COM 0945.000 1996-1998 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Richard D. wurdeman, Ssq. David Z. Arakawa, Esq. J. p. Schmidt, Ssq. August 1998 Page 10 exclusive representatives are encouraged to conclude negotiations at a time to coincide with the period during which the appropriate legislative bodies may act on the operating budget of the employers. From this we noted in the April 12, 1979 informal opinion as follows: Because it is not clear whether one legislative body will reject any cost item until all such bodies have considered those items, all jurisdictions may be required to wait a reasonable period of time to allow the other legislative bodies to consider the applicable cost items- In addition, Sections 76-2 and 76-3, MRS, are clear expressions of legislative intent. Section 76-2, HRS, states in part.: It is the intent of the legislature that the construction and interpretation of any of the provisions of this chapter and of chapter 77 be uniform for the State and the several counties. Section 76-3, HRS, states: It is the intent of the legislature that the system of personnel administration established by this chapter and chapter 77 shall be as uniformly administered as is practicable. In order to promote such uniformity, the several commissioners and directors of the state department of personnel services and of the county departments of civil service and the administrative director of this courts shall meet at least once each year at the call of the director of personnel services of the State. Finally, section 89-6(b), MRS, defines the public employer for the purpose of negotiations as the governor or the governor's designated representatives together with the mayors of all the counties or their designated representatives, the governor having four votes, and each of the mayors having one vote, with decisions to be made by the employer group on the basis of simple majority. Thus, neither the governor nor any of the mayors are authorized to negotiate unilaterally. 08/04/98 17:23 TX/RX N0.8856 P.011