Traditional labor market economics primarily analyzes the collective bargaining behavior of trade unions, while employer associations receive little attention. This work examines to what extent the employer side can also be held partially responsible for the current employment crisis in Germany. It shows that the pursuit of cartel interests by employer associations, in conjunction with the unions' understanding of collective agreements and the specific features of German labor law, leads to insufficient collective bargaining outcomes. After a thorough analysis of the currently discussed reform approaches, an alternative proposal is developed to enhance the system of industry-wide collective agreements, taking into account the political and economic relationships highlighted in the association analysis.