Rhode Island General Laws Title 28. Labor and Labor Relations § 28-9.4-6. Determination of negotiating agent--Elections

(a) The state labor relations board, upon the written petition for an election signed by not less than twenty percent (20%) of the municipal employees in an appropriate bargaining unit as determined by the state labor relations board of a city, town, or regional school district indicating their desire to be represented by a particular employee organization or to change or withdraw recognition, shall call and hold an election at which all municipal employees in the appropriate bargaining unit shall be entitled to vote.

(b) The employee organization selected by a majority of the municipal employees in the appropriate bargaining unit voting in the election shall be certified by the state labor relations board as the exclusive negotiating or bargaining representative of the municipal employees in the appropriate bargaining unit of the city, town, or regional school district in any matter within the provision of this chapter.

(c) Upon written petition to intervene in the election signed by not less than fifteen percent (15%) of the municipal employees in the appropriate bargaining unit indicating their desire to be represented by a different or competing employee organization, the name of the different or competing employee organization shall be placed on the same ballot.

(d) If the majority of those voting desire no representation, no employee organization shall be recognized by the municipal employer as authorized to negotiate or bargain in behalf of its municipal employees in the appropriate bargaining unit, and in all elections there shall be provided on the ballot an appropriate designation of such a choice.