PRINTER'S NO. 1736
No. 1487 Session of 1995
INTRODUCED BY PLATTS, WAUGH, TIGUE, ARGALL, STISH, MELIO, E. Z. TAYLOR, STEIL AND GIGLIOTTI, APRIL 26, 1995
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, APRIL 26, 1995
AN ACT 1 Amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), entitled "An 2 act relating to the public school system, including certain 3 provisions applicable as well to private and parochial 4 schools; amending, revising, consolidating and changing the 5 laws relating thereto," further providing for the definition 6 of "strike"; and further providing for collective bargaining. 7 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania 8 hereby enacts as follows: 9 Section 1. The definition of "strike" in section 1101-A of 10 the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public 11 School Code of 1949, added July 9, 1992 (P.L.403, No.88), is 12 amended to read: 13 Section 1101-A. Definitions.--When used in this article, the 14 following words and phrases shall have the following meanings: 15 * * * 16 "Strike" shall mean concerted action in failing to report for 17 duty, the wilful absence from one's position, the stoppage of 18 work, slowdown or the abstinence, in whole or in part, from the 19 full, faithful and proper performance of the duties of
1 employment for the purpose of inducing, influencing or coercing 2 a change in the conditions or compensation or the rights, 3 privileges or obligations of employment. The employe 4 organization having called a lawful strike once and unilaterally 5 returned to work may only call a lawful strike once more during 6 the school year. A written notice of the intent to strike shall 7 be delivered by the employe organization to the superintendent, 8 executive director or the director no later than forty-eight 9 (48) hours prior to the commencement of any strike, and no 10 strike may occur sooner than forty-eight (48) hours following 11 the last notification of intent to strike. Upon receipt of the 12 notification of intent to strike, the superintendent, executive 13 director or the director may cancel school for the effective 14 date of the strike. A decision to cancel school may, however, be 15 withdrawn by the superintendent, executive director or the 16 director. Any subsequent change of intents to strike shall not 17 affect the decision to cancel school on the day of the intended 18 strike. For the purposes of this article, the decision to cancel 19 school on the day of the intended strike shall not be considered 20 a lockout. 21 Section 2. Article XI-A of the act is amended by adding a 22 subdivision to read: 23 (c) Selection of Collective Bargaining Process. 24 Section 1121-A. Window of Decision.--(a) The school board 25 of each public school district must decide not earlier than two 26 hundred two (202) days prior to June 30 or December 31, 27 whichever is the end of the school entity's fiscal year, and in 28 no event later than one hundred eighty-eight (188) days prior to 29 June 30 or December 31, whichever is the end of the school 30 entity's fiscal year, which collective bargaining process it 19950H1487B1736 - 2 -
1 wants to negotiate within in order to reach an employment 2 agreement with its school district's employe organization. 3 (b) The school board of each public school district shall 4 choose between the collective bargaining procedures set forth in 5 sections 1131-A through 1172-A inclusive or sections 1131-A, 6 1132-A and 1181-A through 1192-A inclusive taken as a whole. 7 Once a school board has made a decision under this section, said 8 school board cannot reverse its decision for the remainder of 9 the ongoing bargaining process. 10 Section 3. The heading of subdivision (c) of Article XI-A of 11 the act, added July 9, 1992 (P.L.403, No.88), is amended to 12 read: 13 [(c)] (d) Collective Bargaining Impasse. 14 Section 4. Sections 1121-A, 1122-A, 1123-A, 1124-A, 1125-A, 15 1126-A and 1127-A of the act, added July 9, 1992 (P.L.403, 16 No.88), are amended to read: 17 Section [1121-A] 1131-A. Submission to Mediation.--(a) If, 18 after a reasonable period of negotiation, a dispute or impasse 19 exists between the representatives of the employer and the 20 employe organization, the parties may voluntarily submit to 21 mediation, but, if no agreement is reached between the parties 22 within forty-five (45) days after negotiations have commenced, 23 but in no event later than [one hundred twenty-six (126)] one 24 hundred fifty-seven (157) days prior to June 30 or December 31, 25 whichever is the end of the school entity's fiscal year, and 26 mediation has not been utilized by the parties, both parties 27 shall immediately in writing call on the service of the 28 Pennsylvania Bureau of Mediation. 29 (b) The Pennsylvania Bureau of Mediation shall employ a 30 complement of not less than twenty-five (25) mediators which 19950H1487B1736 - 3 -
