collective bargaining

American  

noun

1. the process by which wages, hours, rules, and working conditions are negotiated and agreed upon by a union with an employer for all the employees collectively whom it represents.

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collective bargaining British  

noun

1. negotiation between one or more trade unions and one or more employers or an employers' organization on the incomes and working conditions of the employees

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collective bargaining Cultural  

1. Negotiations by representatives of a group of employees, often a labor union, pertaining to conditions of employment, such as wages and working conditions.

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Etymology

Origin of collective bargaining

First recorded in 1890–95

Example Sentences

Yahoo reported recently that the SEC is studying how a world with collective bargaining might work.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 4, 2026

Recent collective bargaining agreements with employee unions, which include substantial raises, will add an estimated $1.5 billion in annual costs to a district budget that stood last year at $18.8 billion.

From Los Angeles Times • May 22, 2026

A report this spring by the state Legislative Analyst’s Office attributed the growth in home healthcare spending to state actions that expanded eligibility and higher wages driven by government mandates and collective bargaining.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 15, 2026

WGA also said in a statement that they “are pleased to have reached a tentative agreement” with the union for its first collective bargaining agreement.

From Los Angeles Times • May 8, 2026

After collective bargaining failed, Carnegie shut down its Homestead plant and locked out the union workers.

From "Fannie Never Flinched" by Mary Cronk Farrell