(a) On or before April 1, 2003, the regional court interpreter employment relations committee shall adopt reasonable rules and regulations for the administration of employer-employee relations under this chapter, which shall be binding on the trial courts within the region. These rules shall include provisions for all of the following:

(1) Verification that an organization represents employees of the trial courts within the applicable region.

(2) Verification of the official status of employee organization officers and representatives.

(3) Registration of employee organizations and recognition of these organizations as representatives of interpreters employed by the trial courts in the region.

(4) Establishment of a single, regional bargaining unit of all court interpreters employed by the trial courts in the region, including court interpreters pro tempore.

(5) Recognition of an employee organization as the exclusive representative of all court interpreters employed by the trial courts in the region, subject to the right of a court interpreter to represent himself or herself, as provided in Section 71813, upon either of the following:

(A) Presentation of a petition or cards with the signatures of 50 percent plus one of the court interpreters employed by the trial courts in the region during the payroll period immediately prior to the presentation of the cards or petition, including court interpreters pro tempore, regardless of whether they have been appointed to interpret during that payroll period, if they have worked for the trial courts as independent contractors or employees for at least 15 days in the six months prior to the filing of the petition or cards with those signatures having been obtained within one year prior to presentation of the petition or cards. A signature shall be valid even if the interpreter was not yet an employee at the time the petition or card was signed if the interpreter had previously performed work for the trial courts as an independent contractor, provided that the signature was obtained no more than 90 days before the interpreter became an employee. The results of a request for recognition under this provision shall be certified within 10 days after presentation of the cards or petition.

(B) Receipt by the employee organization of 50 percent plus one of the votes cast at a secret ballot representation election conducted by mail. A representation election shall be held within 30 days after presentation of a 30-percent or greater showing of interest from employees eligible to vote in the representation election by means of a petition or cards supported by signatures obtained within one year prior to the presentation of the petitions or cards. A signature shall be valid even if the interpreter was not yet an employee at the time the petition or card was signed if the interpreter had previously performed work for the trial courts as an independent contractor, provided that the signature was obtained no more than 90 days before the interpreter became an employee. All certified and registered interpreters employed by the trial courts in the payroll period immediately prior to the election, including court interpreters pro tempore, shall be eligible to vote in the election, regardless of whether they have been appointed to interpret during that payroll period, so long as they have worked for the trial courts as independent contractors or employees for at least 15 days in the six months prior to the filing of the petition or cards. A list of eligible voters shall be provided to the employee organization within 10 days after submission of the petition or cards. Certification of the results of a representation election shall occur within 30 days after the election is concluded.

(6) Procedures for the resolution of disputes involving wages, hours, and other terms and conditions of employment.

(7) Access of employee organization officers and representatives to work locations.

(8) Use of official bulletin boards and other means of communication by employee organizations.

(9) Furnishing nonconfidential information pertaining to employment relations to an employee organization.

(10) Revocation of recognition of an employee organization formally recognized as majority representative pursuant to a vote of the employees by a majority vote of the employees only after a period of not less than 12 months following the date of recognition. A vote shall be requested by a petition or cards signed by at least 30 percent of the employees within the bargaining unit, with those signatures having been obtained within one year prior to presentation of the petition or cards.

(11) Any other matters that are necessary to carry out the purposes of this chapter.

(b) If there is a recognized employee organization in the region, the regional court interpreter employment relations committee may amend the reasonable rules and regulations adopted pursuant to subdivision (a) by adopting reasonable rules and regulations, after meeting and conferring in good faith, for the administration of employer-employee relations under this chapter, which shall be binding on the trial courts within the region.

(c) Interpreters and recognized employee organizations shall be able to challenge a rule or regulation of the regional court interpreter employment relations committee or a trial court as a violation of this chapter.

(Amended by Stats. 2004, Ch. 227, Sec. 72. Effective August 16, 2004.)