1 shall be available to mediate according to the provisions of 2 subsection (a). 3 Section [1122-A] 1132-A. Fact-finding Panels.--(a) (1) 4 Once mediation has commenced, it shall continue for so long as 5 the parties have not reached an agreement. If, however, an 6 agreement has not been reached within [forty-five (45)] forty- 7 three (43) days after mediation has commenced or in no event 8 later than [eighty-one (81)] one hundred fourteen (114) days 9 prior to June 30 or December 31, whichever is the end of the 10 school entity's fiscal year, the Bureau of Mediation shall 11 notify the board of the parties' failure to reach an agreement 12 and of whether either party has requested the appointment of a 13 fact-finding panel. 14 (2) No later than [eighty-one (81)] one hundred fourteen 15 (114) days prior to June 30 or December 31, whichever is the end 16 of the school entity's fiscal year, either party may request the 17 board to appoint a fact-finding panel. Upon receiving such 18 request, the board shall appoint a fact-finding panel which may 19 consist of either one (1) or three (3) members. The panel so 20 designated or selected shall hold hearings and take oral or 21 written testimony and shall have subpoena power. If, during this 22 time, the parties have not reached an independent agreement, the 23 panel shall make findings of fact and recommendations. The panel 24 shall not find or recommend that the parties accept or adopt an 25 impasse procedure. 26 (3) The parties may mutually agree to fact-finding, and the 27 board shall appoint a fact-finding panel as provided for in 28 clause (2) at any time except that the parties may not mutually 29 agree to fact-finding during mandated final best-offer 30 arbitration. 19950H1487B1736 - 4 -
1 (4) The board may implement fact-finding and appoint a panel 2 as provided for in clause (2) at a time other than that mandated 3 in this section, except that fact-finding may not be implemented 4 between the period of notice to strike and the conclusion of a 5 strike or during final best-offer arbitration. If the board 6 chooses not to implement fact-finding prior to a strike, the 7 board shall issue a report to the parties listing the reasons 8 for not implementing fact-finding if either party requests one. 9 (b) The findings of fact and recommendations shall be sent 10 by registered mail to the board and to both parties not more 11 than [forty (40)] forty-one (41) days after the Bureau of 12 Mediation has notified the board as provided in subsection (a). 13 (c) Not more than ten (10) days after the findings and 14 recommendations shall have been sent, the parties shall notify 15 the board and each other whether or not they accept the 16 recommendations of the fact-finding panel, and, if they do not, 17 the panel shall publicize its findings of fact and 18 recommendations. 19 (d) Not less than five (5) days nor more than [ten (10)] 20 seven (7) days after the publication of the findings of fact and 21 recommendations, the parties shall again inform the board and 22 each other whether or not they will accept the recommendations 23 of the fact-finding panel. 24 (e) The board shall establish, after consulting 25 representatives of employe organizations and of employers, 26 panels of qualified persons broadly representative of the public 27 to serve as members of fact-finding panels. The board shall, 28 within sixty (60) days of the effective date of this act, 29 increase the number of available panels of qualified persons to 30 serve as members of fact-finding panels to meet the expanded 19950H1487B1736 - 5 -
1 role of fact-finding as provided for in this act.
2 (f) The Commonwealth shall pay one-half of the cost of the
3 fact-finding panel; the remaining one-half of the cost shall be
4 divided equally between the parties. The board shall establish
5 rules and regulations under which panels shall operate,
6 including, but not limited to, compensation for panel members.
7 Section [1123-A] 1133-A. Negotiated Final Best-Offer
8 Arbitration.--(a) The parties to a collective bargaining
9 agreement involving public school employes shall be required to
10 bargain upon the issue of acceptance and adoption of one of the
11 following approved impasse procedures, with the proviso that
12 such an obligation does not compel either party to agree to a
13 proposal or require making a concession:
14 (1) Arbitration under which the award is confined to a
15 choice among one of the following single packages:
16 (i) the last offer of the representative of the employer;
17 (ii) the last offer of the representative of the employes;
18 or
19 (iii) the fact-finder's recommendations, should there be a
20 fact-finder's report.
21 (2) Arbitration under which the award is confined to a
22 choice among one of the following on an issue-by-issue basis:
23 (i) the last offer of the representative of the employer;
24 (ii) the last offer of the representative of the employes;
25 or
26 (iii) the fact-finder's recommendations, should there be a
27 fact-finder's report.
