(1) The captain of a Washington state ferry vessel, also known as the master of a vessel or the commanding officer, is the ultimate authority on, manager of, and has responsibility for, the entire vessel and its Washington state ferries personnel while it is in service under their command. The captain's responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

(a) Ensuring the safe navigation of the vessel and its crew and passengers;

(b) Following all applicable international, federal, and state laws and regulations, and agency policies and regulations;

(c) Supervising Directing crew in performance, operations, training, security, and environmental protection;

(d) Overseeing all aspects of vessel operations;

(e) Ensuring that the vessel operations and its Washington state ferries personnel satisfy performance expectations set forth by the department; and

(f) Managing Coordinating vessel arrivals and departures, as well as all other vessel operations while the vessel is in service their command.

(3) [(2)] Effective July 1, 2013, the public employment relations commission shall sever from the masters, mates, and pilots bargaining unit all captains. By August 31, 2011, if a majority of the captains in the masters, mates, and pilots bargaining unit indicate by vote that they desire to be included in a newly formed captains-only bargaining unit, the public employment relations commission shall certify a captains-only bargaining unit, to be effective July 1, 2013. For the vote described in this subsection, a union seeking to represent captains does not have to demonstrate a showing of interest to be included on a ballot. Notwithstanding the results of a vote, captains shall remain a part of the masters, mates, and pilots bargaining unit through June 30, 2013.

(4) [(3)] If a new captains-only bargaining unit is created, the employer and the exclusive bargaining representative for the captains-only bargaining unit must negotiate a collective bargaining agreement exclusive to the captains-only bargaining unit.

(5) [(4)] (2) By August 31, 2025, if a majority of the captains in the masters and pilots bargaining unit indicate by vote that they desire to be included in the combined masters, mates, and pilots bargaining unit, the public employees relations commission shall certify a combined masters, mates, and pilots bargaining unit, to be effective July 1, 2026.

(3) Beginning with negotiations covering the 2013-2015 2027-2029 biennium, if the condition described in subsection (2) of this section is satisfied, then the employer and the exclusive bargaining representative of the captains-only masters, mates, and pilots bargaining unit must negotiate collective bargaining agreements that are consistent with this section. Otherwise, the employer and the exclusive bargaining representative of the captains-only bargaining unit must negotiate collective bargaining agreements that are consistent with this section.

(6) [(5)] A collective bargaining agreement may not contain any provision that extends the term of an existing collective bargaining agreement or applicability of items incompatible with this section in an existing collective bargaining agreement.