Bermuda is losing out on a ?wealth of knowledge? by forcing workers to retire at the age of 65, BIU president Derrick Burgess.

And he said the BIU has already met with the Human Rights Commission about amending the Human Rights Act on the issue. The union is now seeking a meeting with Community and Cultural Affairs Minister Dale Butler.

?It?s age discrimination,? Mr. Burgess told yesterday. ?These are walking encyclopaedias that we are sending home.?

Even some Government departments put their workers out to pasture at 65, he said.

?At 65, they?re finished. It?s so unfair. Some of them are working because they have to, some because they feel like working. And why not?

?These days, 65 is young. Somebody at 65 can hold their own. Yes, there comes a time when one must go home. But at 65 ... we must reassess our position in Bermuda on workers who hit 65.?

Citing Sir James Astwood, the former Chief Justice and Court of Appeals judge who retired recently at the age of 80, Mr. Burgess asked why that option was not available to all workers Island-wide.

?He has a value to society,? he said of Sir James. ?This guy?s brilliant. He?s 80 and still ruthless!

?Other workers are the same, particularly if they still want to be working. I feel they should have the choice between 55 and 70. If they want to retire at 55, that?s fine, and if they want to retire at 70, that should be OK too.?

He mentioned one large company that had a policy whereby workers are evaluated both by the employer and by a medical doctor on reaching 65.

?If the doctor and the supervisor or manager feel the employee can go on, they will, up to the age of 70. We think that?s a great arrangement.?

The hospital also allows workers to stay past 65, he said, as do many of the hotels.

The Human Rights Commission agreed it was age discrimination, he said, but there is nothing under the Human Rights Act to prevent it.

For that reason, he hoped to amend the Act to say: ?No-one should be made to go home at 65.

?They can go to whatever age is decided among the legislators, and then they?ll have a choice.?

There should also be a phasing-in period for retirees, he said. ?The thing is, you hit 65 and it?s an abrupt stop.

?They don?t know what to do with themselves. It should be phased in.?

Mr. Burgess said he did not believe riaisng the retirement age would block the aspirations of younger workers.