Collective bargaining agreements allow employees and employers to determine jointly the employment rules that are better adapted to the reality of a particular plant or industry, while respecting the principle of favouritism towards labour law regulations.

The new legislation simplifies the procedures for concluding and recording agreements, provides for a  possibility to use the support of a mediator in the negotiations and allows for the regulation of, among others, work and life balance, gender equality, anti-bullying procedures or the use of new technologies, including artificial intelligence.

A significant change is the abandonment of paper-based registration of collective agreements in favour of electronic records. The Act provides for the creation of the National Register of Collective Labour Agreements (KEUZP), i.e. a central ICT system for gathering information on collective labour agreements and collective bargaining agreements. Until the KEUZP is operational, the notifications are submitted electronically to the minister competent for labour, together with a digital reproduction of the documents and a qualified or trusted signature.

During the transitional period, only new collective agreements, new additional protocols and new collective bargaining agreements are subject to notification. The collective agreements and protocols registered before the entry into force of the Act do not need to be re-notified.

For employers, collective agreements serve as a tool for better workplace management, business planning and employment stabilisation. For employees, it is a real opportunity for additional rights, such as additional holidays, transparent remuneration rules or solutions to support work and life balance.

The Act supports the development of collective bargaining in Poland, strengthens social dialogue and labour market cohesion, emphasising the role of negotiations and agreements between social partners.