1. (1) Any employee or group of employees which no longer desires to be represented by the certified bargaining agent may file with the commission a petition to revoke certification. The petition shall be accompanied by dated statements signed by at least 30 percent of the employees in the unit, indicating that such employees no longer desire to be represented for purposes of collective bargaining by the certified bargaining agent. The time of filing said petition shall be governed by the provisions of s. 447.307(3)(d) relating to petitions for certification. Any employee or employee organization having sufficient reason to believe any of the employee signatures were obtained by collusion, coercion, intimidation, or misrepresentation or are otherwise invalid shall be given a reasonable opportunity to verify and challenge the signatures appearing on the petition. The commission or one of its designated agents shall investigate the petition to determine its sufficiency. If the commission finds the petition to be insufficient, it may dismiss the petition. If the commission finds that the petition is sufficient, it shall immediately:

   1. (a) Identify the bargaining unit and determine which public employees shall be qualified and entitled to vote in the election held by the commission.
   2. (b) Identify the public employer or employers.
   3. (c) Order an election by secret ballot, the cost of said election to be borne equally by the parties, except as the commission may provide by rule. The commission's order assessing costs of an election may be enforced pursuant to the provisions of this part.
2. (2) If a majority of the employees voting in such election vote against the continuation of representation by the certified bargaining agent, the certification of the employee organization as the exclusive bargaining agent for the employees in the bargaining unit shall be revoked.
3. (3) If a majority of the employees voting in such election do not vote against the continuation of representation by the certified bargaining agent, the certification of the employee organization as the exclusive bargaining agent for the employees in the unit shall be retained by the organization.

History.--s. 2, ch. 79-100.