Maine Revised Statutes Title 26. Labor and Industry § 1282. Definitions

1. Bargaining agent. “Bargaining agent” means any lawful organization, association or individual representative of such an organization or association which has as its primary purpose the representation of employees in their employment relations with employers, and which has been determined by the public employer, as defined in subsection 6, or by the executive director of the board to be the choice of the majority of the unit as their representative.

2. Board. “Board” means the Maine Labor Relations Board, as defined in section 968.

3. Cost items. “Cost items” means the provisions of a collective bargaining agreement which require an appropriation by the Legislature.

4. Executive director. “Executive director” means the Executive Director of the Maine Labor Relations Board, as defined in section 968, subsection 2.

5. Judicial employee. “Judicial employee” means any employee of the Judicial Department, except any person:

6. Public employer. “Public employer” means the Judicial Department of the State. It is the responsibility of the Judicial Department to negotiate collective bargaining agreements and to administer those agreements. It is the responsibility of the Legislature to act upon those portions of tentative agreements negotiated by the Judicial Department which require legislative action. To coordinate the employer position in the negotiation of agreements, the Legislative Council or its designee shall maintain close liaison with the bargaining representative of the Judicial Department relative to negotiating cost items in any proposed agreement. The Supreme Judicial Court may designate a bargaining representative for the Judicial Department who may: