Specification analysis and requirements documentation

¶ … Angelica have the option of joining or not joining the union?

The union at the GEM Hotel Corporation is an 'open shop,' which means that unions are allowed to operate within the company, but all new hires do not have to be members. Unions have criticized 'open shops' in the past, arguing that employers may favor nonmembers who are unenthusiastic union candidates as a way of 'breaking' the union or reducing union influence. A closed shop, in contrast, prohibits a company from hiring anyone who is not a member of a specific labor union. The argument in favor of mandatory membership is that, as articulated to Angelina, a nonmember benefits from the actions of members without having to pay dues, strike, or risk management's disapproval, so requiring membership is more 'fair' for everyone.

Closed shops were declared illegal in the U.S. under the Taft-Hartley Act of 1947 "but in practice they continue to exist in some industries, such as construction" ("Closed shop," 2009, Britannica). However, while it is illegal to make hiring contingent upon union membership, in a union shop agreement there is an "arrangement under which workers are required to join a particular union within a specified period of time after beginning employment" ("Union shop," 2009, Britannica ). Las Vegas, where Angelina works, has right-to-work laws which "prohibit requiring union membership as a condition of employment, thus forbidding both the union shop and the closed shop" ("Union shop," 2009, Britannica ). Despite this prohibition, de facto pressure is evidently exerted upon employees to join the union at GEM (Riedel 2009). There is a limit to how much managers can police the verbal pressure used by union members unless employees such as Angelina report the practice and Angelina seems unlikely to do so.

Q2.How are the other workers likely to react toward Angelica if she chooses not to join? Discuss.

Angelica is assigned a mentor to train her who is extremely pro-union. This shapes Angelica's perception of the union, and may act as a not-so subtle way of pressuring her to join, as she may feel afraid that she will not be recommended as a permanent hire and her lack of membership may create the perception she is not a team player. There is strong social pressure exerted by her colleagues to join the union, and Angelica is naturally eager to fit in and meet new friends. If she does not join the union, Angelica likely fears both social and professional repercussions.

As a high school graduate, Angelica likely does not understand the concept of a 'right to work state' and the fact that she is not required to join a union in Las Vegas. Furthermore, even if she is technically allowed not to join the union, the level of social disapproval is so great it is likely to make Angelica feel uncomfortable working at the hotel. Her promotional prospects may also be affected if she receives a poor write-up by a union supervisor. Of course, Angelica has legal recourse if she is subjected to such abuse. But as a young woman in need of a job who does not want to make trouble, Angelica is likely to be unaware of the law and unwilling to take such actions. Furthermore, she does not seem adverse to union membership, merely unaware of what being in a union entails. After going to the union meeting, she may feel very positively towards the union, given the 'spin' that is likely given to membership by union leaders and proponents.

Scenario 2

Q1.Do you believe that the exit interviews were accurate? Explain your answer.