reglab/housing_qa huggingface dataset:
RI Gen L § 28-9.1-2 (2021)
2021 Rhode Island General Laws|Title 28 - Labor and Labor Relations|Chapter 28-9.1 - Firefighters' Arbitration|Section 28-9.1-2 - Statement of policy.

§ 28-9.1-2. Statement of policy.(a) The protection of the public health, safety, and welfare demands that the permanent uniformed members, rescue service personnel of any city or town, emergency medical services personnel of any city or town, and all employees of any paid fire department in any city or town not be accorded the right to strike or engage in any work stoppage or slowdown. This necessary prohibition does not, however, require the denial to these municipal employees of other well recognized rights of labor such as the right to organize, to be represented by a labor organization of their choice, and the right to bargain collectively concerning wages, rates of pay, and other terms and conditions of employment.(b) It is declared to be the public policy of this state to accord to the permanent uniformed members, rescue service personnel of any city or town, emergency medical services personnel of any city or town, and all employees of any paid fire department in any city or town all of the rights of labor other than the right to strike or engage in any work stoppage or slowdown. To provide for the exercise of these rights, a method of arbitration of disputes is established.(c) The establishment of this method of arbitration shall not, in any way be deemed to be a recognition by the state of compulsory arbitration as a superior method of settling labor disputes between employees who possess the right to strike and their employers, but rather is solely a recognition of the necessity to provide some alternative mode of settling disputes where employees must, as a matter of public policy, be denied the usual right to strike.History of Section.P.L. 1961, ch. 149, § 1; P.L. 1976, ch. 74, § 1; P.L. 1986, ch. 69, § 1.
RI Gen L § 28-9.1-3 (2021)
2021 Rhode Island General Laws|Title 28 - Labor and Labor Relations|Chapter 28-9.1 - Firefighters' Arbitration|Section 28-9.1-3 - Definitions.

§ 28-9.1-3. Definitions.As used in this chapter the following terms, unless the context requires a different interpretation, have the following meanings:(1) "Corporate authorities" means the proper officials within any city or town whose duty or duties it is to establish the wages, salaries, rates of pay, hours, working conditions, and other terms and conditions of employment of fire fighters, whether they are the mayor, city manager, town manager, town administrator, city council, town council, director of personnel, personnel board or commission, or by whatever other name or combination of names they may be designated.(2) "Fire fighter" means the permanent uniformed members, rescue service personnel of any city or town, emergency medical services personnel of any city or town, any fire dispatchers of any city or town, and all employees with the exception of fire chiefs of any paid fire department in any city or town within the state. No assistant chief, deputy chief, battalion chief, captain or lieutenant shall be excluded from the collective bargaining solely by virtue of his or her title or position.(3) "Unresolved issues" means any and all contractual provisions which have not been agreed upon by the bargaining agent and the corporate authorities within the thirty (30) day period referred to in § 28-9.1-7. Any contractual provision not presented by either the bargaining agent or the corporate authority within the thirty (30) day period shall not be submitted to arbitration as an unresolved issue; provided, that if either party or both parties are unable to present their respective proposals to the other party during the thirty (30) day period, they shall have the opportunity to submit their proposals by registered mail by midnight of the 30th day from and including the date of their first meeting.History of Section.P.L. 1961, ch. 149, § 1; P.L. 1976, ch. 74, § 1; P.L. 1986, ch. 46, § 1; P.L. 1986, ch. 69, § 1; P.L. 1990, ch. 383, § 1; P.L. 2001, ch. 66, § 1.
RI Gen L § 28-9.1-4 (2021)
2021 Rhode Island General Laws|Title 28 - Labor and Labor Relations|Chapter 28-9.1 - Firefighters' Arbitration|Section 28-9.1-4 - Right to organize and bargain collectively.

§ 28-9.1-4. Right to organize and bargain collectively.The fire fighters in any city or town have the right to bargain collectively with their respective cities or towns and be represented by a labor organization in the collective bargaining as to wages, rates of pay, hours, working conditions, and all other terms and conditions of employment.History of Section.P.L. 1961, ch. 149, § 1.
RI Gen L § 28-9.1-5 (2021)
2021 Rhode Island General Laws|Title 28 - Labor and Labor Relations|Chapter 28-9.1 - Firefighters' Arbitration|Section 28-9.1-5 - Recognition of bargaining agent.

