Rhode Island General Laws Title 28. Labor and Labor Relations § 28-9.2-6. Obligation to bargain

It shall be the obligation of the city or town, acting through its corporate authorities, to meet and confer in good faith with the designated representative or representatives of the bargaining agent, including any legal counsel selected by the bargaining agent, within ten (10) days after receipt of written notice from the bargaining agent of the request for a meeting for collective bargaining purposes. This obligation includes the duty to cause any agreement resulting from the negotiations to be reduced to a written contract, provided that no contract shall exceed the term of one year unless a longer period is agreed upon in writing by the corporate authorities and the bargaining agent, but in no event shall the contract exceed the term of three (3) years unless a budget commission or a receiver has been appointed for a municipality pursuant to chapter 9 of title 45 or if a municipality has a locally administered pension plan in “critical status” and is required to submit a funding improvement plan pursuant to § 45-65-6(2). In either case, the contract shall not exceed the term of five (5) years. An unfair labor charge may be complained of by either the employer's representative or the bargaining agent to the state labor relations board which shall deal with the complaint in the manner provided in chapter 7 of this title.