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

All this is happening with uncertainty about a possible MLB lockout when the current collective bargaining agreement runs out and not knowing what changes might happen to the draft.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 8, 2026

Finally, the hosts break down the WNBA’s landmark collective bargaining agreement and why Nobel laureate Claudia Goldin was the MVP of the negotiation.

From Slate • Apr. 4, 2026

Starbucks said the program announced Thursday “will be subject to collective bargaining as required by federal law” at the roughly 5% of U.S. stores that have unionized.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 2, 2026

The sport’s collective bargaining agreement expires after this season, and the entire industry is bracing for missed games for the first time in more than three decades.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 27, 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