Course Description

The collective bargaining system in the United States has evolved within the context of our capitalist economic system, minimal government regulation, the importance of private property and individual rights. To ground our discussions, we will first review the theory of industrial relations systems and its essential components. We will then review the non-union industrial relations system. This will serve as an excellent contrast to our examination of unions and their effect and importance in our industrial relations system. We will focus on how and why unions organize, management approaches to unions, private and public sector collective bargaining and the administration of a labor agreement. A major part of the class will be devoted to negotiating a labor agreement.

Course Format

The class will follow a lecture-discussion format. On some days your instructor will do most of the instructing while on other days instruction will be shared by students. Regardless of who is responsible for the day's instruction, class will have the tone of a seminar. All class participants are required and expected to actively participate in class discussion and debate and freely express their informed opinion concerning class topics.

The first 20-45 minutes of each class will be devoted to current events submitted by students. Each student is required to bring with them a hard copy of the event to hand into the instructor they plan to share in class. All current events must relate to some aspect of labor relations/collective bargaining as reported in the media (e.g. newspapers, magazines, journals, television or Web). If your contribution originates on television, you are to type up (not handwrite) the article/information and a complete source citation. Some students will be asked to discuss their current event each class meeting.

The balance of the class will be devoted to the instructor lecturing or assigned student group leading a discussion on already prepared questions/issues/statements for discussion that relates to the day's topic area. On some days we will spend a portion of class time discussing cases. Students will participate in a collective bargaining simulation starting during the middle of the term. Each student group that is assigned to lead a class discussion will use relevant course material as an aid for questions/statement/issue formulation and development. Your instructor will serve as a discussion facilitator, information source and devil's advocate.

It is imperative that all class members attend each class, be thoroughly prepared for the day's assignment and actively participate in the day's discussion. This course is intended to be a participative class so be prepared.

Required Text and Materials

Text: Fossum, John, Labor Relations: Development, Structure, Process (2002)

8^th Edition (McGraw-Hill Irwin)

Materials: Additional readings will be distributed during class

Grading

The final course score will be determined by the following:

Discussion Leadership and Questions 10%

(individual grade)

Current Events 10%

(individual grade)

Class Contribution 15%

(individual grade)

Take Home Assignments (4) 20%

(individual grade)

Written Collective Bargaining Agreement 20%

(Group Grade)

Final Examination 25%

(individual grade)

The grading scale is as indicated below:

Grade Course Points

A 93-100

A- 90-92

B+ 88-89

B 83-87

B- 80-82

C+ 78-79

C 73-77

C- 70-72

D 60-69

F Below 60

I Incomplete

No grades are curved. If you are within .5 of the next highest grade, the instructor reserves the option to assign the higher grade but this is not a guarantee and will be used only in exceptional circumstances based on the entire body of your work in this class.

Late Work: Any assignment turned in late will lose 1/3 of a letter grade per day of tardiness (e.g. from a B to a B- on day 1, B- to C+ on day 2 etc.).

Incompletes: A grade of incomplete ((I) is given only in emergency situations. The student must request an incomplete in writing and must obtain the instructor's permission. All uncompleted work must be completed within the time limits set. If you simply don't turn in an assignment or examination, your course grade will be calculated with the missed portion counting as zero (0) points.

Discussion Leadership and Questions (10% of grade)

During most weeks of class, students will be assigned to prepare a question/issue/statement for the following week's readings. The framing of questions/statements/issues must be grounded in the week's reading assignment. Questions/statements/issues are due the day the student group will lead the discussion in class. The student group will lead the class discussion for a large portion of the class period. Be sure to type your topic question/statement/issue for your groupÕs submission and be ready to distribute a copy to each student and to the instructor for grading.

Grading on this portion is a zero sum format. If you and your group lead the discussion and you hand in your question/statement/issue during the class period, you receive a grade of "1". If you fail to lead class discussion and/or don't hand in your question/issue/statement during the class period, you receive a grade of "0". In the event you or your group miss a day of class, you are to ensure your day's contribution is handed in (i.e. class member, fax etc.) or you will receive a grade of "0". Student groups that develop exemplary discussion questions/statements/issues and do well in leading class discussion will earn an extra (+) for that classroom assignment.

Class discussion and participation enhance the exchange of knowledge. In this class, such discussion and participation is essential. As you will learn during the study of this course, there are few "right" answers. Each determination of "right" or "wrong" is dependent on the context of the issue, the players, the operating legislation and personal philosophy toward employers/employees. Thus, discussion of the various topics by all class members is one of the best ways to learn and understand collective bargaining. Remember, if you find the class dull or you are dissatisfied with the class discussion, it is your job (and the rest of the class) to improve it. This is your course. The class discussion is only as good as the preparation of its members and their interest and participation.

