MGTK 406 – Fall 2014
Texas A&M University-Central Texas
MGTK 406.301 – Employee and Labor Relations
In Class – Fall 2014
Instructor: Lindsay Middaugh, J.D.1
E-mail: lindsay.middaugh@ct.tamus.edu or through Blackboard Internal Messaging
If you need more help on any of the material covered during the class or have any questions, I always try to
be to class early and am always willing to stay late. Additionally, I check email and BB at least twice a day,
though times vary, and will respond within 24 hours if I’m not traveling. I will notify you via announcement
if I will be out of contact for longer than 24 hours.
Please know that as a federal employee, I am not allowed to give personal legal advice to members of the
general public as it may complicate my ability to continue to represent the federal government. This means
that I cannot answer personal legal questions such as “My sister is in a union and was recently fired. What is
the union obligated to do to help her?” However, I can answer hypothetical and general legal questions
based on the material. Therefore, if you have a legal question based on the material, you may ask it in a
general or hypothetical way in an email or in the journal postings and I will be able to answer it for
educational purposes. I can, of course, always explain the material in the book in more detail or in a different
way or give you more examples.
Mode of instruction and course access:
This is a hybrid course that is primarily face to face, but also uses TAMUCT’s Blackboard system
(referred to by me hereafter as BB). http://tamuct.blackboard.com The instructions in section 7
of this syllabus will assist you with gaining access and technical support.
I will post all of my slides on blackboard before they will be covered in class.
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1.0 Course Description
The study of the principles of law concerning collective bargaining, labor market fundamentals,
Unionism, and related issues of labor economics.
2.0 Course Level Objectives
At the conclusion of the course the student should be able to, at an acceptable level per the grading scale:
Week 1 – Describe the basic features of the U.S. labor relations system such as collective bargaining,
detailed union contracts, and private sector union density decline.
1
The views of the professor do not represent the views of the United States Department of Agriculture.
MGTK 406 – Fall 2014
– Explain the four distinct schools of thought about the employment relationships and be able to identify
alternative methods for making workplace rules.
Week 2- Learn what happened during the major events in U.S. labor history and why each is important.
Week 3 - Learn the major provisions of US labor laws, understand the role of the NLRB and other agencies,
and be able to compare and contrast private and public sector law.
Week 4- Learn the traditional union strategies and their alternatives as well as the organizational structure
of unions.
- Learn how unions organize and tactics used by employers to weaken support for unionizing.
- Describe the bargaining process.
Week 5- Be able to describe and discuss the material learned during weeks 1-4.
- Learn the different types of strikes, impasses, and forms of dispute resolution and how the
strengths and weaknesses of each.
- Learn how union contracts work, identify important provisions, and how grievances are resolved.
Week 6- Explain the pressures for increased workplace flexibility, employee empowerment, and labormanagement partnerships in the contemporary employment relationship, and strategies for
implementation.
- Gain hands on experience in collective bargaining.
Week 7- Learn about the labor relations challenges for managers in multinational companies and strategies
for representing workers in a global economy.
- Learn to compare and contrast labor relations in a variety of countries.
- Discuss alterative directions for corporate behaviors and labor relations public policies in the 21st
century.
Week 8- Be able to describe and discuss the material learned during weeks 4-7.
2.1 Module Level Learning Outcomes:
At the conclusion of the course the student should be able to (at any acceptable level per the grading scale):
1) Understand how labor relations can affect your future work environment
2) Define how the objectives of the employment relationship (efficiency, equity, and voice) relate to
labor relations (striking a balance)
3) Be able to discuss the current pressures on the US labor relations system on both the corporate side
and the labor side.
4) Be able to compare and contrast the mainstream economics, human resource management, industrial
relations, and critical or Marxist industrial relations.
5) Identify alternative methods for making workplace rules that do not involve unions.
6) Compare and contrast employee representation through labor unions to other methods of workplace
governance.
7) Describe the major events in U.S. labor history including the Great Uprising of 1877.
8) Identify how employers tried to stay union-free in the early 1900s.
