The chairperson of a joint settlement committee established under section 16 shall call a hearing to begin within 15 days after the joint settlement committee is established and shall give reasonable notice of the time and place of the hearing. The chairperson shall preside over the hearing and shall take testimony. Upon application and for good cause shown, and upon terms and conditions that are just, a person having a substantial interest in the dispute may be granted leave to intervene by the joint settlement committee. Any oral or documentary evidence and other data considered relevant by the joint settlement committee may be received in evidence. The proceedings shall be informal. Technical rules of evidence shall not apply and the competency of the evidence shall not be considered impaired. A verbatim record of the proceedings shall be made and the chairperson shall arrange for the necessary recording service. Transcripts may be ordered at the expense of the party ordering them but the transcripts shall not be necessary for a decision by the joint settlement committee. The expense of the proceedings, including a fee to the chairperson, established in advance by the department shall be borne equally by each of the parties to the dispute. The hearing conducted by the joint settlement committee may be adjourned from time to time, but, unless otherwise agreed by the parties, shall be concluded within 30 days of the time of its commencement. The actions and rulings of a majority of the members of the joint settlement committee shall constitute the actions and rulings of the joint settlement committee.