Section 1. The general court hereby finds that the distribution of food, fuel, water, electric light and power, gas, and hospital and medical services is essential to the public health and safety and that the settlement of industrial disputes which threaten substantial interruption of such distribution is therefore affected with a public interest; that the adjustment of differences concerning wages, hours and other terms and conditions of employment which might lead to such disputes can best be accomplished by encouraging collective bargaining between employers and representatives freely designated or selected by their employees; but that the intervention of government is necessary to protect the public health and safety whenever an industrial dispute which has not been settled by collective bargaining threatens an immediate and substantial interruption in the production or distribution of food, fuel, water, electric light or power, gas, or hospital or medical services which would dangerously curtail their availability in any community.

It is therefore declared to be the policy of the commonwealth (a) to place primary responsibility upon the employers and representatives freely designated or selected by employees for the avoidance of any interruption in the production or distribution of food, fuel, water, electric light and power, gas, or hospital or medical services resulting from differences concerning wages, hours and other terms and conditions of employment and (b) in the event that a peaceful adjustment of such differences is not accomplished by collective bargaining, to provide procedures for government intervention and the establishment of wages, hours and other terms and conditions of employment without any interruption in the production or distribution of such goods or services which would dangerously curtail their availability in any community.