7. a. Nothing in this act shall be construed to deprive any officers or employees of the schools, institutes, and centers of the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey being transferred to Rutgers, The State University, of their rights, privileges, obligations or status with respect to any pension, retirement, or health benefits system. The employees shall, upon transfer to Rutgers, The State University, retain all of their rights and benefits under existing collective negotiations agreements or contracts until such time as new or revised agreements or contracts are agreed to. The employees shall continue to be represented by the majority representative that represented them as employees of the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, unless the employees choose to change their majority representative pursuant to law. Rutgers, The State University shall assume all obligations under existing or expired collective negotiations agreements that covered employees of the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey on the effective date of this act.

Employees in an existing University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey negotiations unit, who are transferred to or become employees of Rutgers, The State University shall be deemed to constitute an appropriate collective negotiations unit under the “New Jersey Employer-Employee Relations Act,” P.L.1941, c.100 (C. 34:13A-1 et seq.).

Nothing in this act shall affect the civil service status, if any, of those officers or employees. Nothing in this act shall affect the tenure, rank, or academic track of any of those employees holding a faculty position.

The employees shall, upon transfer to Rutgers, The State University, not be considered new employees for any purpose and shall retain any accrued seniority, rank, and tenure, which shall be applied when determining eligibility for all benefits, including all paid leave time, longevity increases, and promotions.

b. (1) Within 60 days following the effective date of this act, a Labor Management Committee (LMC) shall be established which shall be comprised of one representative from each of the majority representatives representing employees employed by Rutgers, The State University and by the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey as of the effective date of this act, along with representatives of the administration of Rutgers, The State University.

The LMC shall review all proposed restructuring and reorganization plans and shall make recommendations to the board of governors of Rutgers, The State University regarding personnel and labor relations related to the proposed plans, including recommendations to improve service delivery and avoid duplication of services and to promote equitable and consistent policies for compensation, benefits, and other terms and conditions of employment throughout the university for employees performing substantially similar duties.

Following the restructuring and reorganization, the LMC shall continue to meet quarterly to address ongoing personnel and labor relations issues that arise with respect to the restructuring or reorganization.

(2) Nothing in this act shall be construed to prohibit Rutgers, The State University and majority representatives from voluntarily entering into collective negotiations agreements that cover more than one negotiations unit where the members of two or more negotiations units perform substantially similar duties. If Rutgers, The State University and majority representatives are unable to agree on whether a collective negotiations agreement should cover one or more negotiations units represented by different majority representatives, the Public Employment Relations Commission shall assist the parties in the voluntary resolution of such a dispute through the appointment of a super conciliator in accordance with sections 4 and 5 of P.L.2003, c.126 (C. 34:13A-34 and C. 34:13A-35).

(3) Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraphs (1) and (2) of this subsection, Rutgers, The State University, in accordance with its obligations under the “New Jersey Employer-Employee Relations Act,” P.L.1941, c.100 (C. 34:13A-1 et seq.), shall honor existing collective negotiations agreements and negotiate over any changes in terms and conditions of employment with the majority representative of affected employees.

L.2012, c.45, s.7.