28 (3) Arbitration under which the award is confined to a
29 choice among one of the following on the basis of economic and
30 noneconomic issues as separate units:
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1 (i) the last offer of the representative of the employer;
2 (ii) the last offer of the representative of the employes;
3 or
4 (iii) the fact-finder's recommendations, should there be a
5 fact-finder's report.
6 (b) As used in this section, "economic issues" shall mean
7 wages, hours, salary, fringe benefits or any form of monetary
8 compensation for services rendered.
9 Section [1124-A] 1134-A. Method of Selection of
10 Arbitrators.--The board of arbitration shall be composed of
11 three (3) members. Arbitrators as referred to in this article
12 shall be selected in the following manner:
13 (1) Each party shall select one (1) member of the panel
14 within five (5) days of the parties' submission to final best-
15 offer arbitration. Each arbitrator shall be knowledgeable in the
16 school-related fields of budget, finance, educational programs
17 and taxation.
18 (2) The third arbitrator shall be selected from a list of
19 seven (7) arbitrators furnished by the American Arbitration
20 Association within five (5) days of the publication of the list.
21 Each of the seven (7) arbitrators shall be a resident of this
22 Commonwealth and knowledgeable in the areas necessary to
23 effectively make a determination. Each party shall alternately
24 strike one name until one shall remain. The employer shall
25 strike the first name. The person so remaining shall be the
26 third member and chairman.
27 (3) Payment of arbitrators shall be as follows:
28 (i) For voluntary arbitration, each party shall pay the cost
29 of the arbitrator selected by it under clause (1) of this
30 section. The cost of the third arbitrator shall be divided
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1 equally between the parties. 2 (ii) For mandatory arbitration, the Commonwealth shall pay 3 one-half of the cost of the arbitrators; the remaining one-half 4 of the cost shall be divided equally between the parties. 5 Section [1125-A] 1135-A. Final Best-Offer Arbitration.--(a) 6 At any time prior to mandated final best-offer arbitration, 7 either the employer or the employe organization may request 8 final best-offer arbitration unless fact-finding has been 9 initiated as provided in section [1122-A] 1132-A. If fact- 10 finding has been initiated, the parties shall complete fact- 11 finding before requesting final best-offer arbitration. If 12 either party requests final best-offer arbitration, the 13 requesting party shall notify the Bureau of Mediation, the board 14 and the opposing party in writing. The opposing party shall, 15 within ten (10) days of the notification by the requesting 16 party, notify the requesting party in writing of its agreement 17 or refusal to submit to final best-offer arbitration. No strikes 18 or lockouts shall occur during this ten (10) day period or until 19 the requesting party is notified by the opposing party that they 20 refuse to submit to final best-offer arbitration. Arbitration 21 provided for in this subsection shall only occur if both parties 22 agree to submit to final best-offer arbitration. 23 (b) If a strike by employes or a lockout by an employer will 24 prevent the school entity from providing the period of 25 instruction required by section 1501 by the later of: 26 (1) June 15; or 27 (2) the last day of the school entity's scheduled school 28 year; 29 the parties shall submit to mandated final best-offer 30 arbitration consistent with the arbitration option negotiated. A 19950H1487B1736 - 8 -
1 return to work for the purpose of submitting to final best-offer 2 arbitration shall not be considered a unilateral return to work. 3 (c) If the parties are unable to agree on the adoption of 4 one of the approved impasse procedures under section [1123-A] 5 1133-A, the mediator appointed pursuant to section [1121-A] 6 1131-A shall select the procedure. 7 (d) Within [ten (10)] seven (7) days of submission to final 8 best-offer arbitration, the parties shall submit to the 9 arbitrators their final best contract offer with certification 10 that the offer was delivered to the opposing party, together 11 with documentation supporting the reasonableness of their offer. 12 This documentation shall include, but not be limited to, the 13 following: 14 (1) The public interest. 15 (2) The interest and welfare of the employe organization. 16 (3) The financial capability of the school entity. 17 (4) The results of negotiations between the parties prior to 18 submission of last best contract offers. 19 (5) Changes in the cost of living. 20 (6) The existing terms and conditions of employment of the 21 employe organization members and those of similar groups. 22 (7) Such other documentation as the arbitration panel shall 23 deem relevant. 24 (e) Arbitration shall be limited to unresolved issues. 25 Unresolved issues shall mean those issues not agreed to in 26 writing prior to the start of arbitration. 27 (f) The parties may mutually agree to submit to final best- 28 offer arbitration at any time except during fact-finding or 29 during mandated final best-offer arbitration. 30 (g) Upon submission to the arbitrator of both parties' final 19950H1487B1736 - 9 -
1 best offers under subsection (a) or (b), the employer shall
2 post, within the time limits described in subsection (d), the
3 final best contract offers in the school entity's main office
4 for the purpose of soliciting public comments thereon. Copies of
5 both parties' final best offers shall be available from the
6 school entity's main office. The cost of copies shall be
7 established by the school entity and shall be paid by the
8 requestor.
