(a) Election agreements. Parties are encouraged to enter into election agreements.

(b) Regional Director directed election. If the parties are unable to agree on procedural matters, specifically, the eligibility period, method of election, dates, hours, or locations of the election, the Regional Director will decide election procedures and issue a Direction of Election, without prejudice to the rights of a party to file objections to the procedural conduct of the election.

(c) Opportunity for a hearing. Before directing an election, the Regional Director must provide affected parties an opportunity for a hearing on non-procedural matters, and then may:

(1) Issue a Decision and Order; or

(2) If there are no questions regarding unit appropriateness, issue a Direction of Election without a Decision and Order.

(d) Challenges or objections to a directed election. A Direction of Election issued under this section will be issued without prejudice to the right of a party to file a challenge to the eligibility of any person participating in the election and/or objections to the election.