Respectfully, I think it is in poor taste to consider 9E folks unworthy of S3A by casting them aside as “contract labor.” Every day, they make meaningful contributions to the success of the system as a whole. Many use the pass to commute. IMHO getting to and from home trumps leisure any day. Leisure travel for active folks of either pedigree should also take the enhanced priority as their sometimes limited days off confine the ability to be as flexible as a retiree could be.

If years of service your benchmark for this argument, then why shouldn’t retirees go ahead of the active junior S3 too?