(a) This section shall only apply to a special reorganization.

(b) All public employees to which Chapter 10 (commencing with Section 3500) of Division 4 of Title 1 applies shall continue to be deemed public employees of the original local agency or of the newly incorporated local agency for all the purposes of that chapter, including, but not limited to, the continuation and application of any collective bargaining agreement that applies to these employees, and all representational and collective bargaining rights under that chapter.

(c) Any existing collective bargaining agreement shall remain in effect and be fully binding on the original local agency or on the newly incorporated local agency, and on the employee organizations that are parties to the agreement for the balance of the term of the agreement, and until a subsequent agreement has been established.

(d) Any existing retiree benefits, including, but not limited to, health, dental, and vision care benefits, shall not be diminished.

(e) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, an employee organization that has been recognized as the exclusive representative of local agency public employees affected by a special reorganization shall retain exclusive representation of the unit employees of the original local agency, or of the newly incorporated local agency.

(Added by renumbering Section 56888 by Stats. 2001, Ch. 388, Sec. 16. Effective January 1, 2002.)