9 (h) The public comment period shall close within [ten (10)]
10 seven (7) days of the first day of posting. All public comments
11 shall be directed to the arbitrators for consideration who shall
12 provide them on request to the employer and to the employes'
13 organization.
14 (i) Within ten (10) days of the selection of the third
15 arbitrator of the arbitration panel, the arbitrators shall begin
16 hearings at which they will hear arguments from representatives
17 of the employer and of the employes in support of their
18 respective last best contract offers under subsection (a) or
19 (b). At least five (5) days prior to the hearing, a written
20 notice of the date, time and place of such hearing shall be sent
21 to the representatives of both the employer and employes which
22 are parties to the dispute. This written notice shall also be
23 sent to the fiscal authority having budgetary responsibility or
24 charged with making appropriations for the employer, and a
25 representative designated by such body shall be heard at the
26 hearing upon request of such body or of the employer as part of
27 the presentation of the employer.
28 (j) Not later than twenty (20) days after the hearing
29 pursuant to subsection (i), the arbitrators shall:
30 (1) examine each item of dispute;
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1 (2) make a determination in writing consistent with the 2 arbitration option agreed to by the parties; and 3 (3) forward a copy of the written determination to both 4 parties involved in the dispute and to the board. 5 (k) The determination of the majority of the arbitrators 6 reached as provided under either subsection (a) or (b) shall be 7 final and binding upon the employer, employes and employe 8 organization involved and constitutes a mandate to the school 9 entity to take whatever action necessary to carry out the 10 determination, provided that within ten (10) days of the receipt 11 of the determination the employe organization or the employer 12 does not consider and reject the determination at a properly 13 convened special or regular meeting. This determination 14 includes, but is not limited to, a determination which requires 15 a legislative enactment by the employer prior to or as a 16 condition for its implementation, including, without limitation, 17 the levy and imposition of taxes. 18 (l) No appeal challenging the determination reached as 19 provided under subsection (a) or (b) shall be allowed to any 20 court unless the award resulted from fraud, corruption or wilful 21 misconduct of the arbitrators. If a court determines that this 22 has occurred, it shall declare the award null and void. An 23 appeal of the award shall be made to the court of common pleas 24 of the judicial district encompassing the respective school 25 district. 26 (m) If the employer or the employe organization rejects the 27 determination of the majority of the arbitrators: 28 (1) The employe organization may initiate a legal strike or 29 resume a legal strike initiated prior to submission to final 30 best-offer arbitration. 19950H1487B1736 - 11 -
1 (2) The employer may hire substitutes as provided under 2 subsection (b) of section 1172-A. 3 (3) The employer may initiate a legal lockout or resume a 4 legal lockout initiated prior to submission to final best-offer 5 arbitration. 6 Section [1126-A] 1136-A. Time Frame.--The time periods set 7 forth in this article are mandatory and shall not be construed 8 to be directory. 9 Section [1127-A] 1137-A. Exception.--Any school district of 10 the first class with an appointed school board and the public 11 employes of that school district as defined in the act of July 12 23, 1970 (P.L.563, No.195), known as the "Public Employe 13 Relations Act," shall comply with and be subject to the binding 14 arbitration provisions of the "Public Employe Relations Act" and 15 shall not be subject to the provisions of section [1123-A, 1124- 16 A or 1125-A] 1133-A, 1134-A or 1135-A. 17 Section 5. The heading of subdivision (d) of Article XI-A, 18 added July 9, 1992 (P.L.403, No.88), is amended to read: 19 [(d)] (e) Strikes and Lockouts. 20 Section 6. Sections 1131-A and 1132-A of the act, added July 21 9, 1992 (P.L.403, No.88), are amended to read: 22 Section [1131-A] 1141-A. Strikes Prohibited in Certain 23 Circumstances.--A strike must cease where the parties request 24 fact-finding for the duration of the fact-finding. A strike must 25 end where the parties agree to arbitration. Strikes are 26 prohibited: 27 (1) During the period of up to ten (10) days provided for 28 under section [1125-A(a)] 1135-A(a). 29 (2) During final best-offer arbitration, including the 30 period of up to ten (10) days after receipt of the determination 19950H1487B1736 - 12 -
