A. It shall be the obligation of the Rural Fire Protection District, acting through its corporate authorities, to meet at reasonable times and confer in good faith with the representatives of the full-time firefighters within ten (10) days after receipt of written notice from said bargaining agent requesting a meeting for collective bargaining purposes. The obligation shall include the duty to cause any collective bargaining agreement resulting from negotiations to be reduced to a written agreement, the term of which shall not exceed one (1) year; provided, any such agreement shall continue from year to year and be automatically extended for one-year terms unless written notice of request for bargaining is given by either the Rural Fire Protection District authorities or the bargaining agent of the full-time firefighters at least thirty (30) days before the anniversary date of such negotiated agreement. Within ten (10) days of receipt of such notice by the other party, a conference shall be scheduled for the purposes of collective bargaining, and until a new agreement is reached, the currently existing written agreement shall not expire and shall continue in full force and effect.

B. In the event that the bargaining agent and the corporate authorities are unable, within thirty (30) days from and including the date of the first meeting, to reach an agreement on a contract, any and all unresolved issues shall be submitted to arbitration, upon request of either party.

C. Within five (5) days from the date of the request for arbitration referred to in subsection B of this section, the bargaining agent and the corporate authorities shall each select and name one arbitrator and shall immediately thereafter notify each other in writing of the name and address of the person so selected. The two arbitrators so selected and named shall, within five (5) days from and after the expiration of the five-day period hereinabove mentioned, agree upon and select a third arbitrator. If, on the expiration of the period allowed therefor, the arbitrators are unable to agree upon the selection of a third arbitrator, the bargaining agent and the corporate authorities shall request the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service to provide a list of five arbitrators. Within five (5) days after receipt of the list of arbitrators from the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, the two arbitrators already selected shall alternately strike the name of one arbitrator from the list of five until one name remains, with the employer making the first strike from the list. The third arbitrator, whether selected as a result of an agreement between the two arbitrators previously selected or selected from the list provided by the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, shall act as chairperson of the arbitration board.

Added by Laws 2003, c. 136, § 4, eff. Nov. 1, 2003.