Labor organizers claim that unions benefit both their

Question

Labor organizers claim that unions benefit both their members and society by negotiating better wages, reasonable working conditions, and job security for their members.  When workers are satisfied with their wages and working conditions, the organizers argue, they are more productive employees,  thereby benefiting their employers and society in general. Although unions improve the welfare of their employees, they do not provide benefits to society. The higher wages of union members increase the costs of operating a business, and  the firms must then charge higher prices to consumers  damaging the welfare of society. Additionally, when union members receive higher wages, non-union employees feel cheated in comparison. This perception lowers the morale of those employees and reduces their productivity.

The bolded phrases in the argument above serve which of the following functions?

(A) The first phrase makes an assertion to support a claim, and the second undermines that assumption
(B) The first phrase supports the organizersâ€™ position, and the second summarizes a position in opposition to the organizersâ€™
(C) The first phrase describes a claim disputed by the author, and the second provides support for the authorâ€™s position
(D) The first phrase supports the position of the labor organizers, and the second weakens the claim of the author
(E) The first phrase supports a position in opposition of that of the author, and the second undermines the opposing position

desiguy · Answer

I would go with C.

gsr · Answer

E

 Authors position: 
"Unions they do not provide benefits to society" and "This perception lowers the morale of those employees and reduces their productivity"

 Opposition position: 
"unions benefit both their members and society"

"When workers are satisfied with their wages and working conditions, the organizers argue, they are more..." -  supports opposition position 
"the firms must then charge higher prices to consumers" -  undermines opposing position. 

C, i think is not correct because the author doesn't dispute the claim but shows the negative sides of it.

hkm_gmat · Answer

E !

ywilfred · Answer

I'll go with A on this one. The first BF is an assertion. The assertion is that workers become more productive when they are satisfied with wage and working conditions. This is made by the labor organizers to support their claim that the unions benefit both their members and society. The second BF however undermines the assumption by saying increase wage will result in incrased costs passed on to consumers and so does not benefit society (which is the conclusion the organizers made)

celiaXDN · Answer

I agree with ywilfred

HIMALAYA · Answer

i was between A and B but A looks more resonable.....................

C. The first phrase is not a claim that is disputed by the author.
D. the second weakens the claim of the organizers not that of the author
E. The first phrase supports a position of the organizers and the second undermines the position of the organizers not the position of oppositions..

Antmavel · Answer

I go for B for me it was between B and C, but I don't see any claim disputed by the author in C (as Himalaya said before) in my opinion A is not a clear answer : (A) The first phrase makes an assertion to support a claim, and the second undermines that assumption which assumption ? I think A is not clear enough. ---------------- :oops:

----------------- sorry, i've realized it is A in fact because in B you can not say that the second boldface part (the firms must then charge higher prices to consumers) is in opposition to the organizersâ€™ because it seems that the organisers only said that when workers are satisfied with their wages and working conditions, they are more productive employees. Do you consider the section "thereby benefiting their employers and society in general" as something said by the organizers or only something written by the author ? I'd like to know...

gamjatang · Answer

(A) Keep

(B) I don't think the second BF "summarizes" anything.

(C) I don't think the first BF describes a "claim".

(D) I don't think the second BF weakens the author's claim.

(E) I don't think the second BF undermines the opposing position(the author's position)

kimmyg · Answer

OA is E

A is incorrect because although the first phrase does make an assertion to support a claim, the second does not undermine that assumption 

E is correct in stating that the second phrase undermines the opposing position of the author

Antmavel · Answer

weird

...nevermind, i respect the OA :-D

gamjatang · Answer

opposing position and opposed position...I'm quite at a loss here.

Somebody explain the difference, please.

Labor organizers claim that unions benefit both their

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