Typically, the negotiation of the first collective agreement takes up to six months. Negotiations on extension agreements will also take a few months, but while they are being negotiated, the old agreement will remain in force. Procedures for the enforcement of workers` rights are also laid down in collective agreements. It is the union`s responsibility to uphold workers` rights by filing a complaint and, if necessary, pursuing the issue before arbitration. As a general rule, workers must be represented by a trade union to exercise their rights when a complaint is rejected by their immediate superior. The exact process for filing a complaint and even arbitrating varies across collective agreements. For more information on redress and arbitration procedures, see The Grievance and Arbitration Process. For more information on collective agreements, visit the website of the Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development. For federal affairs, we refer to the Government of Canada`s website on collective agreements for the public sector. Collective agreements most often apply for a period of two years, sometimes three and sometimes one. Before the agreement expires, the union and the employer will enter into negotiations for a renewal agreement.
Portuguese law distinguishes between three types of collective agreements, depending on the type of signatories of the employer (Article 2, Law on Collective Labour Relations): association agreements negotiated by employers` organizations; multi-employer agreements negotiated by a number of employers who, whether or not they are members of employers` organisations, do not act through an association to negotiate the agreement in question; and company-level agreements negotiated by a single employer. This distinction is used by law to resolve specific cases of conflict between collective agreements (see also collective bargaining: level of collective agreements, instruments of collective labour regulation). Another legal distinction, based on the different nature of the scope of collective agreements, is defined in horizontal and vertical agreements (see below). If you have any questions or need help or advice on mandatory matters such as negotiations, contract negotiations, responding to union complaints, representation for arbitration proceedings, plrb, PERB, NLRB and Pennsylvania hearings or federal courts at the trial and federal court level, please contact us at (724) 864-8745 or HRhelpline@eastcoastrm.com. Horizontal and vertical collective agreements The Employment Relations Act distinguishes between horizontal collective agreements, i.e. . . .
