(a) The Commission and an employee organization certified as the exclusive representative shall meet and engage in collective bargaining in good faith regarding: (1) salary and wages, including the percentage of the increase in the salary and wages budget that will be devoted to merit increments and cash awards; (2) pension and other retirement benefits for active employees; (3) employee benefits such as insurance, leave, holidays, and vacations; (4) hours and working conditions; (5) provisions for the orderly processing and settlement of grievances concerning the interpretation and implementation of a collective bargaining agreement that may include: (i) binding third party arbitration; and (ii) provisions for the exclusivity of forum; (6) matters affecting the health and safety of employees; and (7) the effect on employees of the exercise of the Commission's rights and responsibilities under § 18-211 of this subtitle. (b) This section does not require the Commission or the employee organization to agree to any proposal or to make any concession. (c) (1) (i) Collective bargaining may not begin later than September 1 before the beginning of a fiscal year for which an agreement has not been reached between the Commission and the certified representative. (ii) Collective bargaining shall finish on or before the following February 1. (2) During the period set in paragraph (1) of this subsection, the parties shall negotiate in good faith. (d) Salaries and wages shall be uniform for all employees in the same classification. (e) The Commission and the employee organization shall share equally the costs of binding arbitration. (f) (1) Notwithstanding any other provision of this subtitle, pension and other retirement benefits for active employees may not be subject to binding arbitration. (2) Collective bargaining regarding pension and other retirement benefits for active employees may not require the Commission to offer more than one pension plan to its employees. (3) If more than one employee organization is certified as an exclusive representative of a bargaining unit, the Commission shall engage in collective bargaining with all exclusive representatives at the same time about the terms of pension and other retirement benefits for active employees.
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