: Bargaining Policy in the German System of Industrial Relations
The German system of collective bargaining is (still) dominated by sector-based association-level collective agreements negotiated between employers' federations and trade unions at national level or for specific regions. Nevertheless, the collective bargaining reality in Germany is varied and characterised by a high level of company-level differentiation and flexibility. One of the main reasons for the stability of the bargaining system is the fact that it is embedded in the differentiated system of social policy regulations. The bargaining-based and statutory formulation of minimum standards is often intertwined. The coming years will show whether the bargaining parties are able to constructively resolve the current fierce controversy over the future development of the collective bargaining system.
