§ 17B-2a-813. Rights, benefits, and protective conditions for employees of a public transit district -- Strike prohibited -- Employees of an acquired transit system.

(1) The rights, benefits, and other employee protective conditions and remedies of Section 13(c) of the Urban Mass Transportation Act of 1964, 49 U.S.C. Sec. 5333(b), as determined by the Secretary of Labor, apply to a public transit district's establishment and operation of a public transit service or system.

(2)

(a) Employees of a public transit system established and operated by a public transit district have the right to:

(i) self-organization;

(ii) form, join, or assist labor organizations; and

(iii) bargain collectively through representatives of their own choosing.

(b) Employees of a public transit district and labor organizations may not join in a strike against the public transit system operated by the public transit district.

(c) Each public transit district shall:

(i) recognize and bargain exclusively with any labor organization representing a majority of the district's employees in an appropriate unit with respect to wages, salaries, hours, working conditions, and welfare, pension, and retirement provisions; and

(ii) upon reaching agreement with the labor organization, enter into and execute a written contract incorporating the agreement.

(3) If a public transit district acquires an existing public transit system:

(a) all employees of the acquired system who are necessary for the operation of the acquired system, except executive and administrative officers and employees, shall be:

(i) transferred to and appointed employees of the acquiring public transit district; and

(ii) given sick leave, seniority, vacation, and pension or retirement credits in accordance with the acquired system's records;

(b) members and beneficiaries of a pension or retirement plan or other program of benefits that the acquired system has established shall continue to have rights, privileges, benefits, obligations, and status with respect to that established plan or program; and

(c) the public transit district may establish, amend, or modify, by agreement with employees or their authorized representatives, the terms, conditions, and provisions of a pension or retirement plan or of an amendment or modification of a pension or retirement plan.

(4) A pension administrator for a retirement plan sponsored by a public transit district or a person designated by the administrator shall maintain retirement records in accordance with Subsection 49-11-618(2).

Amended by Chapter 448, 2013 General Session