(a) An employee organization seeking recognition as an exclusive bargaining agent for a collective bargaining unit of employees may file with the employer a petition seeking recognition. There shall be a separate bargaining unit for sworn noncommissioned officers and sworn commissioned officers. A petition shall be filed with the office of the mayor and may not be accepted by the employer unless filed by the employee organization during the month of October. However, during the month of May, 1995, a petition may be filed pursuant to this section for an employee organization representing sworn commissioned officers.
(b) When evidence is presented to the employer that at least thirty (30) percent of the eligible employees within the police department are members of an employee organization which seeks recognition for the purpose of bargaining on the behalf of the employees, the employer shall grant those employees recognition as an employee organization after verifying, by a secret ballot election, that the majority of the employees desire to be represented by the employee organization. No election shall be conducted within the police department for the purpose of determining recognition more than once every twelve (12) months.
(c) When an employee organization has been recognized, it shall have the exclusive right to represent all employees for the purpose of collective bargaining of the terms and conditions of employment subject to bargaining. (Ord. No. G-92-3, § 1(17-10.05), 1-23-92; Ord. No. G-95-4, § 1, 4-20-95)