Preamble

The Congress finds that experience in both the private and public employment indicates that the statutory protection of the right of the employees to organize, bargain collectively, and participate through labor organizations of their own choosing in decisions which affect them, safeguards the public interest, contributes to the effective conduct of public business, and facilitates and encourages the amicable settlement of disputes between employees and the employer involving conditions of employment; and

The public interest demands the highest standards of employee performance and the continued development and implementation of modern and progressive work practices to facilitate and improve employee performance and the efficient accomplishment of the operations of the government; and

The Employer and Union enter into this Agreement with every intention to deal with each other in good faith and to be governed by honesty, reason and mutual respect.   The Employer and the Union recognize that a mutual commitment to cooperation promotes both the efficiency of the Employer's operations and the well-being of its employees; and

The Employer and the Union hereby agree as follows: