Sec. 27. (a) Whenever the authority acquires the public transportation facilities of a public transportation agency and operates those facilities, all employees engaged in the operation of the facilities shall be transferred to and appointed as employees of the authority, subject to all the rights and benefits of this chapter, and the authority shall assume and observe all current labor contracts and pension obligations.

     (b) The authority must give the employees of any public transportation agency it acquires seniority credit, sick leave, vacation, insurance, and pension credits in accordance with the records or labor agreements from the acquired transportation agency. Members and beneficiaries of any pension or retirement system or other system of benefits established by the acquired transportation agency continue to have rights, privileges, benefits, obligations, and status under that system. The authority must assume the obligations of the acquired public transportation agency regarding wages, salaries, hours, working conditions, sick leave, health and welfare, and pension or retirement provisions for employees.

     (c) The authority must assume the provisions of any collective bargaining agreement between a public transportation agency acquired by the authority and the representative of the employees of the acquired agency. The authority and the employees, through their representatives for collective bargaining purposes, may take whatever action is necessary to preserve the pension rights of the employees, including the transfer of pension trust funds under the joint control of the transportation agency and the participating employees through their representatives to the trust fund to be established, maintained, and administered jointly by the authority and the participating employees through their representatives.

[Pre-Local Government Recodification Citation: 19-5-2.5-21.]

As added by Acts 1981, P.L.309, SEC.76. Amended by P.L.235-1997, SEC.16.