Section 204. Recognition and certification of employee organizations  


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  • 1.
      Public  employers   are   hereby   empowered   to   recognize   employee
      organizations  for  the  purpose  of  negotiating  collectively  in  the
      determination of, and administration of grievances  arising  under,  the
      terms and conditions of employment of their public employees as provided
      in this article, and to negotiate and enter into written agreements with
      such  employee organizations in determining such terms and conditions of
      employment.
        2. Where an employee organization has  been  certified  or  recognized
      pursuant  to  the  provisions of this article, it shall be the exclusive
      representative, for the purposes of this article, of all  the  employees
      in the appropriate negotiating unit, and the appropriate public employer
      shall  be,  and  hereby is, required to negotiate collectively with such
      employee organization in the determination  of,  and  administration  of
      grievances  arising under, the terms and conditions of employment of the
      public employees as provided in this article, and to negotiate and enter
      into written agreements with such employee organizations in  determining
      such terms and conditions of employment.
        3.  For  the purpose of this article, to negotiate collectively is the
      performance of the mutual  obligation  of  the  public  employer  and  a
      recognized  or  certified  employee  organization  to meet at reasonable
      times and confer in good faith with respect to wages, hours,  and  other
      terms  and conditions of employment, or the negotiation of an agreement,
      or any question arising thereunder,  and  the  execution  of  a  written
      agreement  incorporating  any  agreement  reached if requested by either
      party, but such obligation does not compel either party to  agree  to  a
      proposal or require the making of a concession.