9) Discuss how workers have tried to form unions throughout U.S. history and the influences on their
successes and failures.
10) Understand the major provisions of the Wagner Act, Taft-Hartley Act, and Landrum-Griffin Act.
11) Understand the role of the National Labor Relations Board and similar agencies.
12) Be able to compare the similarities and differences between private and public sector labor law.
13) Identify the current criticisms of U.S. labor law and possible directions for reform.
14) Be able to describe the following traditional union strategies: business unionism, job control
unionism, and the servicing model.
15) Be able to describe the following alterative union strategies: social unionism, employee
empowerment unionism, and the employment model.
16) Understand the organizational structure of unions and the labor movement in the United States.
17) Discuss the range of possible management strategies toward labor unions and how they relate to
human resource strategies and business strategies.
18) Understand how new unions are formed through the organizing process.
MGTK 406 – Fall 2014
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Be able to describe the election process.
Discuss how employers and unions try to weaken or strengthen union support in the workplace.
Understand the various steps and stages of the bargaining process.
Discuss the pressures for changing from traditional to integrative bargaining and why this is difficult.
Identify and explain the different options for resolving bargaining disputes and impacts.
Identify the different types of strikes and lockouts and how they are used.
Compare and contrast mediation, arbitration, and fact-finding.
Understand the nature of U.S. union contracts and be able to explain important contractual provisions.
Discuss the process for how grievances are resolved.
Discuss the pressures for increased flexibility, empowerment, and labor-management partnerships.
Describe the conflicts between flexibility, empowerment, and labor-management partnerships on the
one hand, and the traditional U.S. model of job control unionism on the other.
Be able to understand the debates over nonunion employee representation.
Discuss the key elements of globalization and how they affect the employment relationship and labor
relations.
Explain various strategies for representing workers in a global economy.
Understand the labor relations challenges for managers in multinational companies.
Understand the basic features of labor relations systems in: Canada, Mexico, Great Britain, Ireland,
France, Germany, Sweden, Eastern Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, and developing Asian
countries.
Understand various options in labor relations systems for reacting to the pressures of globalization,
decentralization, and flexibility while trying to balance efficiency, equity and voice.
Discuss alterative directions for corporate behaviors in the 21 st century.
Identify alternative directions for labor relations public policies in the 21st century.
Understand strategic management and leadership issues pertaining to labor relations for managers and
union leaders in the 21st century.
Objectives Disclaimer: The above are simply the main focus areas, but they are by no means the only
areas where HW or Exam questions may come from. All material in the Text, Lectures, and articles
posted on Blackboard is fair game. The lectures are beneficial for both general knowledge, but also
HW and Exam success.
3.0 Textbook and Required Materials
Labor Relations: Striking a Balance, John W. Budd, 4th Ed. – ISBN – 978-0-07-802943-1. I teach this
course based on the 4th edition. Is it possible for you to get by with a different edition? Yes, but you are
responsible for any differences between the text editions. If I reference a question to a page number to
answer and you don’t have that question on that page, you are not excused from answering that question
and I will not assist you in finding the right page number or giving you the question. Note: A student of this
institution is not under any obligation to purchase a textbook from a university-affiliated bookstore.
The same textbook may also be available from an independent retailer, including an online retailer.
4.0 Evaluation and Grading
1. Homework Assignments/Discussions - 400 total points (200 Points Each) – Both homework
assignments will be posted in the assignments section/tab on the left side of Blackboard (BB) and the
completed work should be submitted there in a Microsoft Word document (.doc or .docx) by clicking on the
assignment link, attaching, and submitting it. It will be -5 points if I have to kick the assignment back to you
for improper file format or if the file won’t open. In the alternative, you may also turn in your assignment in
person during the Wednesday class BEFORE the assignment is due. Black links to the assignments will also
be available in the content folder for each week. I will have each HW assignment graded before you take
MGTK 406 – Fall 2014
your exam along with necessary feedback. Homework assignments will traditionally consist of true/false,
multiple choice, short answer, and essay questions.