§ 28-9.1-5. Recognition of bargaining agent.The labor organization selected by the majority of fire fighters in any city or town shall be recognized by the city or town as the sole and exclusive bargaining agent for all of the members of the city or town fire department unless and until recognition of the labor organization is withdrawn by vote of a majority of the fire fighters. The labor organization or city or town may designate any person or persons to negotiate or bargain on its behalf; provided, that the person or persons so designated shall be given authority to enter into and conclude an effective and binding collective bargaining agreement.History of Section.P.L. 1961, ch. 149, § 1; P.L. 1970, ch. 75, § 1.
RI Gen L § 28-9.1-5.1 (2021)
2021 Rhode Island General Laws|Title 28 - Labor and Labor Relations|Chapter 28-9.1 - Firefighters' Arbitration|Section 28-9.1-5.1 - Change of bargaining agent.

§ 28-9.1-5.1. Change of bargaining agent.In the event a majority of the firefighters in any city or town select a successor and/or a new labor organization as the sole and exclusive bargaining agent for all the members of the city or town fire department, the collective bargaining agreement, entered into and in effect pursuant to the provisions of this chapter, shall be binding on both the successor and/or new bargaining agent and the corporate authority.History of Section.P.L. 1989, ch. 64 § 1.
RI Gen L § 28-9.1-6 (2021)
2021 Rhode Island General Laws|Title 28 - Labor and Labor Relations|Chapter 28-9.1 - Firefighters' Arbitration|Section 28-9.1-6 - Obligation to bargain.

§ 28-9.1-6. Obligation to bargain.It shall be the obligation of the city or town, acting through its corporate authorities, to meet and confer in good faith with the representative or representatives of the bargaining agent within ten (10) days after receipt of written notice from the bargaining agent of the request for a meeting for collective bargaining purposes. This obligation shall include the duty to cause any agreement resulting from the negotiations to be reduced to a written contract, provided that no contract shall exceed the term of one year, unless a longer period is agreed upon in writing by the corporate authorities and the bargaining agents, but in no event shall the contract exceed the term of three (3) years unless a budget commission or a receiver has been appointed for a municipality or fire district pursuant to chapter 9 of title 45, or if a municipality has a locally administered pension plan in "critical status" and is required to submit a funding improvement plan pursuant to § 45-65-6(2). In either case, the contract shall not exceed the term of five (5) years. An unfair labor practice charge may be complained of by either the employer's representative or the bargaining agent to the state labor relations board which shall deal with the complaint in the manner provided in chapter 7 of this title.History of Section.P.L. 1961, ch. 149, § 1; P.L. 1970, ch. 67, § 1; P.L. 1993, ch. 241, § 3; P.L. 2012, ch. 241, art. 22, § 2; P.L. 2014, ch. 10, § 1; P.L. 2014, ch. 13, § 1; P.L. 2014, ch. 31, § 6; P.L. 2014, ch. 33, § 6; P.L. 2016, ch. 512, art. 1, § 12.
RI Gen L § 28-9.1-7 (2021)
2021 Rhode Island General Laws|Title 28 - Labor and Labor Relations|Chapter 28-9.1 - Firefighters' Arbitration|Section 28-9.1-7 - Unresolved issues submitted to arbitration.

§ 28-9.1-7. Unresolved issues submitted to arbitration.In the event that the bargaining agent and the corporate authorities are unable, within thirty (30) days from and including the date of their first meeting, to reach an agreement on a contract, any and all unresolved issues shall be submitted to arbitration. The parties may agree in writing to extend the thirty-day (30) period.History of Section.P.L. 1961, ch. 149, § 1; P.L. 2016, ch. 300, § 1; P.L. 2016, ch. 315, § 1.
RI Gen L § 28-9.1-8 (2021)
2021 Rhode Island General Laws|Title 28 - Labor and Labor Relations|Chapter 28-9.1 - Firefighters' Arbitration|Section 28-9.1-8 - Arbitration board - Composition.

