{"id":357826,"date":"2017-05-02T19:07:56","date_gmt":"2017-05-03T00:07:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/content.findlaw-admin.com\/ability-law\/employment\/wages-and-benefits\/collective-bargaining-process-overview.html"},"modified":"2025-04-02T13:41:55","modified_gmt":"2025-04-02T18:41:55","slug":"collective-bargaining-process-overview","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/employment\/wages-and-benefits\/collective-bargaining-process-overview.html","title":{"rendered":"The Collective Bargaining Process"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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The Collective Bargaining Process <\/h1>\n
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\n By Christie Nicholson, J.D.<\/a> | Legally reviewed by Laura Temme, Esq.<\/a>\n | Last updated\n
\n \n <\/i>\n Legally Reviewed\n <\/summary>\n\n
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This article has been written and reviewed for legal accuracy, clarity, and style by FindLaw\u2019s team of legal writers and attorneys<\/a> and in accordance with our editorial standards<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n\n

\n \n <\/i>\n Fact-Checked\n <\/summary>\n\n
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The last updated date refers to the last time this article was reviewed by FindLaw or one of our contributing authors<\/a>. We make every effort to keep our articles updated. For information regarding a specific legal issue affecting you, please contact an attorney in your area<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n<\/section>\n

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Collective bargaining is a negotiation process where workers discuss employment conditions with their employer to address issues such as wages, working conditions, and benefits. This process, rooted in the National Labor Relations Act, enables a collective bargaining team to represent the interests of all workers. The process typically begins with identifying disagreements and proceeds through stages of proposal exchanges and negotiations until a final agreement is reached and ratified by union members.<\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n\n

Workers and employers often disagree about crucial employment terms and conditions. This can cause conflict in the workplace.<\/p>\r\n

Sometimes, employees organize with a union to resolve important labor issues. We call this the collective bargaining<\/a> process.<\/p>\r\n

Many employees don’t know how collective bargaining works. Some assume that their union representative<\/a> takes care of everything. However, if you belong to a union, it’s important to become familiar with the process.<\/p>\r\n

This article explains what collective bargaining is, how the bargaining process works, and the benefits it provides to union members.<\/p>\r\n

If you have questions or concerns about collective bargaining at your workplace, start by consulting with your union rep. If your employer violates the agreement or other labor laws, contact a local labor law attorney<\/a>. They can help protect your union rights and work toward the best solution.<\/p>\r\n

What Is Collective Bargaining?<\/b><\/h2>\r\n

"Collective bargaining<\/a>" is the process by which workers discuss conditions of employment and unfair labor practices with their employer. Rather than have individual employees address these issues, a collective bargaining team represents the workers\u2019 interests. Workers rely on their union representatives to protect their labor rights in exchange for paying union dues<\/a>.<\/p>\r\n

One benefit of having unions handle labor-management relations is that they derive power from the federal government. Labor unions\u2019 right to negotiate collective bargaining agreements (CBA) comes from the National Labor Relations Act<\/a> (NLRA), otherwise known as the Wagner Act.<\/p>\r\n

The Wagner Act<\/a> (1935) dictates how union bargaining representatives negotiate employment conditions with private and public employers. Each bargaining unit has an exclusive agent representing it at arbitration and negotiating labor agreements.<\/p>\r\n

The Collective Bargaining Process<\/b><\/h2>\r\n

The collective bargaining process typically begins with a labor disagreement<\/a>. This happens when workers and their employers disagree on a particular employment issue.<\/p>\r\n

Some of the topics and issues that collective bargaining addresses include:<\/p>\r\n