In every community college district coterminous with the boundaries of a city and county, employees employed in nonacademic positions shall be employed, if the city and county has a charter providing for a merit system of employment, pursuant to the provisions of the charter providing for the system and shall, in all respects, be subject to, and have all rights granted by, those provisions; provided, however, that the governing board of the district shall have the right to fix the duties of all of its employees.