§ 28-9.1-8. Arbitration board — Composition.Within five (5) days from the expiration of the thirty (30) day period referred to in § 28-9.1-7, the bargaining agent and the corporate authorities shall each select and name one arbitrator and subsequently shall immediately notify each other in writing of the name and address of the person selected. The two (2) arbitrators so selected and named shall, within ten (10) days from and after the expiration of the five (5) day period mentioned in this section agree upon and select and name a third arbitrator. If, on the expiration of the period allowed, the arbitrators are unable to agree upon the selection of a third arbitrator, the third arbitrator shall be selected in accordance with the rules and procedures of the American Arbitration Association. The third arbitrator, whether selected as a result of agreement between the two (2) arbitrators previously selected or selected by the American Arbitration Association, shall act as chair of the arbitration board.History of Section.P.L. 1961, ch. 149, § 1; P.L. 1968, ch. 150, § 1; P.L. 1985, ch. 175, § 1; P.L. 1994, ch. 193, § 1; P.L. 1994, ch. 229, § 1.
RI Gen L § 28-9.1-9 (2021)
2021 Rhode Island General Laws|Title 28 - Labor and Labor Relations|Chapter 28-9.1 - Firefighters' Arbitration|Section 28-9.1-9 - Hearings.

§ 28-9.1-9. Hearings.(a) The arbitration board shall, acting through its chairperson, call a hearing to be held within ten (10) days after the date of the appointment of the chairperson, and shall, acting through its chairperson, give at least seven (7) days notice in writing to each of the other two (2) arbitrators, the bargaining agent, and the corporate authorities of the time and place of the hearing. The hearing shall be informal, and the rules of evidence prevailing in judicial proceedings shall not be binding. Any documentary evidence and other data deemed relevant by the arbitrators may be received in evidence.(b) The arbitrators shall have the power to administer oaths and to require by subpoena the attendance and testimony of witnesses, and the production of books, records, and other evidence relative or pertinent to the issues presented to them for determination.(c) The hearing conducted by the arbitrators shall be concluded within twenty (20) days of the time of commencement, and within ten (10) days after the conclusion of the hearings, the arbitrators shall make written findings and a written opinion upon the issues presented, a copy of which shall be mailed or otherwise delivered to the bargaining agent or its attorney or otherwise designated representative and the corporate authorities.(d) A majority decision of the arbitrators shall be binding upon both the bargaining agent and the corporate authorities.History of Section.P.L. 1961, ch. 149, § 1; P.L. 1966, ch. 158, § 1; P.L. 1968, ch. 150, § 2.
RI Gen L § 28-9.1-10 (2021)
2021 Rhode Island General Laws|Title 28 - Labor and Labor Relations|Chapter 28-9.1 - Firefighters' Arbitration|Section 28-9.1-10 - Factors to be considered by arbitration board.

§ 28-9.1-10. Factors to be considered by arbitration board.The arbitrators shall conduct the hearings and render their decision upon the basis of a prompt, peaceful, and just settlement of wage or hour disputes between the fire fighters and the city or town by which they are employed. The factors, among others, to be given weight by the arbitrators in arriving at a decision shall include:(1) Comparison of wage rates or hourly conditions of employment of the fire department in question with prevailing wage rates or hourly conditions of employment of skilled employees of the building trades and industry in the local operating area involved.(2) Comparison of wage rates or hourly conditions of employment of the fire department in question with wage rates or hourly conditions of employment maintained for the same or similar work of employees exhibiting like or similar skills under the same or similar working conditions in the local operating area involved.(3) Comparison of wage rates or hourly conditions of employment of the fire department in question with wage rates or hourly conditions of employment of fire departments in cities or towns of comparable size.(4) Interest and welfare of the public.(5) Comparison of peculiarities of employment in regard to other trades or professions, specifically:(i) Hazards of employment.(ii) Physical qualifications.(iii) Educational qualifications.(iv) Mental qualifications.(v) Job training and skills.(6) Comparison of community's ability to pay.History of Section.P.L. 1961, ch. 149, § 1; P.L. 1985, ch. 182, § 10.
RI Gen L § 28-9.1-11 (2021)
2021 Rhode Island General Laws|Title 28 - Labor and Labor Relations|Chapter 28-9.1 - Firefighters' Arbitration|Section 28-9.1-11 - Fees and expenses of arbitration.

§ 28-9.1-11. Fees and expenses of arbitration.Fees and necessary expenses of arbitration shall be borne equally by the bargaining agent and the corporate authorities. Notwithstanding any other remedies which a court appointed arbitrator appointed by the chief justice pursuant to § 28-9.1-8 may have, an arbitrator or a party who has paid its share of the fees and necessary expenses of a court appointed arbitrator may petition the superior court for sanctions against the party failing to make timely payment of its share of the arbitrator's fees and expenses, and the superior court is authorized to enforce sanctions against the nonpaying party, including, but not limited to, contempt powers pursuant to § 8-6-1.History of Section.P.L. 1961, ch. 149, § 1; P.L. 1991, ch. 246, § 1.
RI Gen L § 28-9.1-12 (2021)
2021 Rhode Island General Laws|Title 28 - Labor and Labor Relations|Chapter 28-9.1 - Firefighters' Arbitration|Section 28-9.1-12 - Collective bargaining contract.

