(1) The county-paid employees serving in the recorder’s court of the city of Detroit as of September 30, 1997 shall become county-paid employees serving in the circuit court in the third judicial circuit on October 1, 1997.

  (2) A county-paid employee serving in the recorder’s court of the city of Detroit who becomes a county-paid employee serving in the circuit court in the third judicial circuit under subsection (1) shall not, by reason of the transfer, be placed in any worse position with respect to worker’s compensation, pension, seniority, wages, sick leave, vacation, health and welfare insurance, or any other terms and conditions of employment that the employee enjoyed as an employee of the former court employer. The rights and benefits protected by this section may be altered by a future collective bargaining agreement or, for employees not covered by collective bargaining agreements, by benefit plans as established and adopted by the employer designated under section 593a(2) or (3).

  (3) The employer of county-paid employees serving in the circuit court in the third judicial circuit shall assume and be bound by any existing collective bargaining agreement held by the former employer of the employees serving in the recorder’s court of the city of Detroit and, except where the existing collective bargaining agreement may otherwise permit, shall retain the employees covered by that collective bargaining agreement. A transfer of employees shall not adversely affect any existing rights and obligations contained in the existing collective bargaining agreement.