For those talking about NWA management not "letting" 1000 guys retire, you should know it's not management's decision to make. If 1000 NWA guys want to retire early, there's nothing that can be done.

Not that I'm encouraging this in any way, but guys who are interested in retiring before the huge jump in early retirement medical premiums don't have to be sitting on pins and needles waiting to decide to put in their papers just before the DCC. They only need to call in sick the day before. Under the newest interpretation of the JPWA, if you early retire directly from sick leave, your medical premiums are grandfathered in at the old rates. That would be one way for a guy to get the equity claim, then retire under the old premiums. It's sneaky, but possible. I think that's what the company's worried about.

I know it's a high number, but I don't think it's quite 1000 guys.

Carl