§ 28-9.1-12. Collective bargaining contract.Any agreements actually negotiated between the bargaining agent and the corporate authorities either before or within thirty (30) days after arbitration shall constitute the collective bargaining contract governing fire fighters and the city or town for the period stated in the agreement; provided, that the period shall not exceed one year. Any collective bargaining agreement negotiated under the terms and provisions of this chapter shall specifically provide that the fire fighters who are subject to its terms have no right to engage in any work stoppage, slowdown, or strike, the consideration for the provision being the right to a resolution of disputed questions.History of Section.P.L. 1961, ch. 149, § 1.
RI Gen L § 28-9.1-13 (2021)
2021 Rhode Island General Laws|Title 28 - Labor and Labor Relations|Chapter 28-9.1 - Firefighters' Arbitration|Section 28-9.1-13 - Request for collective bargaining.

§ 28-9.1-13. Request for collective bargaining.Whenever wages, rates of pay, or any other matter requiring appropriation of money by any city or town are included as a matter of collective bargaining conducted under the provisions of this chapter, it is the obligation of the bargaining agent to serve written notice of request for collective bargaining on the corporate authorities at least one hundred twenty (120) days before the last day on which money can be appropriated by the city or town to cover the contract period which is the subject of the collective bargaining procedure.History of Section.P.L. 1961, ch. 149, § 1.
RI Gen L § 28-9.1-14 (2021)
2021 Rhode Island General Laws|Title 28 - Labor and Labor Relations|Chapter 28-9.1 - Firefighters' Arbitration|Section 28-9.1-14 - Severability.

§ 28-9.1-14. Severability.If any provision of this chapter, or its application to any person or circumstances, is held unconstitutional or otherwise invalid, the remaining provisions of this chapter and the application of the provisions to other persons or circumstances, other than those to which it is held invalid, shall not be affected by the invalidity.History of Section.P.L. 1961, ch. 149, § 1.
RI Gen L § 28-9.1-15 (2021)
2021 Rhode Island General Laws|Title 28 - Labor and Labor Relations|Chapter 28-9.1 - Firefighters' Arbitration|Section 28-9.1-15 - Writ of certiorari to the supreme court.

§ 28-9.1-15. Writ of certiorari to the supreme court.The sole avenue of review of a decision of an arbitration panel issued pursuant to this chapter shall be by petition for writ of certiorari to the supreme court. In the event a decision of the arbitration panel is sought to be reviewed by writ of certiorari to the supreme court, the matter shall be given priority by the supreme court.History of Section.P.L. 1975, ch. 52, § 1; P.L. 1988, ch. 207, § 1.
RI Gen L § 28-9.1-16 (2021)
2021 Rhode Island General Laws|Title 28 - Labor and Labor Relations|Chapter 28-9.1 - Firefighters' Arbitration|Section 28-9.1-16 - Attorneys' fees - Costs - Interest.

§ 28-9.1-16. Attorneys' fees — Costs — Interest.In the event either the bargaining agent or the corporate authorities files a petition for writ of certiorari to the supreme court of the state of Rhode Island for a review or modification of a majority decision of the arbitrators, which by the provisions of § 28-9.1-9 is binding upon both the bargaining agent and the corporate authorities, the party against whom the decision of the supreme court is adverse, if the supreme court finds the appeal or petition to be frivolous, shall pay reasonable attorneys' fees and costs to the successful party as determined by the supreme court, and the supreme court shall in its final decision or judgment award costs and reasonable attorneys' fees. If the final decision affirms the award of money, the award, if retroactive, shall bear interest at the rate of eight percentum (8%) per annum from the effective retroactive date.History of Section.P.L. 1976, ch. 74, § 2; P.L. 1988, ch. 207, § 1.
RI Gen L § 28-9.1-17 (2021)
2021 Rhode Island General Laws|Title 28 - Labor and Labor Relations|Chapter 28-9.1 - Firefighters' Arbitration|Section 28-9.1-17 - Continuance of contractual provisions.

