what they have learned from reading the chapter. It is not intended to be a difficult quiz but rather acts to give them further support for what they have learned. There are prizes awarded for those who do well on the quiz.
While you have not had the opportunity to read the chapter in the book, it may be useful to take the quiz and see how much you really know about federal sector collective bargaining. It’s a very straight forward true/ false quiz on bargaining. Unfortunately, there will not be prizes for those of you who do well on the quiz.
The Collective Bargaining Quiz
1. A party to collective bargaining cannot be required to put an agreement in writing. T/F
2. A union has the right to demand that the head of the agency be at the bargaining table engaging in collective bargaining. T/F
3. An agency can dictate when or where bargaining will take place. T/F
4. Good faith bargaining requires each side make a sincere effort to resolve issues in bargaining. T/F
5. Working conditions must pertain to bargaining unit employees and the work situations or employment relationship of those employees. T/F
6. Bargaining over working conditions for employees not in the bargaining unit, such as non-employees, employees in other bargaining units and supervisors would be a permissive subject of bargaining. T/F
7. A term collective bargaining agreement has a specific term that it is in existence. T/F
8. Unions may not bargain over agency regulations. T/F
9. A union cannot bargain over the exercise of management rights. T/F
10. When determining whether a proposal is negotiable you must determine whether it is a negotiable procedure, a negotiable appropriate arrangement or is contrary to federal law and government-wide regulations. T/F
Answers to the Quiz on Bargaining
True/False Quiz
1. A party to collective bargaining cannot be required to put an agreement in writing.
False Section 7106 (a) (12) requires an agreement be put in writing if requested by either party.
2. A union has the right to demand that the head of the agency be at the bargaining table engaging in collective bargaining.
False A representative of the agency with authority to bind the agency meets the requirements of the Statute.
3. An agency can dictate when or where bargaining will take place.
False Both parties have the right to bargain over reasonable times and places for bargaining to take place.
4. Good faith bargaining requires each side make a sincere effort to resolve issues in bargaining.
True Good faith bargaining requires both parties to approach negotiations with sincere resolve to reach agreement.
5. Working conditions must pertain to bargaining unit employees and the work situations or employment relationship of those employees.
True This is the definition of working conditions.
6. Bargaining over working conditions for employees not in the bargaining unit, such as non-employees, employees in other bargaining units and supervisors would be a permissive subject of bargaining.
True Management has no obligation to bargain over working conditions for these employees or supervisors however if the agency chooses to bargain and reaches agreement it is binding on the agency.
7. A term collective bargaining agreement has a specific term that it is in existence.
True A term agreement has a fixed term of years it is in existence.
8. Unions may not bargain over agency regulations.
False An agency has the obligation to bargain over agency regulations for which there is no compelling need.
9. A union cannot bargain over the exercise of management rights.
False A union has the right to bargain over procedures and appropriate arrangements with respect to the exercise of management rights.
10. When determining whether a proposal is negotiable you must determine whether it is a negotiable procedure, a negotiable appropriate arrangement or is contrary to federal law and government-wide regulations.
True A union has the right to bargain over procedures and appropriate arrangements with respect to the exercise of management rights but cannot bargain over federal law and government wide regulations unless permitted by the law or government wide regulation.
Conclusion
So, how well did you do? Unfortunately, the only good score is getting every question right. Each question provides an understanding of some aspect of collective bargaining. To be fully informed you must know the answer to all the questions.
