Got this off flightinfo:
SUBJECT: Opposition to Any Change to the Mandatory Retirement Age 60 Rule
NWA MEC RESOLUTION #07-7
WHEREAS the current ALPA policy supports the Mandatory Retirement Age 60 Rule in the interest of public safety, and
WHEREAS the new ICAO age 65 standard arbitrarily replaces one age limit with another, and
WHEREAS ICAO did not conduct a safety risk analysis to evaluate the impact of the change in the standard on safety, and
WHEREAS the new ICAO standard would reduce the current U.S. airline safety standard, and
WHEREAS no mitigations have been offered that would provide for an equivalent level of safety if the ICAO standard were adopted over the existing Age 60 Rule, and
WHEREAS before initiating a rulemaking that could change the Age 60 Rule, ALPA recommends the FAA conduct a safety risk assessment with the participation of ALPA, airline, and Aeromedical representatives, and
WHEREAS the FAA will be in compliance with the new ICAO standard, without changing the existing regulations because the standard does not preclude the FAA (or any ICAO State) from setting a lower maximum age limit, and
WHEREAS the membership of ALPA was extensively polled and clearly rejected any change to the current ‘age 660’ rule by a 55/45 margin overall, and
WHEREAS the Group A carriers, including NWA, who comprise more than 80% of ALPA’s overall dues income, rejected any proposed change to the Age 60 rule by a 64% to 36% margin, and
WHEREAS the pilots of NWA rejected any proposed change by more than 70%, and
WHEREAS there is no evidence to suggest any significant change in the perspectives and opinions of the membership in regard to this issue, and
WHEREAS any change to the current Age 60 rule could have far reaching and significant negative consequences for the majority of NWA pilots,
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED the NWA MEC opposes any change to the Mandatory Retirement Age 60 Rule in the interest of public safety, and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED the MEC directs the MEC Chairman and NWA Executive Vice President to submit resolutions to the Executive Board and Executive Council, respectively, requiring the explicit support for the Age 60 Rule and prohibiting support of any public or private effort to change the Age 60 Rule by all representatives and employees of ALPA International, and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED the MEC directs the resolution request a $2 million grant from the MCF to initiate, organize and lobby for legislation to oppose any change to the Age 60 Rule and active opposition by ALPA International of any waivers to the Age 60 Rule,
BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED the MEC directs the Executive Board and Executive Council resolutions prohibit any expenditure by ALPA International in support of changing the Age 60 Rule including, but not limited to, FPL, polling and lobbying.
Interesting reading.....