Current Events (10% of grade)

Grading for this portion of the course is zero sum format. If you hand in your current event during the class period, you receive a grade of "1". If you fail to hand in your current event hard copy during the class period, you receive a "0" score. In the event you miss a day of class, you are to ensure your day's contribution is handed in (i.e. class member, fax etc. ) or you will receive a grade of "0".

Class Contribution ( 15% of grade)

Contribution to the class far exceeds just participation and attendance. For one to contribute, the individual is giving meaningful, thoughtful and substantive input. Not just talking to talk. Not just being in class. A contribution is actually adding to the insight, knowledge and education of those present. Grading for this portion of class is:

100 80 50 0

____________________________________________________________________

Contributed Contributed Contributed about Rarely contributed

during each about 75% of 50% of the time to class

class meeting the time

Take Home Assignments (20% of grade)

There will be four (4) home assignments. Each assignment will involve short answer and/or case analysis. All home assignments must be type written and not exceed ten (10) pages. Late work conditions cited above will also apply here. Home assignments will be due the next class period.

Written Collective Bargaining Agreement (20% of grade)

You will be given materials for this portion of the class. Your negotiations will culminate in an enforceable, understandable, unambiguous written agreement. If an agreement is not reached, then there will be a grade reduction for the team involved. More information will be provided through handouts. The agreement must be typed.

Most bargaining decisions carry a cost. As part of the bargaining simulation, your team will be expected to prepare a costing of the final settlement. This report will include: 1)the assumptions used, 2) actual costing figures by each subject costed. Additional details will be provided before the actual simulation takes place.

Final Examination (25% of grade)

There will be a comprehensive take home final examination. This examination will cover all material read and discussed in class. All course material including current events are subject to examination. The examination will be a combination of short answer questions, essay questions and case analysis. The exam must be typed. You are free to use your text or class notes to answer examination questions but are not to make use of any library, electronic source or human being. Except in extreme circumstances, as determined by the instructor, there will be no early or make up examinations. In any event, any examination given at any time other than the class scheduled examination time will carry a 5% negative rescheduling penalty.

Course Policies

Cheating and plagiarism will not be tolerated. Any student found to be engaging in either of these activities at any point in the course will receive a failing grade for the entire course and may be subject to further college sanctions.

Students with documented disabilities who may need accommodations who have any emergency medical information the instructor should know of, or who need special arrangements in the event of evacuation should notify the instructor as early as possible, no later than the first week of the term.

If you find you are having problems with the course, please let the instructor know. I'm always available to help but I have to know about the problem while it's going on and before the end of the course. The last week of class is not the best time to ask for help.

The class should be a safe place to discuss, argue and disagree on the topic we are discussing. I expect that we will treat each other with civility, courtesy and respect. Ethnic slurs, swearing, threats, disparaging remarks about any gender or group is not welcomed or tolerated. The classroom is not a forum for proselytizing and it is not a soapbox for diatribes for anyone.

Tentative Schedule[1]

Tuesday Topic Text

June 14 Overview --------

Review course syllabus

Lecture on industrial relations systems

Handout readings/cases for next class

June 21 Non Union Industrial Relations Systems &

Why People Join Unions 1, 7 (190-202)

June 28* Private Sector Labor Law & Oregon

Public Sector Law 3, 16

July 5 Union Structure & Governance 4

July 12*[2] Union Organizing, Bargaining Unit

Determination & Management Response

To Union Organizing Campaigns 6, 7 (203-05)

July 19*[3] The Environment for Bargaining &

Collective Bargaining 8, 11

July 26 Economic & Non-Economic Issues in Bargaining 9, 10

August 2 Dispute Resolution 12

August 6*[4] Administration of the Agreement 15

Team Negotiations

August 9[5] Union/Management Cooperation 13

August 16[6] Team Negotiations 1^st 90 minutes of class

& Debriefing ------

* Week a take home assignment will be handed out.

[1] Although all listed topics will be discussed sometime during the semester, all dates and implied extent of coverage are approximate. Your instructor reserves the right to adjust the breath and depth of coverage, when home assignments will be distributed and when the collective bargaining simulation will start at his sole discretion.

[2] Handout materials for collective bargaining simulation

[4] This is an all day session on Saturday starting at 9AM and ending approximately 5PM.