The Legislature hereby finds and declares that it is the public policy of this state and the purpose of the State Employees Collective Bargaining Act to promote harmonious, peaceful, and cooperative relationships between state government and its employees and to protect the public by assuring effective and orderly operations of government. Such policy is best effectuated by (1) recognizing the right of state employees in bargaining units to organize for the purpose of collective bargaining and (2) requiring state employees represented by an exclusive collective-bargaining agent to negotiate with and enter into written agreements with the Chief Negotiator of the Division of Employee Relations or any other negotiator hired by an employer-representative on matters of wages, hours, and other terms and conditions of employment.