Critical Reasoning: Conclusion Strengthening Questions

The workers' association of the North Western Train Lines Co. has decided to declare a strike unless all its members receive an immediate salary raise of 15% percent. This did not deter the chairperson of the board, who was quoted saying: "The chances of a strike remain slim. This is the third time in as many years that the worker's association has threatened to go on strike if we don't increase their wages, yet we haven't had a strike on that matter in half a decade."

Which of the following, if true, most strongly supports the chairperson's conclusion?

Incorrect.

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Since the conclusion revolves around the chances of a strike over demands for an increase in pay, a strike held over a refusal to cancel a pay cut is irrelevant and therefore neither strengthens nor weakens the conclusion.

Incorrect.

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This statement neither weakens nor strengthens the conclusion. The fact that strikes are more common elsewhere does not mean that there are no strikes in the USA at all, and that the workers' association's threat to strike will not be realized.

Excellent work!

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This answer choice strengthens the chairperson's conclusion by adding information that may explain why the workers are unlikely to strike. According to this answer choice, this year, workers have even less motivation to strike, since the board has decided to grant the workers some of their wishes (a 5% raise).

Incorrect.

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This answer choice neither weakens nor strengthens the conclusion. The number of employees is irrelevant to the chairman's conclusion as the strike deals with a pay raise across the organization, regardless of the number of employees.

Incorrect.

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This answer choice weakens the chairperson's conclusion because it provides a case where the workers were true to their word and went on strike for a salary raise.

A three day strike was held the year before last year after the chairperson refused to cancel a five percent pay cut following a warning by the workers' association that a strike would be inevitable.

Strikes are far more common in countries with large socialist parties than in capitalist countries such as the USA.

Unlike the last two years, in which the deliberation over the salary raise reached a stalemate, this year the governing board of the North Western Train Lines Co. decided to raise the salary throughout the organization by 5%.

Over the past three years, there has been an influx of 3% in the number of North Western Train Lines Co. employees.

Six years ago a strike was called over the board's refusal to raise the salaries by 10%.