Collective bargaining
Collective bargaining is the negotiation of employment terms between employers or employer associations and employee representatives, often trade unions.
In Switzerland, collective bargaining commonly leads to collective employment agreements that set wages, working time, notice periods, training, and dispute procedures for a sector or employer. Some agreements may be declared generally binding for an industry, extending core terms to non-member employers and employees. The system is shaped by freedom of association, social partnership, and relatively decentralized wage setting. Compared with many jurisdictions, Swiss law relies heavily on negotiated standards alongside statutory minimum protections.