Abstract
This paper provides an analysis of bilateralism in the Italian industrial relations system. Bilateralism can be viewed as a form of workers’ participation to economic and social processes which goes beyond the management of decision-making and the effective oversight of the company, as it helps to devise a shared strategy to stabilise the labour market and provide protection to workers. In this connection, the workings of bilateral bodies, that is entities that are regulated by means of collective bargaining and that have a number of functions is examined in detail, particularly focusing on the way these joint bodies can contribute to a more cooperative approach to industrial relations.