Rhode Island General Laws Title 28. Labor and Labor Relations § 28-9.4-10. Unresolved issues submitted to mediation or arbitration

(a) In the event that the negotiating or bargaining agent and the municipal employer are unable after thirty (30) days from and including the date of their first meeting to reach an agreement on a contract, either of them may request mediation and conciliation upon any and all unresolved issues by the director of labor and training or from any other source. After a request for mediation and conciliation has been made by either party, it shall be the duty and obligation of each party to participate in the mediation and conciliation. If mediation and conciliation fail or are not requested at any time after the thirty (30) days, either party may request that any and all unresolved issues shall be submitted to arbitration by sending the request by certified mail postage prepaid to the other party, setting forth the issues to be arbitrated.

(b) In the event that the negotiating or bargaining agent and the municipal employer are unable to reach an agreement on a contract thirty (30) days before the last day on which money can be appropriated by the city or town to cover the first year of the contract period, then any and all unresolved issues shall be submitted to the director of labor and training for compulsory mediation until the date upon which the money is scheduled to be appropriated. The director of labor and training, or his or her designee, may waive this requirement upon the mutual agreement of the parties.

(c) In the event that the negotiating or bargaining agent and the municipal employer are unable within ten (10) days of the expiration of the contract to reach an agreement on a contract, any and all unresolved issues shall be submitted to the director of labor and training for compulsory mediation, except where the municipal employer is a school board. In the event that the negotiating or bargaining agent and the municipal employer school board are unable within thirty (30) days of the scheduled opening of school to reach an agreement on a contract, any and all unresolved issues shall be submitted to the director of labor and training for compulsory mediation.

(d) If the parties cannot mutually agree upon a mediator within twenty-four (24) hours, the director of labor and training shall select a mediator from a panel previously established by the director comprised of persons knowledgeable in the field of labor management relations to mediate the dispute. The department of labor and training is empowered to compel the attendance of all parties to any and all meetings it deems necessary until the dispute is resolved.