§ 2023. Transfer of officers and employees. Any public officer or employee under civil service, selected by the authority may, with the consent of the commission, board or department by which he or she has been employed, be transferred to the authority and shall be eligible for such transfer and appointment without examination to comparable offices, positions and employment under the authority. The salary or compensation of any such officer or employee shall after such transfer be paid by the authorty. But notwithstanding the provisions of this act, any such officers or employees so transferred to the authority, pursuant to the provisions of this section, who are members of or beneficiaries under any existing pension or retirement system, shall continue to have all rights, privileges, obligations and status with respect to such fund system or systems as are now prescribed by law, but during the period of their employment by the authority, all contributions to any pension or retirement fund or system to be paid by the employer on account of such officers or employee, shall be paid by the authority; and all such officers and employees who have been appointed to positions under the rules and classifications of the state civil service commission shall have the same status with respect thereto after transfer to the authority as they had under their original appointments. It is hereby declared that in the interest of efficiency and in so far as it may be practicable, all employees engaged in the operation of any property or properties, except in an executive capacity, at the time such property or properties shall have been acquired by the authority, pursuant to the provisions of this act, shall become the employees of the authority. The authority shall be deemed an employer within the meaning of the state labor relations law. The appointment and promotion of all employees of the authority shall be made in accordance with the provisions of the civil service law (constituting chapter seven of the consolidated laws).