(a) An employee organization desiring to be certified as the exclusive representative shall file a petition with the Board, accompanied by the uncoerced signatures of at least 30% of the public employees in the unit claimed to be appropriate, indicating a desire to be represented for the purpose of bargaining collectively with the public employer. (b) If the Board or its duly authorized designee determines that a petition is properly filed and is accompanied by the requisite number of valid signatures, the Board or its designee shall proceed toward defining the appropriate bargaining unit by setting a date for hearing on the matter. If a petition is not properly filed or if it is not accompanied by the requisite number of valid signatures, the Board or its designee shall dismiss the petition. (c) After holding such hearings as it deems necessary the Board shall determine the appropriate bargaining unit. The Board may, by rule, delegate its unit definition authority to 1 or more of its members or to its executive director, provided that a unit definition order may be subject to review by the Board at the request of any party or upon the Board's own motion in accordance with rules and procedures established by the Board. (d) In making its determination as to the appropriate bargaining unit, the Board or its designee shall consider community of interests including such factors as the similarity of duties, skills and working conditions of the employees involved; the history and extent of the employee organization; the recommendations of the parties involved; the effect of overfragmentation of bargaining units on the efficient administration of government; and such other factors as the Board may deem appropriate. The Board or its designee shall exclude supervisory employees from all appropriate units created subsequent to September 23, 1994. (e) Procedures for redefining or modifying a unit shall be set forth in the rules and procedures established by the Board. (f) Any bargaining unit designated as appropriate prior to September 23, 1994, for which an exclusive representative has been certified, shall so continue without the requirement of a review and possible redesignation until such time as a question concerning appropriateness is properly raised under this chapter. The appropriateness of the unit may be challenged by the public employer, 30% of the members of the unit, an employee organization, or the Board not more than 180 days nor less than 120 days prior to the expiration of any collective bargaining agreement in effect on September 23, 1994. The continued appropriateness of any bargaining unit designated as appropriate prior to September 23, 1994, for which an exclusive representative is not certified, may be challenged by the public employer, 30% of the members of the unit, an employee organization, or the Board at any time up until 30 days prior to the holding of an election to determine representation. (g) (1) Two or more certified exclusive representatives of the same public employer may file a joint petition to transfer certain positions between their units. Said joint petition shall be accompanied by the uncoerced signatures of at least 30% of the public employees in the positions sought to be transferred, indicating a desire to be represented by the proposed new representative for the purpose of collective bargaining. (2) The Board shall make a determination as to the appropriateness of the bargaining unit into which the public employees are to be transferred. If the Board determines that the bargaining unit into which the employees are to be transferred is not appropriate, the joint petition shall be denied and the status quo ante shall remain. If the Board determines that the bargaining unit is appropriate, the Board shall hold an election on such joint petition to transfer in which only the public employees in each position who would be transferred shall be entitled to vote. The election ballot shall contain 2 options: a. Continue to be represented by the present exclusive bargaining representative; or b. Transfer to the proposed exclusive bargaining representative, who shall be named. (3) The exclusive bargaining representative that receives the majority of the votes of those voting in the elections shall be declared the exclusive bargaining representative for those positions.
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