Certified Human Resource Professional (CHRP) Practice Exam

If employees are picketing, what dispute resolution process is the employer undertaking?

1. Interest arbitration.

2. Rights arbitration.

3. Policy grievance arbitration.

4. Expedited arbitration.

The correct answer is: Interest arbitration.

The answer indicates that interest arbitration is being used when employees are picketing. Interest arbitration is a process that occurs when parties cannot agree on the terms and conditions of a future collective bargaining agreement, and they seek the help of a neutral arbitrator to determine these terms. Picketing typically signifies that employees are actively expressing their dissatisfaction with proposals related to their employment terms, such as wages or working conditions, which is at the crux of interest arbitration. In contrast, rights arbitration focuses on resolving disputes related to the interpretation or application of an existing collective agreement, usually after a grievance has been filed. Policy grievance arbitration deals specifically with disputes that arise from broader policy issues rather than individual grievances and may not typically involve a picketing scenario. Expedited arbitration aims to handle disputes more quickly than traditional arbitration, often for more straightforward issues that do not require lengthy deliberation. In the context of picketing, the unresolved issues have escalated to a point where interest arbitration becomes a relevant mechanism to settle disagreements regarding future terms of employment.