AN ACT Relating to changing statutory references to classes of public employees; and amending RCW 41.56.460, 41.56.475, and 41.56.495.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

Sec. 1. Section 5, chapter 131, Laws of 1973 as last amended by section 2, chapter 521, Laws of 1987 and RCW 41.56.460 are each amended to read as follows:

In making its determination, the panel shall be mindful of the legislative purpose enumerated in RCW 41.56.430 and as additional standards or guidelines to aid it in reaching a decision, it shall take into consideration the following factors:

(a) The constitutional and statutory authority of the employer;

(b) Stipulations of the parties;

(c)(i) For employees listed in RCW 41.56.030((~~(6)~~)) (7)(a) and ((~~(c)~~)) 41.56.495, comparison of the wages, hours and conditions of employment of personnel involved in the proceedings with the wages, hours, and conditions of employment of like personnel of like employers of similar size on the west coast of the United States;

(ii) For employees listed in RCW 41.56.030((~~(6)~~))(7)(b), comparison of the wages, hours, and conditions of employment of personnel involved in the proceedings with the wages, hours, and conditions of employment of like personnel of public fire departments of similar size on the west coast of the United States. However, when an adequate number of comparable employers exists within the state of Washington, other west coast employers shall not be considered;

(d) The average consumer prices for goods and services, commonly known as the cost of living;

(e) Changes in any of the foregoing circumstances during the pendency of the proceedings; and

(f) Such other factors, not confined to the foregoing, which are normally or traditionally taken into consideration in the determination of wages, hours and conditions of employment.

Sec. 2. Section 3, chapter 135, Laws of 1987 and RCW 41.56.475 are each amended to read as follows:

In addition to the classes of employees listed in RCW 41.56.030((~~(6)~~)) (7), the provisions of RCW 41.56.430, 41.56.440, and 41.56.490 also apply to Washington state patrol officers appointed under RCW 43.43.020 as provided in this section, subject to the following:

(1) The mediator shall not consider wages and wage-related matters.

(2) The services of the mediator, including any per diem expenses, shall be provided by the commission without cost to the parties. Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit the public employer and a bargaining representative from agreeing to substitute at their own expense some other mediator or mediation procedure.

(3) If the public employer and a bargaining representative are unable to reach an agreement in mediation, either party, by written notice to the other party and to the commission, may request that the matters in dispute be submitted to a fact-finder for recommendations. If the executive director, upon the recommendation of the mediator, finds that the parties remain at an impasse after a reasonable period of negotiations, the executive director shall initiate fact-finding proceedings.

(a) The executive director shall provide the parties with a list of five persons qualified to serve as the neutral fact-finder. The parties shall without delay attempt to agree upon a fact-finder from the list provided by the commission or to agree upon some other person as a fact-finder. Upon the failure of the parties to agree upon a fact-finder within seven days after the issuance of the list, the commission shall, upon the request of either party, appoint a fact-finder. The commission shall not appoint as fact-finder the same person who acted as mediator in the dispute.

(b) The fact-finder shall promptly establish a date, time, and place to meet with the representatives of the parties and shall provide reasonable notice of the meeting to the parties to the dispute. The requirements of chapter 34.04 RCW shall not apply to fact-finding proceedings. The fact-finder shall make inquiries and investigations, hold hearings, and take such other steps as he or she deems appropriate. The fact-finder may issue subpoenas requiring the attendance and testimony of witnesses and the production of evidence.

(c) The fact-finder shall, within thirty days following the conclusion of the hearing, make written findings of fact and written recommendations to the parties as to how their dispute should be resolved. A copy shall be delivered or mailed to each of the parties to the dispute. A copy shall be filed with the commission. The findings and recommendations of the fact-finder are advisory only.

(d) The findings and recommendations of the fact-finder shall be held in confidence among the fact-finder, the public employer, the bargaining representative, and the commission for seven calendar days following their issuance, to permit the public employer and the bargaining representative to study the recommendations. No later than seven calendar days following the issuance of the recommendations of the fact-finder, each party shall notify the commission and the other party whether it accepts or rejects, in whole or in part, the recommendations of the fact-finder. If the parties remain in disagreement following the expiration of the seven-day period, the findings and recommendations of the fact-finder may be made public.

(e) The fees and expenses of the fact-finder shall be paid by the parties to the dispute, in equal amounts. All other costs of the proceeding shall be paid by the party incurring those costs. Nothing in this section prohibits an employer and an exclusive bargaining representative from agreeing to substitute, at their own expense, some other impasse procedure or from agreeing to some other allocation of the costs of fact-finding between them.

Sec. 3. Section 1, chapter 150, Laws of 1985 and RCW 41.56.495 are each amended to read as follows:

In addition to the classes of employees listed in RCW 41.56.030((~~(6)~~)) (7), the provisions of RCW 41.56.430 through 41.56.490 shall also be applicable to the several classes of advanced life support technicians that are defined under RCW 18.71.200, who are employed by public employers, other than public hospital districts.