111.71 General provisions.

(1) The commission may adopt reasonable rules relative to the exercise of its powers and authority and proper rules to govern its proceedings and to regulate the conduct of all elections and hearings. The commission shall, upon request, provide a transcript of a proceeding to any party to the proceeding for a fee, established by rule, by the commission at a uniform rate per page. All transcript fees shall be credited to the appropriation account under s. 20.425 (1) (i).

(2) The commission shall assess and collect a filing fee for filing a complaint alleging that a prohibited practice has been committed under s. 111.70 (3). The commission shall assess and collect a filing fee for filing a request that the commission act as an arbitrator to resolve a dispute involving the interpretation or application of a collective bargaining agreement under s. 111.70 (4) (c) 2., (cg) 4., or (cm) 4. The commission shall assess and collect a filing fee for filing a request that the commission initiate fact-finding under s. 111.70 (4) (c) 3. The commission shall assess and collect a filing fee for filing a request that the commission act as a mediator under s. 111.70 (4) (c) 1., (cg) 3., or (cm) 3. The commission shall assess and collect a filing fee for filing a request that the commission initiate compulsory, final and binding arbitration under s. 111.70 (4) (cg) 6. or (jm) or 111.77 (3). For the performance of commission actions under ss. 111.70 (4) (c) 1., 2. and 3., (cg) 3., 4., and 6., (cm) 3. and 4., and (jm) and 111.77 (3), the commission shall require that the parties to the dispute equally share in the payment of the fee and, for the performance of commission actions involving a complaint alleging that a prohibited practice has been committed under s. 111.70 (3), the commission shall require that the party filing the complaint pay the entire fee. If any party has paid a filing fee requesting the commission to act as a mediator for a labor dispute and the parties do not enter into a voluntary settlement of the dispute, the commission may not subsequently assess or collect a filing fee to initiate fact-finding or arbitration to resolve the same labor dispute. If any request for the performance of commission actions concerns issues arising as a result of more than one unrelated event or occurrence, each such separate event or occurrence shall be treated as a separate request. The commission shall promulgate rules establishing a schedule of filing fees to be paid under this subsection. Fees required to be paid under this subsection shall be paid at the time of filing the complaint or the request for fact-finding, mediation or arbitration. A complaint or request for fact-finding, mediation or arbitration is not filed until the date such fee or fees are paid, except that the failure of the respondent party to pay the filing fee for having the commission initiate compulsory, final and binding arbitration under s. 111.70 (4) (cg) 6. or (jm) or 111.77 (3) may not prohibit the commission from initiating such arbitration. The commission may initiate collection proceedings against the respondent party for the payment of the filing fee. Fees collected under this subsection shall be credited to the appropriation account under s. 20.425 (1) (i).

(4m) The commission shall collect on a systematic basis information on the operation of the arbitration law under s. 111.70 (4) (cg). The commission shall report on the operation of the law to the legislature on an annual basis. The report shall be submitted to the chief clerk of each house of the legislature for distribution to the legislature under s. 13.172 (2).

(5m) The commission shall, on a regular basis, provide training programs to prepare individuals for service as arbitrators or arbitration panel members under s. 111.70 (4) (cg). The commission shall engage in appropriate promotional and recruitment efforts to encourage participation in the training programs by individuals throughout the state, including at least 10 residents of each congressional district. The commission may also provide training programs to individuals and organizations on other aspects of collective bargaining, including on areas of management and labor cooperation directly or indirectly affecting collective bargaining. The commission may charge a reasonable fee for participation in the programs.

(6) This subchapter may be cited as “Municipal Employment Relations Act".

History: 1971 c. 124; 1973 c. 90; 1981 c. 20; 1983 a. 27; 1985 a. 318; 1991 a. 39; 1993 a. 16; 1995 a. 27, 216; 2003 a. 33; 2011 a. 10, 32.