§ 4-1. In general.

(a) Employer may recognize.

The employer is hereby empowered to recognize any employee organization certified as hereinafter provided as the exclusive representative of the employees in an appropriate unit.

(b) Duty to negotiate.

The employer and such employee organization shall have the mutual duty to negotiate collectively, as hereinafter provided.

(1) When an employee organization has been so certified, it shall have the exclusive right to represent all employees in the unit for the purpose of collective negotiation, as described herein, and the handling of employee grievances.

(2) Provided said employee organization shall be responsible for fairly representing the interests of all such employees without discrimination and without regard to employee organization membership.

(d) Employee may grieve individually.

(1) Provided, however, that any individual employee may present a grievance to his employer and have the grievance adjusted, without intervention of his certified employee organization, provided the adjustment shall not be inconsistent with the terms of any memorandum of understanding between the employer and the certified employee organization representing such employee then in effect.

(2) Any certified employee organization representing such employee:

(i) shall be given prompt notice of the filing of the grievance;

(ii) shall have the privilege of attending any hearings; and

(iii) shall be notified of the adjustment thereon.