(a) For purposes of this section, public employees are employed to perform services in one of the three following classes:

(1) those services which may not be given up for even the shortest period of time;

(2) those services which may be interrupted for a limited period but not for an indefinite period of time; and

(3) those services in which work stoppages may be sustained for extended periods without serious effects on the public.

(b) The class in (a)(1) of this section is composed of police and fire protection employees, jail, prison, and other correctional institution employees, and hospital employees. Employees in this class may not engage in strikes. Upon a showing by a public employer or the labor relations agency that employees in this class are engaging or about to engage in a strike, an injunction, restraining order, or other order that may be appropriate shall be granted by the superior court in the judicial district in which the strike is occurring or is about to occur. If an impasse or deadlock is reached in collective bargaining between the public employer and employees in this class, and mediation has been utilized without resolving the deadlock, the parties shall submit to arbitration to be carried out under AS 09.43.030 or 09.43.480 to the extent permitted by AS 09.43.010 and 09.43.300.

(c) The class in (a)(2) of this section is composed of public utility, snow removal, sanitation, and educational institution employees other than employees of a school district, a regional educational attendance area, or a state boarding school. Employees in this class may engage in a strike after mediation, subject to the voting requirement of (d) of this section, for a limited time. The limit is determined by the interests of the health, safety, or welfare of the public. The public employer or the labor relations agency may apply to the superior court in the judicial district in which the strike is occurring for an order enjoining the strike. A strike may not be enjoined unless it can be shown that it has begun to threaten the health, safety, or welfare of the public. A court, in deciding whether or not to enjoin the strike, shall consider the total equities in the particular class. “Total equities” includes not only the effect of a strike on the public but also the extent to which employee organizations and public employers have met their statutory obligations. If an impasse or deadlock still exists after the issuance of an injunction, the parties shall submit to arbitration to be carried out under AS 09.43.030 or 09.43.480 to the extent permitted by AS 09.43.010 and 09.43.300.

(d) The class in (a)(3) of this section includes all other public employees who are not included in the classes in (a)(1) or (2) of this section. Subject to (g) of this section, employees in this class may engage in a strike if a majority of the employees in a collective bargaining unit vote by secret ballot to do so.

(e) Notwithstanding the provisions of (b), (c) and (d) of this section, the employees with the concurrence of the employer may agree in writing to submit a dispute arising from interpretation or application of a collective bargaining agreement to arbitration.

(f) The parties to a collective bargaining agreement may provide in the agreement a contract for arbitration to be conducted solely according to AS 09.43.010 - 09.43.180 (Uniform Arbitration Act) or AS 09.43.300 - 09.43.595 (Revised Uniform Arbitration Act) to the extent permitted by AS 09.43.010 and 09.43.300 if either Act is incorporated into the agreement or contract by reference.

(g) Under the provisions of (d) of this section, if an impasse or deadlock is reached in collective bargaining negotiations between a municipal school district, a regional educational attendance area, or a state boarding school and its employees,

(1) the parties shall submit to advisory arbitration before the employees may vote to engage in a strike; the arbitrator shall

(A) be a member of the American Arbitration Association, Panel of Labor Arbitrators, or the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service;

(B) have knowledge of and recent experience in the local conditions in the school district, regional educational attendance area, or state boarding school; and

(C) be determined from a list containing at least five nominees who meet the qualifications of this subsection; this list shall be considered a complete list for the purpose of striking names and selecting the arbitrator;

(2) if, under (1) of this subsection, advisory arbitration fails, a strike may not begin until at least 72 hours after notice of the strike is given to the other party; in any event, a strike may not begin on or after the first day of the school term, as that term is described in AS 14.03.030, unless at least one day in session with students in attendance has passed after notice of the strike is given by the employees to the other party.