Collective Bargaining Agreements and Deadlines

Collective bargaining in the public sector is governed by Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 150E: Labor Relations: Public Employees.

The Massachusetts of Department of Labor Relations provides and overview of the collective bargaining process.   Below are keys points from their web site:

What is collective bargaining?
Collective bargaining is the mutual obligation of employers’ and employees’ representatives to meet at reasonable times and confer in good faith with respect to wages, hours, standards of productivity and performance, and other terms and conditions of employment, or the negotiation of an agreement, or a question arising under an agreement.

Must an employer negotiate with representatives of the bargaining unit?
Yes. The employer and exclusive bargaining representative must, upon demand, negotiate in good faith with respect to wages, hours, standards of productivity and performance, and other terms and conditions of employment. No public employer may exempt itself from the operative provisions of the law.

Is either side required to agree?
No. But both sides must bargain in good faith, and either reach agreement or an impasse. If an agreement is reached, it must be reduced to writing and executed by the parties.

What if the public employer and labor organization fail to reach an agreement on a new or successor collective bargaining agreement?
The law prohibits public employees from striking. It also prohibits public employers from unilaterally changing terms and conditions of employment. The Division of Labor Relations administers procedures for resolving collective bargaining impasses under the public employee collective bargaining law. These procedures comprise mediation, fact-finding and interest arbitration.