Labor relations administrator.

Richmond, Va., City Code § 2-1686

in effect

Sec. 2-1686. - Labor relations administrator. (a) A labor relations administrator, referred to in this division as the "administrator," shall be selected and appointed in the manner set forth in Subsection (c) of this section to effectively administer this division as it governs exclusive bargaining representative selection, certification and decertification procedures, labor-management disputes, and the methods for the selection of mediators or arbitrators when needed under this division or under any collective bargaining agreement. (b) The administrator must be experienced as a neutral in the field of labor relations, and must not be a person who, because of vocation, employment, or affiliation, can be categorized as a representative of the interest of the City or any employee organization, including an exclusive bargaining agent for a bargaining unit permitted under this division. (c) The selection of the administrator will be conducted through competitive negotiation for nonprofessional services as provided in Chapter 21. Proposals will be evaluated by a panel that will consist of an equal number of City representatives and either representatives of those employee organizations that have notified the Chief Administrative Officer of their interest in representing bargaining units permitted by this division, if no bargaining agents have been recognized at the time the selection process begins or representatives of the bargaining agent for the bargaining unit permitted by this division. The panel shall evaluate and rank all proposals and recommend up to the three highest-ranked offerors for presentation to the City Council for approval. The City Council shall approve one of the offerors presented to the City Council as the administrator. (d) The administrator shall be contracted for a four-year term, provided that the administrator's services shall be subject to termination by mutual agreement of the Chief Administrative Officer and a majority of the exclusive bargaining agents of the bargaining units permitted by this division, and with approval by the City Council by resolution. (e) If the administrator dies, resigns, becomes disabled, or otherwise becomes unable or ineligible to continue to serve within six months of initial appointment, the administrator vacancy shall be filled as provided in Subsection (c) of this section. (f) An administrator appointed under this section may be reappointed as provided in Subsection (c) of this section. (g) The terms of payment for the services of the administrator shall be paid as specified by contract with the City entered into pursuant to Chapter 21. (h) The administrator shall: (1) Hold and conduct elections for certification or decertification pursuant to the provisions of this division and issue the certification or decertification, or cause these actions to occur. (2) Request from the City or an employee organization, and the City or such organization shall provide, any relevant assistance, service, and data that will enable the administrator to properly carry out duties under this division. (3) Hold hearings and make inquiries, administer oaths and affirmations, examine witnesses and documents, take testimony and receive evidence, and compel by issuance of subpoenas the attendance of witnesses and the production of relevant documents in proceedings within the responsibility of the administrator under this division. (4) Investigate and attempt to resolve or settle, pursuant to this division, charges of either the City or an employee organization engaging in prohibited practices as defined in this division. However, if the City and a certified representative have negotiated a labor-management dispute resolution procedure, the administrator must defer to that procedure to resolve any dispute that properly may be submitted to the procedure, absent a showing that the deferral results in the application of principles contrary to this division. The administrator must defer to the procedures in Code of Virginia, §§ 9.1-300—9.1-304 and 9.1-500—9.1-507, and any other procedure required by the Code of Virginia. (5) Determine unresolved issues of employee inclusion in or exclusion from the bargaining units permitted under this division. (6) Obtain any necessary support services and make necessary expenditures in the performance of duties, subject to appropriation. (7) Determine any issue regarding the negotiability of any collective bargaining proposal. (8) Exercise any other powers and perform any other duties and functions specified in this division of an administrative nature. (9) Issue rules and regulations to carry out the duties of the administrator set forth in this division, provided that the administrator shall provide the rules and regulations for comment by the City, labor organizations, and other interested parties before implementing the rules and regulations. (i) If, no fewer than 120 days after the adoption of the ordinance that initially establishes this division, a petition is filed requesting certification of an exclusive bargaining representative, a party seeks to file an prohibited practice claim, or any other labor-management dispute arises and there is no administrator serving at the time, then the parties shall submit the certification petition or dispute to a mutually agreed upon interim neutral. The parties shall jointly select an interim neutral from another Virginia locality available under Section 21-40 or, if they are unable to agree on such an available interim neutral, they shall request a list of seven arbitrators from the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service or American Arbitration Association. Each party in turn shall strike a name from the list until only one name remains. The interim neutral shall serve as the administrator under this division until an administrator is selected pursuant to Subsection (c) of this section. (Code 2020, § 2-1301.6; Ord. No. 2022-221, § 1, 7-25-2022)

Source: City of Richmond, Virginia, Code (2026 recodification) and Charter (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/va/richmond/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=PTIICICO_CH2AD_ARTVIPE_DIV6COBA_S2-1686LAREADFetched: 11/8/2026