2. Collective Bargaining Simulation – 300 Points – Students will participate in collective bargaining
simulation known as “The Zinnia and Service Workers Local H-56.” In this simulation, students will be put
into small groups of between 2-4 students and will represent either the Zinnia or Service Workers Local H-56
as they engage in collective bargaining. A brief introduction to this exercise can be found in Appendix D of
your textbook and even more information can be found at www.thezinnia.com.
Students will be required to submit the following:
1. Each team must submit a negotiation plan (100 points)
2. Each team must submit a final paper detailing the negotiations process and final agreement (if
any) (175 points)
3. Each student must write a peer evaluation of their fellow teammates and tell me what everyone
did (25 points)
If you are on a team where one member does not respond or does not participate, please let me know ASAP!
More information will be provided closer to the simulation.
3. Exams – 150 Points of your grade each, 300 points combined–There will be a midterm exam covering
Chapters 1,2,4-6 and a final exam covering Chapters 7-10, 12, 13. If there is an unavoidable conflict, you
must let me know ahead of time, not after. I may allow a make-up, but even then, it may be an entirely
differently structured exam (all essay). I am the sole judge on these matters and you should bring exam issues
to me when they arise. I will not allow you to retake the exam or reschedule the exam unless you have an
EXTREMELY good reason AND have notified me ahead of time. I almost never allow students to makeup exams! Exams are not easy and will likely be comprised of multiple choice, T/F questions, and full
length essay questions at my discretion. I reserve the right to also use matching and short answer questions.
Before each test, I will post exactly how many of each question will be on the test. You will have the entire
class period to take the test.
5.0 Grading Scale/Formula
******Grading Scale******Note the C, D, and F
Points
895-1000 = A - Excellent
795-895 = B - Good
715-795 = C - Acceptable
645-715 = D – Needs Significant Improvement
645 or less = F - Unacceptable
As I hope this will be an interactive class, I reserve the right to bump someone to the next higher letter
grade if I am confident that the higher letter grade better reflects their overall knowledge and effort,
most often evidenced to me by contributions to class discussions, case summary and case analysis.
Grades may also be adjusted at the end of the semester based on class results, meaning an average
may qualify for a higher letter grade than the scale normally provides for, to facilitate an appropriate
grade distribution.
MGTK 406 – Fall 2014
6.0 Grade Issues and My Responses
I will have all Homework that has been turned in graded before an exam begins, so that you may see what
you have missed and ask any questions. I will not grade any work until the due date/time for that assignment
has arrived. Once an exam ends, I will have those graded within a week, and in the case of the final exam- 2
days.
*******Late work penalties:
1. Homework Assignments not received within ONE week of the due date will not be graded.
Those that are LATE (After 23:59 Friday) will lose up to 10% of the points available per day
late.
2. The Collective Bargaining Papers and related assignments will lose up to 10% a day if it is late
and is a 0 if not turned in within one week of its due date/time.
*****There is one bonus assignment posted on the left hand side of BB under its
own title of Event Summary Bonus. It is due by 11:59PM (23:59) on Friday,
October 3, 2014. A link is also located in the Week 6 content folder. Be sure to
comply with the deadline stated. No late bonus assignments will be accepted and no
credit will be given for late bonus assignments. YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO
COMPLETE THIS ASSIGNMENT AT ALL IF YOU DID NOT COMPLETE THE
COLLECTIVE BARGAINING SIMULATION AND PAPER OR DID NOT
PARTICIPATE TO MY SATISFACTION******
7.0 TECHNOLOGY REQUIREMENTS AND SUPPORT
7.1 Technology Requirements
This course will use the new TAMU-CT Blackboard Learn learning management system for class
communications, content distribution, and assessments.
Logon to http://tamuct.blackboard.com to access the course.
You will use a unique username (yourfirstname.lastname) and password (your UID) to
access the course. Your access to this course will be different than your access to all other
courses.
For this course, you will need reliable and frequent access to a computer and to the Internet. You
will also need a headset with a microphone or speakers and a microphone to be able to listen to
online resources and conduct other activities in the course.
