C. Whenever 30% of the employees in a bargaining unit petition for a bargaining agent to be decertified, the procedures for conducting an election on the question shall be are the same as for representation as bargaining agent hereinbefore set forth.

D. No question concerning representation may be raised within one year of a certification or attempted certification. Where there is a valid collective bargaining agreement in effect, no question concerning unit or representation may be raised except during the period not more than 90 nor less than 60 days prior to the expiration date of the agreement.

E. The bargaining agent certified by the executive director or a designee as the exclusive bargaining agent for a unit is required to represent all the university, academy or technical community college employees within the unit without regard to membership in the organization certified as bargaining agent, except that any university, academy or technical community college employee may present at any time that employee's grievance to the employer and have that grievance adjusted without the intervention of the bargaining agent, if the adjustment is not inconsistent with the terms of any collective bargaining agreement then in effect and the bargaining agent's representative has been given reasonable opportunity to be present at any meeting of the parties called for the resolution of that grievance.

Sec. 99. 26 MRSA §1026, sub-§1, as amended by PL 1993, c. 84, §1, is further amended to read:

1. Negotiations. It is the obligation of the university, academy, technical community college or state schools for practical nursing and the bargaining agent to bargain collectively. "Collective bargaining" means, for the purpose of this chapter, their mutual obligation:

A. To meet at reasonable times;