650

The legislature hereby reaffirms its policy to promote harmonious and cooperative relationships between the state and its employees to protect the public by assuring, at all times, the orderly and uninterrupted operations and functions of state government; and recognizes that furtherance of such policy requires creation in the executive department of an office of employee relations with staff and skills requisite to act as the governor's agent in conducting collective negotiations, to assure the proper implementation and administration of agreements reached pursuant to such negotiations, and to assist the governor and direct and coordinate the state's efforts with regard to the state's powers and duties under the public employees' fair employment act.