If you do not have frequent and reliable access to a computer with Internet connection, please
consider dropping this course or contact me (youremail and phone number) to discuss your
situation.
Blackboard supports the most common operating systems:
PC: Windows 7, Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 2000,
Mac: Mac OS 10.6 “Snow Leopard®”, Mac OS 10.5 “Leopard®”, Mac OS 10.4 “Tiger®”
MGTK 406 – Fall 2014
Check browser and computer compatibility by following the “Browser Check” link
(http://www.ct.tamus.edu/departments/instructionaldesign/browsercheck.php) on the TAMUCT
Blackboard logon page. This is a CRITICAL step as these settings are important for when you take
an exam or submit an assignment.
Upon logging on to Blackboard Learn, you will see a link to Blackboard Student Orientation under
My Courses tab. Click on that link and study the materials in this orientation course. The new
Blackboard is a brand-new interface and you will have to come up to speed with it really quickly.
This orientation course will help you get there. There is also a link to Blackboard Help from inside
the course on the left-hand menubar. The first week of the course includes activities and
assignments that will help you get up to speed with navigation, sending and receiving messages and
discussion posts, and submitting an assignment. Your ability to function within the Blackboard
system will facilitate your success in this course.
Technology issues are not an excuse for missing a course requirement – make sure your computer
is configured correctly and address issues well in advance of deadlines.
7.2 Technology Support
For technological or computer issues, students should contact the TAMU-CT
Blackboard Support group 24 hours a day, 7 days a week:
Support Portal (searchable database of answers and live chat with a
support technician):
http://www.ct.tamus.edu/bbsupport
Phone: (855)-661-7965) or via online chat
For issues related to course content and requirements, contact your instructor.
8.0 Semester Calendar (Subject to change)
Week 1 – August 25
August 27
Week 2- September 1
September 3
Week 3- September 8
Go over syllabus, Ch. 1 Contemporary Labor Relations
Ch. 2 Labor Unions: Good or Bad?
LABOR DAY. NO CLASS!!!!!
Ch. 4 Labor Law
Ch. 5 Labor and Management: Strategies, Structures, and
Constraints
September 10
Ch. 6 Union Organizing
September 12
Homework Assignment No. 1 due by Friday, September 12 at
11:59 PM (23:59)
MGTK 406 – Fall 2014
Week 4- September 15
September 17
Week 5- September 22
Midterm Exam covering Ch. 1, 2, 4-6, I will be assigning teams
this week. You may start working on your Team Negotiations Plan
which is due by Friday, September 26
Ch. 7 Bargaining.
Ch. 8 Impasses, Strikes and Dispute Resolution
September 24
Ch. 9 Contract Clauses and their Administration
September 26
Team Negotiation Plan is due by Friday, September 26 at
11:59 PM (23:59)
Week 6- September 29
Collective Bargaining Simulation!
October 1
Ch. 10 Flexibility, Empowerment, and Partnership
October 3
Bonus Assignment (Event Summary Bonus) due by 11:59 PM
(23:59) on Friday, October 3 (OPTIONAL)
Week 7- October 6
Ch. 12 Comparative Labor Relations
October 8
Ch. 13 What should Labor Relations do
October 10
Homework Assignment No. 2 due by Friday, October 10 at
11:59 PM (23:59)
Team Collective Bargaining Papers and Peer Evaluations are
due by Friday, October 10 at 11:59 PM (23:59)
Week 8- October 13
COLUMBUS DAY. NO CLASS!!!!!
October 15
Final Exam covering Ch. 7-10, 12, 13
9.0 Drop Policy
If you discover that you need to drop this class, you must go to the Records Office and ask for the necessary
paperwork. Professors cannot drop students; this is always the responsibility of the student. The record’s
office will give a deadline for which the form must be returned, completed and signed. Once you return the
signed form to the records office and wait 24 hours, you must go into Duck Trax and confirm that you are no
longer enrolled. If you are still enrolled, FOLLOW-UP with the records office immediately. You are to
attend class until the procedure is complete to avoid penalty for absence. Should you miss the deadline or fail
to follow the procedure, you will receive an F in the course.
