The only reason that this whole issue is in front of the CHRT and the CIRB is because of several greedy pilots from ACPA shrouding themselves in the cloak of "human rights"...full stop.
The AC pilot's pension plan language has been there years, and guess what, it was never declared illegal by anyone...it's only a problem when someone complains... The CHRT wasn't going around looking in Collective Agreements to see if every clause was in compliance with the legislation.
I take no lessons from CUPE, and frankly anyone who does, should be a little ashamed of themselves. CUPE, the union that would bankrupt Air Canada if they got their way by ensuring that Service Directors get pay equity with First Officers...need anyone say anymore?
This issue is in front of the CHRT because standards have changed in Canada and it is no longer acceptable for a group to decide when an individual must retire. The fact that the Federal Government hasn't gotten around to changing their rules yet is a short term reprieve at best because it is happening as we speak. You think Air Canada can just duck their heads and evade that reality forever? You want to blame an entire shift in Canadian Society's standards and law on a few Air Canada pilots?
This issue is in front of the CIRB because ACPA forgot they are a trade union and have legal obligations. They wear that one...no one else. And you can be thankful someone has undertaken to remind them of that fact because YOU might have been the next person they decided to cast off.
Finally, yes we can take lessons from CUPE and should. In fact we should take lessons from anybody who does anything better and smarter than we do. The old saying "you wouldn't recognize a good idea if it ran you over in a cement truck" applies here, as it does in far too many instances at Air Canada and ACPA.