Sec. 3. (a) If an exclusive school employee organization is not determined under section 2 of this chapter, the determination of whether a school employee organization shall be the exclusive representative shall be determined under this section.

     (b) A school employee organization may file a petition asserting that:

(1) twenty percent (20%) of the employees in an appropriate unit wish to be represented for collective bargaining by the school employee organization as exclusive representative; or

(2) the designated exclusive representative is no longer the representative of the majority of school employees in the unit.

     (c) The school employer may file a petition asserting:

(1) that one (1) or more school employee organizations have presented to the school employer a claim to be recognized as the exclusive representative in an appropriate unit; or

(2) that the school employer has good faith doubt that the previously certified school employee organization represents a majority of employees in the bargaining unit.

     (d) Twenty percent (20%) of the school employees in a unit may file a petition asserting that the designated exclusive representative is no longer the representative of the majority of school employees in the unit.

     (e) The board shall investigate a petition filed under subsection (b), (c), or (d). If the board has reasonable cause to believe that a question exists as to whether the designated exclusive representative or any school employee organization represents a majority of the school employees in a unit, the board shall provide for an appropriate hearing within thirty (30) days. In holding a hearing, the board is not required to comply with IC 4-21.5.

     (f) If the board finds, based on the record of a hearing held under subsection (e), that a question of representation exists, the board shall direct an election by secret ballot in a unit the board determines to be appropriate.

     (g) Certification as the exclusive representative may be granted only to a school employee organization that has been selected in a secret ballot election under subsection (f), by a majority of all the employees in an appropriate unit as their representative.

     (h) An election described in subsection (f) may not be held in a bargaining unit if a valid election has been held in the preceding twenty-four (24) month period.

[Pre-2005 Elementary and Secondary Education Recodification Citation: 20-7.5-1-10(c).]

As added by P.L.1-2005, SEC.13. Amended by P.L.1-2006, SEC.333.