Factsheet

Extension of collective agreements: Evidence from the updated IRLex database

Collective agreements are the result of collective bargaining between one or more workers' organisations, on the one hand, and one or more employers or employers' organisations, on the other hand, to determine the terms and conditions of employment and to regulate the relations between workers and employers and their respective organisations. In accordance with general principles of contract law, such agreements should only be binding on the parties to the agreement. However, regulatory frameworks often provide for the extension of collective agreements beyond the signatory parties subject to the fulfilment of certain conditions or requirements. This factsheet, based on the IRLex database, provides a comparative overview of the legal frameworks regulating extension mechanisms.