(1) The executive director shall suspend the certification of some or all issues under WAC
391-55-200, as follows:
(a) A party which claims that a proposal being advanced to interest arbitration is not a mandatory subject of collective bargaining must communicate its concerns to the other party during bilateral negotiations and/or mediation. If the party advancing the proposal does not withdraw the proposal or modify it to eliminate the claimed illegality, the objecting party must file and process a complaint charging unfair labor practices under chapter
391-45 WAC prior to the conclusion of the interest arbitration proceedings.
(b) A party which claims that the other party to negotiations subject to interest arbitration has violated the "collective bargaining" obligations imposed by RCW
41.56.030(4) must file and process a complaint charging unfair labor practices under chapter
391-45 WAC prior to the conclusion of the interest arbitration proceedings.
(c) If a preliminary ruling is issued under WAC
391-45-110 that an unfair practice violation could be found on a complaint filed under (a) or (b) of this subsection, a final ruling on the unfair labor practice complaint shall be made before any determination is made in interest arbitration on the disputed issue or issues.
(2) Issues suspended under subsection (1) of this section shall be acted upon after the conclusion of the unfair labor practice proceedings, as follows:
(a) If it is concluded that the suspended issue or issues was/were unlawfully advanced or affected by unlawful conduct, the issue or issues shall be stricken from the certification under WAC
391-55-200, and the party advancing the proposal shall only be permitted to advance such modified proposals as are in compliance with the remedial order in the unfair labor practice proceedings.
(b) If it is concluded that the suspended issue or issues was/were lawfully advanced, the suspension under this section shall be terminated and the issue or issues shall be remanded to the interest arbitration panel for ruling on the merits.