(a) The General Assembly recognizes the right of all early care and education providers to bargain collectively with the State over matters within the State's control and identified as subjects of bargaining pursuant to subsection 3603(b) of this chapter.

(b) The General Assembly intends to create an opportunity for early care and education providers to choose to form a union and bargain with the State over matters within the State's control and identified as subjects of bargaining pursuant to subsection 3603(b) of this chapter.

(c) Specific terms and conditions of employment, which are the subject of traditional collective bargaining between employers and employees, are outside the limited scope of this chapter.

(d) The matters subject to this chapter are those within the control of the State of Vermont and relevant to all early care and education providers.

(e) Early care and education providers do not forfeit their rights under the National Labor Relations Act, 29 U.S.C. §§ 151-169, or the Vermont State Labor Relations Act, 21 V.S.A. §§ 1501-1624, by becoming members of an organization that represents them in their dealings with the State. The terms and conditions of employment with individual early care and education providers, which are the subjects of traditional collective bargaining between employers and employees and which are governed by federal law, fall outside the limited scope of bargaining defined in this chapter. (Added 2013, No. 187 (Adj. Sess.), § 2, eff. June 5, 2014.)