[§377-4.7]  Facilitatinginitial collective bargaining agreements.  (a)  No later than ten daysafter receiving a written request for collective bargaining from an individualor labor organization that has been newly organized or certified as arepresentative, the parties shall meet and commence to bargain collectively andshall make every reasonable effort to conclude and sign a collective bargainingagreement.

(b)  If, after the expiration of the ninety-dayperiod beginning on the date on which bargaining commenced, or such additionalperiod as the parties may agree upon, the parties have failed to reach anagreement, either party may notify the board of the existence of a dispute andrequest conciliation under section 377-3.

(c)  If, after the expiration of the twenty-dayperiod beginning on the date on which the request for conciliation is madeunder subsection (b), or such additional period as the parties may agree upon,the conciliator is not able to bring the parties to agreement by conciliation, theboard shall refer the dispute to an arbitration panel established in accordancewith section 89-11(e)(2)(A) and rules as may be prescribed by the board.  Thearbitration panel shall render a decision settling the dispute, and thedecision shall be binding upon the parties for a period of two years, unlessamended during that period by written consent of the parties. [L Sp 2009, c 6,pt of §1]