Employee collective agreements are enforceable contracts that establish the terms and conditions of employment in the workplace. Collective agreements are usually the end result of a collective bargaining process, which has previously occurred between an employer and a trade union representing the employees.
National Labor Relations Act
The National Labor Relations Act, passed by the U.S. government in 1935, prohibits employers from discriminating against workers who join a union. As a result of the legislation, employees in the private sector are legally entitled to enter into a collective bargaining process with their employer.
Employee Collective Agreements
Collective agreements come as a result of the bargaining process that occurs between one or more unions representing the employees and their collective employer. Both sides must voluntarily consent to the agreement, which outlines the contractual obligations of the employer and employees in the workplace.
Stipulations
Although the content of employee collective agreements will vary with each one, some stipulations usually included are hours of work, when strikes and lockouts can occur, pay and wage schedules, job assignments and rules of discipline.
