Opinion ID: 1967375
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Heading: General Analysis of Collective Bargaining Under Iowa Code Chapter 20.

Text: Iowa Code chapter 20 governs collective bargaining between public employers and public employees. The negotiable issues are identified in Iowa Code section 20.9, which states: The public employer and the employee organization shall meet at reasonable times, including meetings reasonably in advance of the public employer's budget-making process, to negotiate in good faith with respect to wages, hours, vacations, insurance, holidays, leaves of absence, shift differentials, overtime compensation, supplemental pay, seniority, transfer procedures, job classifications, health and safety matters, evaluation procedures, procedures for staff reduction, in-service training and other matters mutually agreed upon. This section creates two types of negotiable subjects: (1) mandatory subjects of bargaining, and (2) permissive subjects of bargaining. Decatur County v. PERB, 564 N.W.2d 394, 396 (Iowa 1997); City of Fort Dodge v. PERB., 275 N.W.2d 393, 395 (Iowa 1979). Only mandatory subjects of bargaining may proceed through statutory impasse procedures to final arbitration, unless the employer consents. Decatur County, 564 N.W.2d at 396. In determining whether a proposal is a mandatory subject of bargaining, the court applies a two-step test. Id. First, the proposal must come within the meaning of the subjects listed in section 20.9. Id. Second, the proposal must not be illegal under any other provision of law. Id. The issue in this matter concerns the application of the first step. Several rules govern the court's determination of whether a proposal is a mandatory subject of bargaining under section 20.9. Id. The court looks only to the subject matter and not to the merits of the proposal. Id. The subjects listed in section 20.9 are to be construed narrowly and restrictively. Id. at 397. The question is really whether the proposal, on its face, fits within a definitionally fixed section 20.9 mandatory bargaining subject. Id. (quoting State v. PERB, 508 N.W.2d 668, 673 (Iowa 1993)). The scope of a disputed proposal is to be determined by examining what the proposal would bind the employer to do if adopted by the arbitrator. Id.