Act No. 22 (H.448). Executive branch; state employees labor relations act; labor relations board

This act amends the roles of the state labor relations board and the general assembly within the provisions of the state employees labor relations act. Prior to the effective date of this act, the general assembly had the authority to enact laws to amend provisions of a collective bargaining agreement arrived at pursuant to 3 V.S.A. § 925 involving the state of Vermont. Pursuant to this act, when the labor relations board must choose among the last best offers of a collective bargaining unit or the state of Vermont or the recommendation of a fact finder pursuant to 3 V.S.A. § 925, the decision of the board shall be final, and the terms of the chosen agreement shall be binding on each party, subject to an appropriation by the general assembly. If, pursuant to this act's amendment of 3 V.S.A. § 982(d), the general assembly appropriates funds sufficient to implement the board's chosen agreement, the agreement shall become effective at the beginning of the next fiscal year. On the other hand, if the general assembly appropriates less than the amount requested to implement the board's selected agreement, the terms of the agreement effected by the lesser appropriation shall be renegotiated based on the amount of funds actually appropriated, and the agreement with the negotiated changes shall become effective at the beginning of the next fiscal year.

Effective Date: July 1, 2011