COLLECTIVE BARGAINING

» Concept

Collective bargaining is the negotiation carried out by employer entities with trade union associations representing public employees affiliated therein, with the purpose to conclude any collective labour agreement in which the various aspects of the labour relationship are regulated

In collective bargaining the parties concerned are on an equal footing, and neither can impose its wishes in relation to the other

The coming into force of a collective labour agreement, necessarily, presupposes the agreement of both parties with regard to the wording of its contents

It is incumbent upon the State to promote collective bargaining in such a way that regimes set in collective labour agreements are applicable to the majority of public employees and public employer entities

» Collective bargaining and collective negotiation

Collective bargaining it is not to be mistaken with the so called collective negotiation carried out annually between the Government and Trade Union Associations, namely in the scope of salary increases discussions

In the later what is in question is collective negotiation within the scope of normative Government activity – it deals with the negotiation of pieces of legislation or matters that are set out therein – in which trade unions give their opinion concerning the content of the measures, making demands that are deemed fair and just; however, it is always incumbent upon the Government to make the final decision should there be lack of agreement, unilaterally imposing its position that is deemed more suitable