rsync -u and --ignore-existing options don't work ??

rsync serv: aix 4.3.3 ML11
client I am testing with: aix 4.3.3 ML11

I have an rsync server supplying files for the /usr/local
directory structure. When a client runs rsync it pulls over
several /usr/local directories and links are created in
/usr/local/bin to where the binaries actually reside.

Occasiionally, I want to drop a binary in /usr/local/bin
and not have rsync write over it with a link to the rsync
distribution. For example, I dropped a newer gzip binary
in /usr/local/bin and thought because the client ran rsync
with the -u option, it would not write over the newer binary,
but it did - and it re-created the symlink over to the rsync
distribution binary.

I compiled rsync v2.5.6 and tried using the --ignore-existing
to no avail - it still wrote over the newer binary I dropped
into /usr/local/bin

Is there a config or command option I am missing? I do not want
to have to write special "exclude" options into the rsync command
everytime a newer piece of software is put on a machine.

Does anyone have a solution or a command option that, perhaps,
I have overlooked?

Thanks!
-B.Ries