I remember the head of the United Auto Workers Union telling the General Motors workers that "Even if we worked for free, it wouldn't be enough" such was the state of the company.
Prehaps the Singapore Airlines system of a variable component to salary, depending on profits or lack of is the answer. Even they are having to look at compulsory unpaid leave.
The high pay, final salary pensions and union practices are nice to have IF they can be sustained. Obviously at the moment they can't and some serious restructuring to suit a changed market is in order if they are to avoid going under like Sabena, Swiss Air, Pan Am, Braniff, Eastern, Ansett etc etc
I'm sure the staff don't want to see BA sold to Ryan Air for a pound and have to deal with MOL.