(3) The officers and employees of the convention center authority shall be transferred to the authority and shall become employees of the authority and the authority shall retain those employees transferred to the authority pursuant to this section as employees of the division; provided, however, that any employee transferred to the authority pursuant to this section may be dismissed for cause, and any such employee may be dismissed if the authority determines that the transfer of the convention center authority to the authority has resulted in the duplication of responsibility of the position held by such employee, but such an employee shall be given a right of first refusal offer of similar employment if such employment shall become available as determined by the authority. Nothing in P.L. 2011, c. 18(C.5:12-218 et al.) shall be construed to deprive any officers or employees of the convention center authority of their rights, privileges, obligations, or status with respect to any pension or retirement system. The employees shall retain all of their rights and benefits under existing collective negotiation agreements or contracts until such time as new or revised agreements or contracts are agreed to. All existing employee representatives shall be retained to act on behalf of those employees until such time as the employees shall, pursuant to law, elect to change those representatives. Nothing in P.L. 2011, c. 18(C.5:12-218 et al.) shall affect the civil service status, if any, of those officers or employees.