Tarifpartner

Tarifpartner is a term used in German-speaking labor law to designate the contracting parties in a collective agreement (Tarifvertrag). A Tarifvertrag is negotiated and agreed between two sides: on the one hand employers or employers’ associations, and on the other hand trade unions representing employees. The parties involved in the negotiation are referred to as Tarifpartner, reflecting their authority to bargain on behalf of their members or organizations.

The concept rests on the German system of collective bargaining, and the status of Tarifpartner is established through participation in the bargaining process and recognition as the legitimate negotiators for a sector or company. The scope of a Tarifvertrag can be sector-wide (Flächentarifvertrag) or company-specific (Firmentarifvertrag). The resulting agreement typically covers wages or salary structures, working hours, vacation and leave, overtime, and other working conditions, and may set standards that go beyond statutory requirements.

Legal framework and effects are governed by the Tarifvertragsgesetz (TVG) in Germany, which regulates how agreements are concluded, their validity, and the procedures for dispute resolution. The binding force of a Tarifvertrag can extend to employers and employees within its defined scope, a concept known as Tarifbindung; the extent of binding to non-members depends on the agreement and law.

In summary, Tarifpartner are the recognized negotiators on both sides of a collective agreement, playing a central role in shaping wages and working conditions through sectoral or company-level bargaining.