collective agreement

American  

noun

1. the contract, written or oral, made between an employer or employers and a union on behalf of all the employees represented by the union.

2. the schedule of wages, rules, and working conditions agreed upon.

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collective agreement British  

noun

1. a negotiated agreement, which is not enforceable at law, between an employer and employees' representatives, covering rates of pay or terms and conditions of employment, or both

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Etymology

Origin of collective agreement

First recorded in 1935–40

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

collective agreement

A spokeswoman for Stellantis said she couldn’t comment on Payne’s remarks, citing the pending start of negotiations on a new collective agreement with Unifor.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026

IG Metall has accused the carmaker of poor working conditions and covert redundancies, all enabled by the lack of a collective agreement to protect workers -- almost unheard‑of in Germany's automotive industry.

From Barron's ● Mar. 2, 2026

Tesla came to Sweden back in 2014, and IF Metall has long wanted to secure a collective agreement with the company.

From BBC ● Oct. 26, 2025

Whately asked the minister whether there was "collective agreement" on the plans, with Kendall responding that the shadow secretary would have to "show a little patience".

From BBC ● Mar. 18, 2025

The terms of all such systems, however, should be made the subject of collective agreement.

From The Settlement of Wage Disputes by Herbert Feis

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