20.1  Public policy.
  1.  The general assembly declares that it is the public policy of the state to promote harmonious and cooperative relationships between government and its employees by permitting public employees to organize and bargain collectively; to protect the citizens of this state by assuring effective and orderly operations of government in providing for their health, safety, and welfare; to prohibit and prevent all strikes by public employees; and to protect the rights of public employees to join or refuse to join, and to participate in or refuse to participate in, employee organizations.
  2.  The general assembly declares that the purposes of the public employment relations board established by this chapter are to implement the provisions of this chapter and adjudicate and conciliate employment-related cases involving the state of Iowa and other public employers and employee organizations. For these purposes the powers and duties of the board include but are not limited to the following:
  a.  Determining appropriate bargaining units and conducting representation elections.
  b.  Adjudicating prohibited practice complaints including the exercise of exclusive original jurisdiction over all claims alleging the breach of the duty of fair representation imposed by section 20.17.
  c.  Fashioning appropriate remedial relief for violations of this chapter, including but not limited to the reinstatement of employees with or without back pay and benefits.
  d.  Adjudicating and serving as arbitrators regarding state merit system grievances and, upon joint request, grievances arising under collective bargaining agreements between public employers and certified employee organizations.
  e.  Providing mediators and arbitrators to resolve impasses in negotiations.
  f.  Collecting and disseminating information concerning the wages, hours, and other conditions of employment of public employees.
  g.  Preparing legal briefs and presenting oral arguments in the district court, the court of appeals, and the supreme court in cases affecting the board.
[C75, 77, 79, 81, §20.1]
86 Acts, ch 1238, §39, 58; 86 Acts, ch 1245, §229; 87 Acts, ch 19, §3; 90 Acts, ch 1037, §1, 2; 2008 Acts, ch 1032, §201; 2010 Acts, ch 1165, §1, 2
State merit system, see chapter 8A, subchapter IV