Sec. 142.109.  GENERAL PROVISIONS RELATING TO AGREEMENTS.  (a)  A municipality acting under this subchapter may not be denied local control over the wages, salaries, rates of pay, hours of work, or other terms and conditions of employment to the extent the public employer and the firefighters association recognized as the sole and exclusive bargaining agent under this subchapter agree as provided by this subchapter, if the agreement is ratified and not withdrawn in accordance with this subchapter.  Applicable statutes and applicable local orders, ordinances, and civil service rules apply to an issue not governed by the meet and confer agreement.
(b)  A meet and confer agreement under this subchapter must be written.
(c)  This subchapter does not require a public employer or a recognized firefighters association to meet and confer on any issue or reach an agreement.
(d)  A public employer and the recognized firefighters association may meet and confer only if the association does not advocate an illegal strike by public employees.
(e)  While a meet and confer agreement under this subchapter between the public employer and the recognized firefighters association is in effect, the public employer may not accept a petition, with regard to the firefighters of the municipality requesting an election to adopt:
(1)  municipal civil service under Chapter 143; or
(2)  collective bargaining under Chapter 174.
Added by Acts 2005, 79th Leg., Ch. 262 (H.B. 2892), Sec. 2, eff. September 1, 2005.