General powers and duties of board

The board shall: 1. Administer the provisions of this chapter and delegate the powers and duties of the board to persons employed by the board, as appropriate. 2. Collect, for public employers other than the state and its boards, commissions, departments, and agencies, data and conduct studies relating to wages, hours, benefits, and other terms and conditions of public employment and make the same available to any interested person or organization. 3. Establish minimum qualifications for arbitrators and mediators, establish procedures for appointing, maintaining, and removing from a list persons representative of the public to be available to serve as arbitrators and mediators, and establish compensation rates for arbitrators and mediators. 4. Hold hearings and administer oaths, examine witnesses and documents, take testimony and receive evidence, issue subpoenas to compel the attendance of witnesses and the production of records, and delegate such power to a member of the board, persons appointed or employed by the board, including administrative law judges, or administrative law judges employed by the division of administrative hearings created by section 10A.801, for the performance of its functions. The board may petition the district court at the seat of government or of the county where a hearing is held to enforce a board order compelling the attendance of witnesses and production of records. 5. Adopt rules in accordance with the provisions of chapter 17A as it may deem necessary to carry out the purposes of this chapter. 6. Appoint a certified shorthand reporter to report state employee grievance and discipline resolution proceedings pursuant to section 8A.415 and fix a reasonable amount of compensation for such service and for any transcript requested by the board, which amounts shall be taxed as other costs. 7. Contract with a vendor as the board may deem necessary to conduct elections required by section 20.15 on behalf of the board. The board shall establish fees by rule pursuant to chapter 17A to cover the cost of elections required by section 20.15. Such fees shall be paid in advance of an election and shall be paid by each employee organization listed on the ballot.