Definition: Collective bargaining is the process in which a group of employees and an employer or employers undergo negotiations for the regulation of workplace conditions.
Employees are typically represented by trade unions during the collective bargaining process. The most common collective bargaining negotiations involve agreements over wages, working hours, safety conditions, and overtime.
A collective bargaining agreement is the contract under which the group of employees work.
Collective bargaining is governed by federal and state laws. The National Labor Relations Act, enacted in 1935, gives employees the right to collectively bargain and establish trade unions.
