(1) The employee organization recognized or named in the petition pursuant to section 29-5-206 for the purpose of collective bargaining becomes the exclusive representative of all firefighters in the bargaining unit for the purpose of collective bargaining. The exclusive representative shall represent all firefighters in the bargaining unit without discrimination. If an exclusive representative exists in a bargaining unit, a public employer shall not bargain in regard to matters covered by this part 2 with any firefighter, group of firefighters in the bargaining unit, or other employee organization of firefighters.
(2) (a) Nothing in this section prevents firefighters, individually or as a group, from presenting complaints to a public employer and from having complaints adjusted without the intervention of the exclusive representative for the bargaining unit of which they are a part if:
The exclusive representative is given an opportunity to be present at the adjustmentand to express its views; and
The adjustment is not inconsistent with the terms of a collective bargaining agreement then in effect between the public employer and the exclusive representative.
(b) The ability to adjust complaints as described in this subsection (2) does not include the use of any process in a collective bargaining agreement to resolve grievances over the application and interpretation of the agreement.
(3) An employee organization that is an exclusive representative has the right to have its dues, initiation fees, assessments, or other moneys deducted and collected by the public employer from the pay of those firefighters within the bargaining unit who authorize, in writing, the deduction of the moneys. The authorization is revocable at the firefighter's written request. The deductions commence upon the exclusive representative's written request to the public employer. The right to the deduction remains in force as long as the employee organization remains the exclusive representative for the employees in the bargaining unit.
Source: L. 2013: Entire part added, (SB 13-025), ch. 408, p. 2405, § 1, effective June 5.