# Unions and bargaining Official source: https://www.employment.govt.nz/fair-work-practices/unions-and-bargaining Scanned: 2026-06-07T03:31:31.402Z Use this as a current official guidance reference, not as a substitute for legal advice. ## Page Text Home Fair work practices Unions and bargaining Fair work practices Unions and bargaining Unions support employees in the workplace. They bargain for collective agreements with employers and help employees with information and advice about work-related issues. Fair work practices Workplace policies and procedures Employee privacy Restructuring and workplace change Unions and bargaining Unions Employment Relations Education: courses and criteria Collective agreements Collective bargaining Strikes and lockouts Ethical and sustainable work practices COVID-19 in the workplace Pay and gender equity Flexible working Unions Employees can choose if they want to join a union. Unions negotiate collective agreements and advocate for employees. Union membership Workplace access Screen industry workplace access Employment Relations Education: courses and criteria Applications for course approval can be made throughout the year, by any individual, group or organisation that wishes to provide Employment Relations Education (ERE). Only approved courses can be used for ERE leave purposes. Collective agreements Where a workplace has a collective agreement(s), union members are employed under a collective agreement(s) rather than individual employment agreements. Collective bargaining Collective bargaining is the process used for negotiating and renegotiating collective agreements. Collective bargaining process Starting collective bargaining Preparing for bargaining Preparing your team Negotiating the agreement Good faith in collective bargaining Passing on collective agreement terms After the negotiations Unable to agree Screen industry Strikes and lockouts Strikes and lockouts can be used as a tool by parties to collective bargaining or for health and safety reasons. Notice must be given of strikes and lockouts. Strikes Lockouts