Nutrition: Meal Allowances and Canteens in Collective Bargaining Agreements
How collective agreements can promote promote healthy nutrition at work
Good nutrition at work supports workers' health, well-being, and productivity. Collective bargaining can play an important role in improving access to healthy meals by regulating meal allowances, meal vouchers, workplace canteens, and other forms of employer support. Well-designed clauses can also promote equal treatment for different groups of workers, including shift workers, mobile workers, part-time employees, and remote workers.
This support paper presents practical examples of meal allowance and canteen clauses from the WageIndicator CBA Database. It highlights good practices from Europe and Africa on topics such as employer-funded or subsidised meals, meal vouchers, canteen facilities, overtime meals, inflation-adjusted allowances, equal access for remote workers, and joint employer–union management of workplace canteens. The examples show different ways collective agreements can improve workers' nutrition while supporting fair and transparent workplace policies.
This publication is intended for trade unions, employers, negotiators, policymakers, and anyone interested in developing collective bargaining agreements that promote healthy nutrition at work.
Access examples of collective bargaining agreements that promote healthy nutrition at work.
