Directorate for Employment, Labour and Social Affairs
Negotiating Our Way Up
Collective Bargaining in a Changing World of Work
Collective bargaining and workers’ voice are often discussed in the past rather than
in the future tense, but can they play a role in the context of a rapidly changing
world of work? This report provides a comprehensive assessment of the functioning
of collective bargaining systems and workers’ voice arrangements across OECD countries,
and new insights on their effect on labour market performance today. The publication
provides a detailed review of existing collective bargaining institutions and workers’
voice arrangements. It analyses the role of these institutions for employment, wages,
labour market inclusiveness, as well as non-monetary aspects of job quality. The publication
also discusses how collective bargaining can be mobilised to address emerging challenges
in the labour market, and identifies the type of government intervention that may
be required to do this. The report provides a resource for policy makers, trade unions
and employers’ organisations interested in understanding how collective bargaining
and workers' voice can be used to complement public regulation in shaping ever-changing
labour markets.