We need to, as a group, stop worrying about retirements when we talk contract. We need to bargain for a contract for those of us who are going to fly under it. Mismanagement of retirement rates - not our problem.
The problem with all of this talk about incentives for guys to stay through peak and incentives to provide more notice is that the money will come out of another area. We (the ones working under the contract) shouldn't give up money to help cover for a management failure.
If that is something the company wants to pony up on their own, after a ratified contract, so be it. When we allow these things to become part of contract negotiations, we just guarantee that guys will hang around at the next negotiation.
Pipe