Donbloc: Doesn't your "contract to age 60" still have the "three months notice on either side" bit ? Brings to mind a colleague & friend of mine who, in the ME took this type of fight (and lost) with his employer for clarity.
The company had ex-pats working on three year contracts. Employees fought for ages to be on 'full career' contracts. Company agreed. So the guys went from three years security to 'open ended' but now with three months notice. Employees thought they had won (!).
The 'Age over 60' was just as farcical. A select few, at age 57, were given conversion courses to keep them until age 65. Catch was ,one year contracts with a three year bond .(honestly !).
Mate fought all of this and while on leave, company failed to renew work/res visa. He got back in on a visit visa. Gotcha ! fired as the company claimed the Ministry was unable to issue a Work/ Res visa on a visit visa. He'd been there 17 years.
Hope you chaps fair better...