6. Fringe benefits from current Maine Military Authority employment of transferred personnel, including vacation and sick leave, accrued seniority, health and life insurance and retirement, remain with the transferred personnel. The rights and benefits under statutes, rules and applicable collective bargaining agreements in effect on the effective date of this Act must be maintained for all personnel at the authority until changed in accordance with applicable labor law principles. The rights and benefits of personnel hired after the effective date of this Act whose positions are included within a bargaining unit are the same as those transferred employees once the newly hired personnel are eligible employees under applicable law or the applicable collective bargaining agreement. To the extent permitted by law the authority shall bargain collectively with its employees and administer any collective bargaining agreements.

7. All transferred employees who are represented by a bargaining agent on the effective date of this Act continue to be represented by that bargaining agent. Following the effective date of this Act, a petition for decertification or certification of a new bargaining agent may be filed in accordance with the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 26, chapter 9-B and the rules of the Maine Labor Relations Board.

8. The Department of Administrative and Financial Services shall assist the Maine Military Authority with the orderly implementation of these provisions.

Emergency clause. In view of the emergency cited in the preamble, this Act takes effect when approved.