§ 40:37A-96 — Labor disputes; arbitration

In the case of any labor dispute between a county improvement authority operating a public transportation facility and its employees where collective bargaining does not result in agreement, irrespective of whether such dispute relates to the making or maintaining of collective bargaining agreements, the terms to be included in such agreements, the interpretation or application of such agreements, the adjustment of any grievance or any difference or any question that may arise between the authority and the labor organization representing its employees concerning wages, salaries, hours, working conditions or benefits including health and welfare, sick leave, insurance, or pension or retirement provisions, the authority shall offer to submit such dispute to final and binding arbitration by a single arbitrator or by a tripartite board of arbitrators. Upon acceptance by the labor organization of such arbitration proposal, if the dispute is referred to a single arbitrator, such arbitrator shall be one who may be agreed upon by the authority and the labor organization involved, and, in the event that said parties cannot agree upon the identity of the arbitrator then such arbitrator shall be selected through the use of the New Jersey State Board of Mediation in accordance with its usual procedure and rules relating to the selection of arbitrators in labor disputes. Should the matter be referred to a tripartite board, the authority shall designate one such arbitrator, the labor organization shall designate one such arbitrator and the third, impartial arbitrator, who shall be the chairman of the board, shall be selected by the 2 arbitrators thus designated; in the event of their inability to select such third arbitrator they shall seek the appointment of the third arbitrator by use of the New Jersey State Board of Mediation which shall proceed to select such arbitrator in the manner provided by the rules and practices of said State Board of Mediation with respect to arbitrators of labor disputes. The cost of arbitration shall be borne equally by both parties except that in the event that a tripartite board is sued, the services of the arbitrator designated by each party shall be paid for by such party. The arbitration proceeding shall take place in the manner provided by the rules of the New Jersey State Board of Mediation applicable to arbitration of labor disputes and the decision of the arbitrator or board of arbitrators shall be final and binding upon the parties. L.1968, c. 66, s. 11, eff. June 18, 1968.