Case 4-2 Analysis

The unfair practices by a union in case 4-2 may have caused an unfair election due to the acts of vandalism by union members, and therefore would be fair to set aside the election results and order another election. There are many isntances of vandalism and acts of aggression including threats and acts that put lives in danger that were meant to scare those who would vote against the union's stand. The issues listed within this case would have built up an unfair bias towards the union's position on the voting polls.

While some employees may fear that another election will start the acts of vandalism anew, there would have to be set in place ways to prevent and report any of these issues. The first prevention would be to ensure the union is itself attempting to either subdue the attackers or remove those individuals from the union. If the union just informs members that they do not support this vandalism, the members will not simply stop. These people need to be warned about their actions and recourse taken if it does not stop.

The racial nature of the rhetoric definitely increases the issue at hand more than general issues with the employer. Race is a far deeper rooted issue that can cause some hatred, especially in our older generations and those who were raised to believe that way. While these individuals may retain these opinions, the union must act to prevent such personal views to affect the business itself. If these individuals have such a deep seeded hatred for a different race, they may use their free choice to not work at that particular location. This would resolve the issues on both sides of the fence, where the union would not need to work to prevent racism turning to vandalism, and the business would no longer need to deal with the attitudes of employees that hold those views from a logistical standpoint.

This case is tougher than one where a union is simply dealing with a company due to the complication of race. Due to that, one would need to handle this instance in a way that is sensitive to all parties, ensuring that the issues are resolved in a way that is beneficial for all. The sensitivity of race within this context puts a burden on all parties.