In the theoretical part of this paper, the elements of trade unions as a civil society organization, the basic features of employee wages and the role of trade unions in determining the basic salary of employees are studied. The aim of this paper is to analyze the role of trade unions in determining and increasing the basic salary of employees through collective bargaining and in times of economic crisis. Getting familiarized with the work of unions, employee satisfaction with working conditions, material working conditions, the way in which increases are determined, the problem of outsourcing, etc. The basic part of the work will be based on the analysis of the role of unions in determining the basic salary. For the purposes of the empirical part of the paper, the conclusions of the research will be based on in-depth interviews with respondents who have many years of experience in trade union work and experience in collective bargaining. The respondents hold the positions of president of workers' councils and union presidency. Selected respondents are examples of public and private sector unions working to achieve a clearer comparison and highlight the diversity of collective agreements and how they affect the increase in the basic salary of employees in the sectors in which they operate.