Collective agreement coverage
Country Collective bargaining coverage (% ) Year
Australia 60.0 2016
Austria 98.0 2017
Belgium 96.0 2017
Canada 28.1 2017
Chile 19.6 2016
Czech Republic 30.4 2016
Denmark 82.0 2016
Estonia 18.6 2015
Finland 89.3 2015
France 98.5 2014
Germany 56.0 2016
Greece 25.5 2016
Hungary 22.8 2014
Iceland 92.0 2016
Ireland 32.5 2014
Israel 26.1 2012
Italy 80.0 2015
Japan 16.5 2017
Latvia 13.8 2016
Lithuania 7.1 2015
By country
Collective agreement coverage or union representation refers to the proportion of people in a country population whose terms and conditions at work are made by collective bargaining, between an employer and a trade union, rather than by individual contracts. This is invariably higher than the union membership rate, because collective agreements almost always protect non-members in a unionised workplace. This means that, rather than individuals who have weaker bargaining power representing themselves in negotiations, people organise to represent each other together when negotiating for better pay and conditions in their workplace. The number of people who are covered by collective agreements is higher than the number of union members (or the union density rate), and in many cases substantially higher, because when trade unions make collective agreements they aim to cover everyone at work, even those who have not necessarily joined for membership.