Question: Union Shop, or Not?

A confidential labor organizers’ poll was recently conducted in a major discount retail chain. Based on a random sample of 1000 rank and file employees, the researchers classified employees by gender and asked them if they planned to support unionization, by responding “Union” or “No Union.” Results are shown in the following table.

Union No Union Total

Male 200 250 450

Female 300 250 550

Total 500 500 1000

a. State the null and alternative hypotheses.

b. Calculate the expected counts.

c. Calculate the value of the chi-square test statistic; assume a 95% confidence level.

d. Develop a conclusion. What can be said about the relationship between employee gender and preference for union representation?

e. Comment on the strengths and drawbacks of using the chi square test statistic for evaluating data.