(a) The Virgin Islands Wage Board, heretofore established within the Department of Labor, is continued within the Department.
(b) The Board shall be composed of eight members as follows:
(1) Seven voting members appointed by the Governor with the advice and consent of the Legislature. At all times at least one member shall be a woman, at least two shall be citizens residing within the area comprising Saint Thomas and Saint John, and at least two shall be citizens residing in Saint Croix. Employers and employees shall be represented by two voting members each and the public shall be represented by 3 members; and
(2) The Commissioner of Labor, or his designee, shall be a member ex officio, without vote, and shall be the Secretary of the Board.
(c) All members shall serve terms of three years which begin on July 1st, except that any person appointed to fill a vacancy occurring prior to the expiration of the term for which his predecessor was appointed shall be appointed only for the remainder of such term. Each member shall serve until the appointment and qualification of his successor.
(d) The Board shall elect annually one of its members to serve as its chairman, and one as vice chairman.
(e) Five members present at a scheduled meeting shall constitute a quorum and no act shall be valid unless voted for by an affirmative vote of a majority of the members present.
(f) Each member who is not a Government employee shall receive, for each day or part thereof spent in the work of the Board:
(1) per diem in lieu of subsistence as established by existing regulations,
(2) reimbursement of all travel expenses incurred in the discharge of his duties, and
(3) a stipend equivalent in amount to the daily rate of per diem as established by existing regulations.
(g) The Governor may seek recommendations for nominations from existing business or employee organizations and may make and establish, from time to time, rules and regulations governing the selection of wage boards and their mode of procedure not inconsistent with this chapter.
(h) For the purposes of promoting effective management of the Board and the faithful execution of the laws of the Virgin Islands the Governor shall act expeditiously to submit to the Legislature the appointments of members to fill vacancies in the membership of the Board resulting from expiration of term or from any other cause.
(i) A member may be removed by the Governor only for cause.
(j) In addition to the performance of its functions as prescribed by statute, the Board may perform such related functions as the Governor or the Commissioner of Labor may request.
(k) The Wage Board shall convene on the third Monday in January of each year and remain in session for so long as it is necessary to carry out its duties as provided under this title. The Board may remain convened or may reconvene on its own motion to perform such other functions as prescribed by the Governor or Commissioner of Labor.