1 of the arbitrators during which the governing body of the school 2 entity may consider the determination. 3 (3) When the arbitrators' determination becomes final and 4 binding. 5 Section [1132-A] 1142-A. Lockouts Prohibited in Certain 6 Circumstances.--A lockout must cease where the parties request 7 fact-finding for the duration of the fact-finding. A lockout 8 must end where the parties agree to arbitration. Lockouts are 9 prohibited: 10 (1) During the period of up to ten (10) days provided for 11 under section [1125-A(a)] 1135-A(a). 12 (2) During final best-offer arbitration, including the 13 period of up to ten (10) days after receipt of the determination 14 of the arbitrators during which the employer may consider the 15 determination. 16 (3) When the arbitrators' determination becomes final and 17 binding. 18 Section 7. The headings of subdivisions (e), (f) and (g) of 19 Article XI-A of the act, added July 9, 1992 (P.L.403, No.88), 20 are amended to read: 21 [(e)] (f) Collective Bargaining Agreement. 22 [(f)] (g) Secretary of Education. 23 [(g)] (h) Prohibitions. 24 Section 8. Article XI-A of the act is amended by adding 25 subdivisions to read: 26 (i) Final Best-Offer Binding Arbitration. 27 Section 1181-A. Voluntary Final Best-Offer Binding 28 Arbitration.--(a) The parties to a collective bargaining 29 agreement involving public school employes can mutually choose 30 to submit to final best-offer binding arbitration at any time 19950H1487B1736 - 13 -
1 prior to the initiation of fact-finding under section 1132-A, or 2 after a fact-finding report has been issued pursuant to section 3 1132-A, but in no event more than two hundred two (202) days 4 prior to June 30 or December 31, whichever is the end of the 5 school entity's fiscal year. 6 (b) If final best-offer binding arbitration is mutually 7 submitted to after a fact-finding report has been issued 8 pursuant to section 1132-A, then publication of the fact-finding 9 report is not required. 10 Section 1182-A. Mandatory Final Best-Offer Binding 11 Arbitration.--If the parties to a collective bargaining 12 agreement involving public school employes have not reached an 13 agreement within seven (7) days after publication of a fact- 14 finding report pursuant to section 1132-A, but in no event later 15 than fifty-six (56) days prior to June 30 or December 31, 16 whichever is the end of the school entity's fiscal year, the 17 parties shall submit to final best-offer binding arbitration. 18 Section 1183-A. Selection of Arbitrators.--(a) The 19 arbitration panel shall be the president judge of the court of 20 common pleas of the judicial district having jurisdiction over 21 the school district for those judicial districts with four or 22 fewer judges. 23 (b) The arbitration panel shall be the president judge of 24 the court of common pleas, who shall serve as chairman of the 25 panel, and two additional judges of the court of common pleas of 26 the judicial district having jurisdiction over the school 27 district for those judicial districts with five or more judges. 28 The additional two judges shall be selected from a list of all 29 the judges in the judicial district, with each party to the 30 collective bargaining agreement striking one name from the list 19950H1487B1736 - 14 -
1 until two shall remain. The employer shall strike the first 2 name. The two (2) judges remaining shall be the two (2) 3 additional members. 4 (c) For those school districts which cross judicial district 5 lines, the judicial district having jurisdiction shall be the 6 district in which the majority of the school district's students 7 reside. 8 Section 1184-A. Scope of Arbitration.--Arbitration shall be 9 limited to unresolved issues. Unresolved issues shall mean those 10 issues not agreed to in writing prior to the start of the 11 arbitration. 12 Section 1185-A. Arbitration Determination.--The 13 determination of the arbitration panel with regard to the 14 arbitration of a collective bargaining agreement shall be 15 confined to a choice between the final contract offer of the 16 employer, taken as a whole, and the final contract offer of the 17 employe organization, taken as a whole. 18 Section 1186-A. Arbitration Procedure.--(a) Within seven 19 (7) days of submission to final best-offer binding arbitration, 20 whether under section 1181-A(a) or 1182-A, the parties to the 21 collective bargaining agreement shall submit to the arbitration 22 panel their final best contract offer with certification that 23 the offer was delivered to the opposing party, together with 24 documentation supporting the reasonableness of their offer. This 25 documentation shall include, but not be limited to, the 26 following: 27 (1) The public interest. 28 (2) The interest and welfare of the employe organization. 29 (3) The financial capability of the school entity. 30 (4) The results of the negotiations between the parties 19950H1487B1736 - 15 -
