(a)
Each trial court may establish a salary range for each of its employee classifications. Considerations shall include, but are not limited to, local market conditions and other local compensation-related issues such as difficulty of recruitment or retention.
(b)
All persons who are trial court employees as defined in Section 71601, as of the implementation date of this chapter shall become trial court employees at their existing salary rate. For employees who are represented by a recognized employee organization, salary ranges may be subject to modification pursuant to the terms of a memorandum of understanding or agreement, or upon expiration of an existing memorandum of understanding or agreement subject to meet and confer in good faith. For employees who are not represented by a recognized employee organization, salary ranges may be revised by the trial court. However, as provided in Section 71612, the implementation of this chapter shall not be a cause for the modification of salary ranges by a trial court.