A Registered Employment Agreement (REA) is a collective agreement made between a trade union or unions and either an individual employer, a group of employers or an employers’ organisation. A REA must be registered with the Labour Court and the effect of registration makes the REA binding on the subscribing parties.
The Industrial Relations Act 1946 states that the Labour Court must forward a copy of registered employment agreements to the Minister. If the Minister accepts the agreement the Order is laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas.
Collective agreements which are negotiated and signed by employers and unions/employees are private contractual matters for the parties and do not need to be lodged as records.