WASHINGTON STATUTES AND CODES

41.59.020 - Definitions.

Definitions.

As used in this chapter:

     (1) The term "employee organization" means any organization, union, association, agency, committee, council, or group of any kind in which employees participate, and which exists for the purpose, in whole or in part, of collective bargaining with employers.

     (2) The term "collective bargaining" or "bargaining" means the performance of the mutual obligation of the representatives of the employer and the exclusive bargaining representative to meet at reasonable times in light of the time limitations of the budget-making process, and to bargain in good faith in an effort to reach agreement with respect to the wages, hours, and terms and conditions of employment: PROVIDED, That prior law, practice or interpretation shall be neither restrictive, expansive, nor determinative with respect to the scope of bargaining. A written contract incorporating any agreements reached shall be executed if requested by either party. The obligation to bargain does not compel either party to agree to a proposal or to make a concession.

     In the event of a dispute between an employer and an exclusive bargaining representative over the matters that are terms and conditions of employment, the commission shall decide which item(s) are mandatory subjects for bargaining and which item(s) are nonmandatory.

     (3) The term "commission" means the public employment relations commission established by RCW 41.58.010.

     (4) The terms "employee" and "educational employee" means any certificated employee of a school district, except:

     (a) The chief executive officer of the employer.

     (b) The chief administrative officers of the employer, which shall mean the superintendent of the district, deputy superintendents, administrative assistants to the superintendent, assistant superintendents, and business manager. Title variation from all positions enumerated in this subsection (b) may be appealed to the commission for determination of inclusion in, or exclusion from, the term "educational employee".

     (c) Confidential employees, which shall mean:

     (i) Any person who participates directly on behalf of an employer in the formulation of labor relations policy, the preparation for or conduct of collective bargaining, or the administration of collective bargaining agreements, except that the role of such person is not merely routine or clerical in nature but calls for the consistent exercise of independent judgment; and

     (ii) Any person who assists and acts in a confidential capacity to such person.

     (d) Unless included within a bargaining unit pursuant to RCW 41.59.080, any supervisor, which means any employee having authority, in the interest of an employer, to hire, assign, promote, transfer, layoff, recall, suspend, discipline, or discharge other employees, or to adjust their grievances, or to recommend effectively such action, if in connection with the foregoing the exercise of such authority is not merely routine or clerical in nature but calls for the consistent exercise of independent judgment, and shall not include any persons solely by reason of their membership on a faculty tenure or other governance committee or body. The term "supervisor" shall include only those employees who perform a preponderance of the above-specified acts of authority.

     (e) Unless included within a bargaining unit pursuant to RCW 41.59.080, principals and assistant principals in school districts.

     (5) The term "employer" means any school district.

     (6) The term "exclusive bargaining representative" means any employee organization which has:

     (a) Been selected or designated pursuant to the provisions of this chapter as the representative of the employees in an appropriate collective bargaining unit; or

     (b) Prior to January 1, 1976, been recognized under a predecessor statute as the representative of the employees in an appropriate collective bargaining or negotiations unit.

     (7) The term "person" means one or more individuals, organizations, unions, associations, partnerships, corporations, boards, committees, commissions, agencies, or other entities, or their representatives.

     (8) The term "nonsupervisory employee" means all educational employees other than principals, assistant principals and supervisors.