Scenario 1: A secretary employed by a U.S. aircraft dealership regularly works 9 am – 5 pm, 5 days a week. The secretary’s duties include completing all of the forms needed to close aircraft sales and to be present during closings to type up any changes that may arise. Sometimes, closings are not completed until after 5 pm. When that happens, the secretary is allowed to come to work later the following workday morning to compensate for having worked late to help finish closing the sale.

• Is the employer in compliance with the law? Explain. 
• If this is a violation, what are the possible consequences to the employer?

Scenario 2

South Carolina is an employment at will state. Management of an aerospace manufacturing plant located there learns the identities of a half-dozen of the company’s machinists who are surreptitiously circulating authorization cards among their co-workers in an effort to become represented by a union. 

• Is the company running any legal risks if it fires those employees without stating a reason for their discharge?
• Explain.

Scenario 3

You are a pilot for a U.S. airline whose pilots are not represented by a union or working under a collective bargaining agreement. As a cost-saving measure, airline management decides to drop the pilots’ health insurance benefit. 

• Can the company legally impose this change immediately and unilaterally, or is it required to first follow some specified procedure? 
• Explain.

Scenario 4

You are an avionics technician employed by a U.S. airline, all of whose maintenance personnel are represented by a union and working under a union contract with the company. You dislike unions, don’t want to be a member of the union or to have to pay union dues, and don’t want the union representing your interests. 

• Can you opt out and cut your own deal with management?
• Explain.

Scenario 5

If you are employed as a pilot by a U.S. company that is not an air carrier, is it to your advantage or disadvantage to be classified by the U.S. Department of Labor as a “learned professional”? Explain.

Scenario 6

For a nation or union of nations other than the U.S.:

• Identify laws governing employee minimum wages, compensation, and hours worked
• Compare and contrast those laws to the U.S. minimum wage & the Fair Labor Standards Act described in the text.
• Determine whether commercial airlines are governed by the same laws as other businesses or by separate laws.
• Provide examples of labor strikes that have disrupted either air transportation or aerospace manufacturing there since 2007.
• Provide hyperlinks to references relied on.