§ 28-9.1-17. Continuance of contractual provisions.All contractual provisions contained in a collective bargaining agreement entered into pursuant to the provisions of this chapter shall continue in the following collective bargaining agreement unless either the bargaining agent or the corporate authority shall, in writing, within the thirty-day (30) period referred to in § 28-9.1-7, propose a change in any contractual provision. The parties may agree in writing to continue all contractual provisions contained in a collective bargaining agreement until such time as the parties enter into, and have ratified or arbitrated, a successor agreement.History of Section.P.L. 1986, ch. 46, § 2; P.L. 2017, ch. 15, § 1; P.L. 2017, ch. 33, § 1.
RI Gen L § 28-9.1-18 (2021)
2021 Rhode Island General Laws|Title 28 - Labor and Labor Relations|Chapter 28-9.1 - Firefighters' Arbitration|Section 28-9.1-18 - Exclusive bargaining representative obligations.

§ 28-9.1-18. Exclusive bargaining representative obligations.(a) The exclusive representative shall have the right to act for and negotiate agreements covering all employees in the bargaining unit. Nothing in the provision shall require the exclusive representative to provide representation at any level of the grievance process, including arbitration, in any case on behalf of an employee who has elected not to maintain membership in the employee organization for a period of at least ninety (90) days prior to the events giving rise to the grievance.(b) An employee who has elected not to maintain membership in the employee organization may, at his or her own expense, pursue a grievance against the employer and have the grievance heard, without intervention by the exclusive representative, provided that the exclusive representative is afforded the opportunity to be present at the grievance/arbitration hearing and that any resolution of the grievance shall not be inconsistent with the terms of the collective bargaining agreement then in effect between the employer and the exclusive representative. The exclusive representative shall have no obligation to incur expenses related to a grievance initiated by an employee who has elected not to maintain membership in the employee organization for a period of at least ninety (90) days prior to the events giving rise to the grievance.History of Section.P.L. 2018, ch. 144, § 1; P.L. 2018, ch. 210, § 1.
RI Gen L § 28-9.2-1 (2021)
2021 Rhode Island General Laws|Title 28 - Labor and Labor Relations|Chapter 28-9.2 - Municipal Police Arbitration|Section 28-9.2-1 - Short title.

§ 28-9.2-1. Short title.This chapter may be cited as the "Municipal Police Arbitration Act."History of Section.P.L. 1963, ch. 54, § 1.
RI Gen L § 28-9.2-2 (2021)
2021 Rhode Island General Laws|Title 28 - Labor and Labor Relations|Chapter 28-9.2 - Municipal Police Arbitration|Section 28-9.2-2 - Statement of policy.

§ 28-9.2-2. Statement of policy.(a) The protection of the public health, safety, and welfare demands that full-time police officers of any paid police department in any city or town not be accorded the right to strike or engage in any work stoppage or slowdown. This necessary prohibition does not require the denial to these municipal employees of other well recognized rights of labor such as the right to organize, to be represented by an organization of their choice, and the right to bargain collectively concerning wages, rates of pay, and other terms and conditions of employment.(b) It is declared to be the public policy of this state to accord to full-time police officers of any paid police department in any city or town all of the rights of labor other than the right to strike or engage in any work stoppage or slowdown. To provide for the exercise of these rights, a method of arbitration of disputes is established.(c) The establishment of this method of arbitration shall not in any way, be deemed to be a recognition by the state of compulsory arbitration as a superior method of settling labor disputes between employees who possess the right to strike and their employers, but rather is solely a recognition of the necessity to provide some alternative mode of settling disputes where employees must, as a matter of public policy, be denied the usual right to strike.History of Section.P.L. 1963, ch. 54, § 1.
RI Gen L § 28-9.2-3 (2021)
2021 Rhode Island General Laws|Title 28 - Labor and Labor Relations|Chapter 28-9.2 - Municipal Police Arbitration|Section 28-9.2-3 - Definitions.

§ 28-9.2-3. Definitions.As used in this chapter the following terms, unless the context requires a different interpretation, have the following meanings:(1) "Corporate authorities" means the proper officials within any city or town whose duty or duties it is to establish the wages, salaries, rates of pay, hours, working conditions, and other terms and conditions of employment of police officers, whether they are the mayor, city manager, town manager, town administrator, city council, town council, director of personnel, personnel board or commission, or by whatever other name they may be designated, or any combination thereof.(2) "Police officer" means a full-time police officer from the rank of patrolman up to and including the rank of chief, including policewomen, of any particular police department in any city or town within the state.History of Section.P.L. 1963, ch. 54, § 1.