When the state system of community and technical colleges assumes administrative control of the vocational-technical institutes, personnel employed by the vocational-technical institutes shall:

(1) Suffer no reduction in compensation, benefits, seniority, or employment status. After September 1, 1991, classified employees shall continue to be covered by chapter 41.56 RCW and faculty members and administrators shall be covered by chapter 28B.50 RCW;

(2) To the extent applicable to faculty members, any faculty currently employed on a "continuing contract" basis under RCW 28A.405.210 be awarded tenure pursuant to RCW 28B.50.851 through 28B.50.873, except for any faculty members who are provisional employees under RCW 28A.405.220;

(3) Be eligible to participate in the health care and other insurance plans provided by the health care authority and the public employees' benefits board pursuant to chapter 41.05 RCW;

(4) Be eligible to participate in old age annuities or retirement income plans under the rules of the state board for community and technical colleges pursuant to RCW 28B.10.400 or the teachers' retirement system plan 1 for personnel employed before July 1, 1977, or plan 2 for personnel employed after July 1, 1977, under chapter 41.32 RCW; however, no affected vocational-technical institute employee shall be required to choose from among any available retirement plan options prior to six months after September 1, 1991;

(5) Have transferred to their new administrative college district all accrued sick and vacation leave and thereafter shall earn and use all such leave under the rule established pursuant to RCW 28B.50.551;

(6) Be eligible to participate in the deferred compensation plan and programs pursuant to RCW 41.05.123, 41.05.300 through 41.05.360, and 41.05.295 under the applicable rules.

An exclusive bargaining representative certified to represent a bargaining unit covering employees of a vocational technical institute on September 1, 1991, shall remain the exclusive representative of such employees thereafter until and unless such representative is replaced or decertified in accordance with state law.

Any collective bargaining agreement in effect on June 30, 1991, shall remain in effect as it applies to employees of vocational technical institutes until its expiration or renewal date or until renegotiated or renewed in accordance with chapter 28B.52 or 41.56 RCW. After the expiration date of a collective bargaining agreement, all of the terms and conditions specified in the collective bargaining agreement, as it applies to employees of vocational-technical institutes, shall remain in effect until the effective date of a subsequent agreement, not to exceed one year from the termination date stated in the agreement. The board of trustees and the employees may mutually agree to continue the terms and conditions of the agreement beyond the one year extension. However, nothing in this section shall be construed to deny any employee right granted under chapter 28B.52 or 41.56 RCW. Labor relations processes and agreements covering faculty members of vocational technical institutes after September 1, 1991, shall be governed by chapter 28B.52 RCW. Labor relations processes and agreements covering classified employees of vocational technical institutes after September 1, 1991, shall continue to be governed by chapter 41.56 RCW.

Effective date—2008 c 229: See note following RCW 41.05.295.