10.0. Academic Honesty
Texas A&M University - Central Texas expects all students to maintain high standards of personal
and scholarly conduct. Students guilty of academic dishonestly are subject to disciplinary action.
Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, cheating on an examination or other academic
work, plagiarism, collusion (working together), and the abuse of resource materials, including
MGTK 406 – Fall 2014
faculty designated resources. The faculty member is responsible for initiating action for each case of
academic dishonestly. More information can be found at www.ct.tamus.edu/StudentConduct.
All home work in this course is individual. You may get the rare/occasional assistance from
other students about where you found certain information/answers, but I don’t want to see
close/identical answers. I have a pretty good eye for this, as my memory is pretty good! If you
need help, ask me! Any instance of academic dishonesty will result in an F in my course. I
have taught this course long enough that I can tell if you are collaborating or not, despite the
fact that your answers may differ slightly. I am also able to tell when you are cutting and
pasting from articles online. Just because it is on the internet does not mean that you can just
cut it and paste it into your homework without citing its source. That is absolutely plagiarism
and is the most common academic honesty violation I see in my courses.
On the collective bargaining assignment, you are expected to work as a team. That being said,
if I find out that you are not pulling your weight in the group, I reserve the right to give you
less (or even no) credit for the assignment.
11.0 Disability Services
At Texas A&M University – Central Texas, we value an inclusive learning environment where
every student has an equal chance to succeed and has the right to an education that is barrier-free.
The Office of Disability Support and Access is responsible for ensuring that students with a
disability enjoy equal access to the University's programs, services and activities. Some aspects of
this course or the way the course is taught may present barriers to learning due to a disability. If
you feel this is the case, please contact Disability Support and Access at (254) 501-5831 in Warrior
Hall, Ste. 212. For more information, please visit their website at www.tamuct/disabilitysupport.
Any information you provide is private and confidential and will be treated as such.
12.0 Tutoring
TAMUCT offers its students tutoring, both on-campus and online. Subjects tutored include:
Accounting, Finance, Statistics, Mathematics, and Writing (MLA and APA). For hours, or if you're
interested in becoming a tutor, contact Academic Support Programs at 254-519-5496 or by emailing
gnichols@ct.tamus.edu.
Tutor.com is an online tutoring platform that enables TAMU-CT students to log-in and receive
FREE online tutoring and writing support. This tool provides tutoring in Mathematics, Writing,
Career Writing, Chemistry, Physics, Biology, Spanish, Calculus, and Statistics. Chat live with a
tutor 24/7 for any subject on your computer, or use the Tutor.com To Go App on your iPhone, iPod
touch, or iPad. Visit www.tutor.com/togo to download the app for free. For access please visit
www.ct.tamus.edu/AcademicSupport and click the link for Tutor.com.
13.0 Library Services
INFORMATION LITERACY focuses on research skills which prepare individuals to live and work
in an information-centered society. Librarians will work with students in the development of critical
reasoning, ethical use of information, and the appropriate use of secondary research techniques.
Help may include, yet is not limited to: exploration of information resources such as library
collections and services, identification of subject databases and scholarly journals, and execution of
MGTK 406 – Fall 2014
effective search strategies. Library resources are outlined and accessed at
http://www.tarleton.edu/centraltexas/departments/library/
14.0 Other Important Notes and Considerations
1. I will email you through Blackboard, which goes to your go.tarleton email address unless you have
changed the preferred email address, and pay attention to the announcements tab as well for any
updates!
2. Respect the thoughts and opinions of your classmates. We may not agree on everything, but
everyone, generally, has the right to be heard in my classroom. I want everyone to feel
comfortable to share their thoughts on a subject, even if others may disagree. Thus, be civil in
your postings/responses to fellow classmates.
3. I reserve the right to make reasonable alterations to the course calendar and syllabus as provided
here. It is a guide, not a hard and fast rule. Changes will only be made that benefit the class as a
whole.