1.  Bargaining authorized; contracts.  The directors of a district may bargain collectively and enter into written contracts with duly authorized labor organizations representing employees other than executive, administrative or professional personnel. These contracts may provide for wages, salaries, hours, working conditions and benefits, including, but not limited to, provisions pertaining to health and welfare, insurance, vacations, holidays, sick leave, seniority, arbitration, pensions and retirement.  

2.  Rights of employees.  It is declared to be the public policy of this State for the protection of the public health, safety and welfare that employees covered by contracts made under this section shall be accorded all of the rights of labor, except for the right to strike or engage in any work stoppage or slowdown.  

3.  Employees of acquired transportation system.  Whenever a district acquires any local mass transportation system under this chapter and operates that system or leases or contracts for the operation of that system under this chapter, the individual employees of that system shall be retained in positions the same as, or no worse than, their positions before the district's acquisition of the system to the fullest extent possible consistent with sound management and to the extent required by the service to be rendered from time to time by the district, its lessee or contractor. Any such employee not retained or laid off after retention because of lack of work or curtailment of service shall be assured priority of employment or reemployment when a position for which that employee is qualified becomes available.