A. Impasse procedures may be invoked only after the possibility of settlement by direct discussion has been exhausted.
B. The impasse procedures are as follows:
1. Mediation or conciliation. All mediation proceedings shall be private. The mediator shall make no public recommendations nor take any public position concerning the issue;
2. A determination by the city council after a hearing on the merits of the dispute;
3. Any other disputes resolving procedures to which the parties mutually agree or which the city council may order.
C. Any party may initiate the impasse procedure by filing with the other party (or parties) affected a written request for an impasse meeting together with a statement of its position on all disputed issues. An impasse meeting may then be scheduled by the municipal employee relations officer forthwith after the date of filing of the written request for such meeting, with written notice to all parties affected. The purpose of such impasse meeting is twofold: (1) to permit a review of the position of all parties in a final effort to reach agreement on the disputed issues, and (2) if agreement is not concluded, to mutually select the specific impasse procedure to which the dispute may be submitted; in the absence of agreement between the parties on this point, the matter may be referred to the city council.
D. The fees and expenses, if any, of mediators or of any other impasse procedure, shall be payable one-half by the employee organization or employee organizations. (Prior code § 1313)