Washington § 36.57.090 - Acquisition of existing transportation system — Assumption of labor contracts — Transfer of employees — Preservation of benefits — Collective bargaining.

A county transportation authority may acquire any existing transportation system by conveyance, sale, or lease. In any purchase from a county or city, the authority shall receive credit from the county or city for any federal assistance and state matching assistance used by the county or city in acquiring any portion of such system. The authority shall assume and observe all existing labor contracts relating to such system and, to the extent necessary for operation of facilities, all of the employees of such acquired transportation system whose duties are necessary to operate efficiently the facilities acquired shall be appointed to comparable positions to those which they held at the time of such transfer, and no employee or retired or pensioned employee of such systems shall be placed in any worse position with respect to pension seniority, wages, sick leave, vacation or other benefits that he or she enjoyed as an employee of such system prior to such acquisition. The authority shall engage in collective bargaining with the duly appointed representatives of any employee labor organization having existing contracts with the acquired transportation system and may enter into labor contracts with such employee labor organization.