Section 303. Impasse.
Impasse in bargaining shall be resolved as follows:
(1) If any case of a dispute between a public employer and an employee organization representing first-level supervisors reaches an impasse in the collective bargaining process, with the result that the public employer and employees are unable to effect a settlement, then either party to the dispute, after written notice to the other party containing specifications of the issue or issues in dispute, may request the appointment of a board of arbitration. For purposes of this section, an impasse shall be deemed to occur in the collective bargaining process if the parties do not reach a settlement of the issue or issues in dispute by way of a written agreement within 30 days after collective bargaining proceedings have been initiated.
(2) The board of arbitration shall be composed of three persons, one appointed by the public employer, one appointed by the employee organization and a third member to be agreed upon by the public employer and employee organization. The members of the board representing the public employer and employee organization shall be named within five days from the date of the request for the appointment of the board. If, after a period of ten days from the date of appointment of the two arbitrators appointed by the public employer and the employee organization, the third arbitrator has not been selected by them, then either arbitrator may request the American Arbitration Association or its successor in function to furnish a list of three members of the association who are residents of this Commonwealth from which the third arbitrator shall be selected. The arbitrator appointed by the public employer shall eliminate one name from the list within five days after the publication of the list, following which the arbitrator appointed by the employee organization shall eliminate one name from the list within five days thereafter. The individual whose name appears on the list shall be the third arbitrator and shall act as chairman of the board of arbitration. The board of arbitration thus established shall commence the arbitration proceedings within ten days after the third arbitrator is selected and shall make its determination within 30 days after the appointment of the third arbitrator.
(3) The determination of the majority of the board of arbitration thus established shall be final on the issue or issues in dispute and shall be binding upon the public employer and the employee organization. The determination shall be in writing, and a copy thereof shall be forwarded to both parties to the dispute. No appeal therefrom shall be allowed to any court. The determination shall constitute a mandate to the public employer to take the action necessary to carry out the determination of the board of arbitration, provided that determinations of the board which require legislative enactment to be effective shall be considered advisory only.
(4) The compensation of the arbitrator appointed by the employee organization shall be paid by them. The compensation of the other two arbitrators as well as stenographic and other expenses incurred by the arbitration panel in connection with the arbitration proceedings shall be paid by the public employer.