Rhode Island General Laws Title 28. Labor and Labor Relations § 28-9.4-12. Hearings

(a) The arbitrators shall call a hearing to be held within ten (10) days after their appointment and shall give at least seven (7) days’ notice, in writing, to the negotiating or bargaining agent and the municipal employer of the time and place of the hearing.

(b) The hearing shall be informal, and the rules of evidence prevailing in judicial proceedings shall not be binding. Any and all documentary evidence and other data deemed relevant by the arbitrators may be received in evidence.

(c) The arbitrators shall have the power to administer oaths and to require by subpoena the attendance and testimony of witnesses, and the production of books, records, and other evidence relative or pertinent to the issues presented to them for determination.

(d) Both the negotiating or bargaining agent and the municipal employer shall have the right to be represented at any hearing before the arbitrators by counsel of their own choosing.

(e) The hearing conducted by the arbitrators shall be concluded within twenty (20) days of the time of commencement, and within ten (10) days after the conclusion of the hearings, the arbitrators shall make written findings and a written opinion upon the issues presented, a copy of which shall be mailed or otherwise delivered to the negotiating or bargaining agent or its attorney or other designated representative and the municipal employer.