Q4

[magnusgan]

I was deciding between (B) and (E) and finally picked correct answer choice (E), because (B) said that "since 1947, it has had little effect." We can infer from paragraph 1 that while union membership may not have decreased after 1947, there is an effect of wage depression through 2 mechanisms:

1) reduction in number and spread of union members; and possibly
2) collusion of manufacturers and suppliers in right to work states (Carroll).

Paragraph 2 says that if there is a reduction in power of unions to negotiate wages (which we know could occur through 1) and 2) above) then black workers would suffer disproportionate relative loss. The question is only concerned with the wages and not economic positions, so the rest of paragraph 2 (lines 61 to 66) are not of concern. In other words... If there is such a reduction in unionship as to cause a reduction in the "economic power" of unions to raise wages or to stop collusion, right to work actually has an effect of causing a disproportional decline in relative wage positions of black workers.

But we don't know that this is true... So (B) is jumping the gun. Is my reasoning right?

[rinagoldfield]

Hey magnusgan!

We know this is an identification question because the question stem asks for information that is "presented in the passage."
Remember that identification questions ask the test-taker to cull information that is EXPLICITLY stated in the text. Be wary of making any kind of inference on this question type!

(E) is EXPLICITLY supported by lines 55-58.

(A), (B), and (C) all describe the relationship between the 1947 right-to-work laws and industrial unionism. But the passage never EXPLICITLY defines this relationship. It could be true that these laws don’t impact industrial unions at all, since industrial unions could be concentrated in the states that DON’T have these laws. It also could be true that these laws greatly impact industrial unions, and drive the wages of Black workers way down. Or it could be true that these laws have a limited impact on industrial unions, since their effect of lowering wages could be countered by a high demand for workers.

The point is: we don’t actually know the relationship between the 1947 laws and industrial unionism! (A), (B), and (C) can all be eliminated for this reason.

(D) is contradicted. Industrial unions decreased rather than increased the wage gap between Black and White workers.

Hope that helps!

[magnusgan]

Ahh, the key phrase!

"As that effect is presented in the passage!"

I see it now. Just breezed through the question. Gotta pay more attention to those last words!

Thank you!