1 prior to submission of final best contract offers. 2 (5) Changes in the cost of living. 3 (6) The existing terms and conditions of employment of the 4 employe organization members. 5 (7) Such other documentation as the arbitration panel shall 6 deem relevant. 7 (b) Upon submission to the arbitration panel of both 8 parties' final best offers, under section 1181-A(a) or 1182-A, 9 the employer shall post, within seven (7) days, the final best 10 contract offers in the school entity's main office for the 11 purpose of soliciting public comments thereon. Copies of both 12 parties' final best offers shall be available from the school 13 entity's main office. The cost of copies shall be established by 14 the school entity and shall be paid by the requestor. 15 (c) The public comment period shall close within seven (7) 16 days of the first day of posting. All public comments shall be 17 directed to the arbitration panel for consideration who shall 18 provide them on request to the employer and to the employes' 19 organization. 20 Section 1187-A. Arbitration Hearing.--Within twenty-one (21) 21 days after receiving both parties' final best offers, but in no 22 event later than thirty-five (35) days prior to June 30 or 23 December 31, whichever is the end of the school entity's fiscal 24 year, the arbitration panel shall begin hearings at which the 25 panel will hear arguments from representatives of the employer 26 and of the employes in support of their respective final best 27 contract offers under section 1181-A(a) or 1182-A. At least five 28 (5) days prior to the hearing, a written notice of the date, 29 time and place of the hearing shall be sent to the 30 representatives of both the employer and employes which are 19950H1487B1736 - 16 -
1 party to the dispute. This written notice shall also be sent to 2 the fiscal authority having budgetary responsibility or charged 3 with making appropriations for the employer, and a 4 representative designated by such body shall be heard at the 5 hearing upon the request of such body or of the employer as part 6 of the presentation of the employer. 7 Section 1188-A. Arbitration Decision.--(a) Not later than 8 thirty (30) days after commencing a hearing pursuant to section 9 1187-A, but in no event later than fifteen (15) days prior to 10 June 30 or December 31, whichever is the end of the school 11 entity's fiscal year, the arbitration panel shall: 12 (1) conclude the arbitration hearing; 13 (2) examine each item of dispute; 14 (3) render a determination in writing choosing either the 15 final best contract offer of the employer, taken as a whole, or 16 the final best contract offer of the employe organization, taken 17 as a whole; and 18 (4) forward a copy of the written determination to both 19 parties involved in the dispute. 20 (b) The determination of the majority of the arbitrators 21 shall be final and binding upon the employer, employes and 22 employe organization involved and constitutes a mandate to the 23 school entity to take whatever action necessary to carry out the 24 determination. 25 (c) No appeal challenging the determination reached by the 26 arbitration panel shall be allowed to any court unless the award 27 resulted from fraud, corruption or wilful misconduct of the 28 arbitration panel. If a court determines that this has occurred, 29 it shall declare the award null and void. An appeal of the award 30 shall be made to the Commonwealth Court. 19950H1487B1736 - 17 -
1 Section 1189-A. Time Frame.--The time periods set forth in 2 this article are mandatory and shall not be construed to be 3 directory. 4 (j) Prohibitions and Exception. 5 Section 1191-A. Strikes Prohibited.--It shall be unlawful 6 for an employe organization to call a strike. It shall be 7 unlawful for a public school teacher to strike or participate in 8 a strike or similar interruption of government service. Any 9 strike or interruption of government service prohibited by this 10 section shall constitute an actionable breach of duty to members 11 of the public affected thereby, who shall have a right to remedy 12 and redress in the courts. 13 Section 1192-A. Exception.--Any school district of the first 14 class with an appointed school board and the public employes of 15 that school district as defined in the act of July 23, 1970 16 (P.L.563, No.195), known as the "Public Employe Relations Act," 17 shall comply with and be subject to the binding arbitration 18 provisions of the "Public Employe Relations Act" and shall not 19 be subject to the provisions of sections 1181-A through 1189-A 20 inclusive or 1191-A. 21 Section 9. This act shall take effect in 60 days. C3L24JAM/19950H1487B1736 - 18 -