contrattazione

Contrattazione is the process of negotiating the terms of a contract or agreement between parties. In Italian usage, the term is used in civil and labor law contexts, but it is most commonly associated with labor relations, where it denotes bargaining between employers or their associations and workers or their unions. The word reflects the act of negotiating and reaching an agreement before a contract is concluded.

Etymology and scope: the term derives from contrattare, from Latin contractus, and conveys the concept of bargaining to establish terms. While it covers various contractual settings, its most prominent use is in the realm of employment relationships and collective bargaining.

Types and topics: two main forms are contrattazione individuale and contrattazione collettiva. Contrattazione individuale occurs directly between an employer and a single employee. Contrattazione collettiva involves bargaining between employers’ organizations or management and one or more unions, often at national, sectoral, regional, or company levels. Topics typically covered include wages, working hours, overtime, benefits, job security, health and safety, training, and grievance procedures. The resulting instrument may be a contract, a collective agreement, or a framework that sets minimum standards for a group of workers.

Process and legal context: negotiation usually proceeds through preparatory meetings, proposal exchanges, and rounds of discussion, sometimes with mediation or arbitration. In many jurisdictions, collective agreements may be extended or generalized to cover non-signatory employers or workers, thereby broadening their impact beyond the signatories. The practice of contrattazione influences labor costs, working conditions, and industrial relations, and can also shape related commercial negotiations when parties bargain terms before finalizing a contract.