Massachusetts AFL-CIO Scholarship Practice Exam

What strategy did the National Civic Association promote in labor relations?

1. Crisis negotiation tactics

2. Trade agreements to end strikes

3. Government intervention in strikes

4. Workers' education programs

The correct answer is: Trade agreements to end strikes

The National Civic Association promoted a strategy centered around the use of trade agreements to mitigate conflict in labor relations, especially to prevent or resolve strikes. This approach highlights the importance of creating structured agreements between employers and workers' organizations, such as unions, to address grievances and working conditions proactively. By fostering negotiations that could lead to trade agreements, the association aimed to establish conditions that would reduce the likelihood of labor disputes and strikes, thereby promoting a more harmonious relationship between labor and management. The focus on trade agreements indicates a recognition of the need for a framework that does not rely solely on government intervention or crisis negotiation tactics. While alternative strategies, such as workers' education programs, are valuable in building long-term awareness and skills among workers, they do not directly address immediate labor disputes as effectively as trade agreements might. In contrast to other options, the approach of facilitating agreements directly confronts the potential for strikes before they arise, thereby contributing to a more stable labor environment.