I have to agree with you 7700.
These guys knew what they were doing. If there was some nice simple, legal way for us to force the company to extend on current terms it would already have been done. They have been 'de facto' extending for years by allowing guys to go onto the freighters at 55.
I joined knowing I would have to leave at 55. Like many here I hope to leave long before then anyway.
No sympathy from this little black duck!