To know which collective labor agreement we belong to, we first need to understand what it is.
It is an agreement negotiated between employee representatives (unions) and employers, through which the working conditions, rights, and obligations that affect both parties are established. These are fundamental aspects to ensure that the work environment is fair and equitable.
How can you find out which agreement you belong to? In this article, we’ll explain the steps to identify it correctly.
The first step is to review your employment contract, as in most cases, the collective labor agreement must appear in it. The location of this information will depend on the type of contract.
Another option is to check your payslip, since in many cases it includes the code or the name of the agreement.
If your company has a Human Resources portal, this information might also be available there.
If after checking the previous options you still haven’t found information about your collective labor agreement, the solution will be to go directly to your company’s Human Resources department.
Knowing which agreement applies to you is a worker’s right according to the Workers’ Statute, so they must provide you with this information.
Once we have the name or code of the agreement, it’s time to look it up in the Official State Gazette (BOE), where you will find the regulations, agreements, and updates related to working conditions.
Once we have found the collective labor agreement we belong to, it’s important to know how to interpret its information. To do this, we need to understand which key aspects appear in the document and what information it provides, such as:
An important aspect to consider is the effective date, as well as elements related to its duration and retroactive effects.
If you cannot find this information, there are several options to try to obtain it.
One option to learn about your collective agreement is to contact a union, which is an association of workers in the same sector that defends their labor, social, and economic interests against employers, with the goal of improving working conditions.
These representatives can help you identify and obtain your collective agreement.
Another option is to consult the Workers’ Statute, since it establishes the general labor law principles. These basic rules protect the worker, whether or not they are covered by a collective agreement.
The last option, if you still can’t find your collective agreement, would be to contact a labor advisory service or the Labor Inspectorate.
These professionals will check whether your company is complying with the agreements stated in the collective agreement and will provide guidance.
The Labor Inspectorate is the body to turn to if the necessary measures are not being applied, and through which you can file an official complaint.
Knowing your agreement is crucial to defend your labor rights. Understanding it is a key tool to:
Once we have this information, some doubts may arise, which we’ll clarify below.
If the company does not apply the agreement, it would be committing a serious legal breach, and the worker would have every right to file a claim. The company could face several legal and financial consequences, such as:
The answer is yes — you can file a claim if the wrong agreement is being applied. The steps to follow are:
There is no universal fixed time frame, meaning that collective agreements are updated according to the agreement reached between the negotiating parties.
What usually happens is that:
In short, knowing your collective labor agreement is essential to ensure your rights and working conditions. There are different ways to identify it and tools that help ensure that the employment relationship is fair and within the legal framework.
.jpg)