Section 204. There shall be a commission on employee involvement and ownership, hereinafter called the commission, to consist of thirteen members including the director of economic development or his designee, the director of labor and workforce development or his designee, and eleven persons to be appointed by the governor, four of whom shall be representatives from employers, of which one shall represent the Associated Industries of Massachusetts; four of whom shall be representatives from employee organizations, of which one shall represent the Massachusetts State Labor Council, AFL-CIO; and three of whom shall be representatives from the employee involvement and ownership technical assistance community, of which one shall have expertise in private sector employee involvement, one shall have expertise in public sector employee involvement, and one shall have expertise in employee ownership.

Each appointed member shall serve for a term of four years, except that in making the initial appointments the governor shall appoint two members representing employers and two members representing employee organizations to serve for two years; two members representing employers and two members representing employee organizations to serve for four years; one member representing the technical assistance community to serve for two years; and two members representing said technical assistance community to serve for four years. Upon expiration of the term of a member, a successor shall be appointed, in the same manner for a like term. Any member shall be eligible for reappointment. Vacancies shall be filled in a like manner for the remainder of the unexpired term. Any member may be removed from his appointment by the governor for cause. The members shall be compensated for necessary and reasonable expenses only.

Five members of the commission, two from employee organizations, two from employers, and one technical assistance member shall constitute a quorum and the affirmative vote of such five members shall be necessary and sufficient for any action to be taken by the commission. No vacancy in the membership of the commission shall impair the right of a quorum to exercise all the rights and perform all the duties of the commission. Any action taken by the commission may be authorized by resolution at any regular or special meeting and shall take effect immediately unless otherwise provided in the resolution.

The commission shall advise the governor and the executive director of the industrial services program established by section two of chapter twenty-three D from time to time on issues and policy matters pertaining to employee involvement and ownership in the commonwealth including, but not limited to, overseeing the development of the employee involvement and ownership program, making recommendations to develop and improve the performance of said program, making recommendations to develop legislation to promote employee involvement and employee ownership, monitoring the development and implementation of the memoranda of understanding developed pursuant to section nineteen of said chapter twenty-three D, facilitating the cooperation of representatives from employee organizations, government and business, and providing advice on state-wide private employee involvement and ownership programs.

There shall be a chairperson and a vice chairperson of the commission elected annually as follows: in even numbered years, the chairperson shall be elected from the representatives from employers and the vice chairperson shall be elected from the representatives from employee organizations and in the odd numbered years the chairperson shall be elected from the representatives from employee organizations and the vice chairperson shall be elected from the representatives from employers. The members shall also annually elect one of their number as secretary. The commission may elect such other officers as it deems necessary. The commission shall meet from time to time as it deems necessary, but not less than four times per year.

The commission shall adopt operating rules and procedures; provided, however, that such rules and procedures are consistent with the provisions of said chapter twenty-three D.