I'm surprised at how many people are flying around 900hrs a year.
I work for a UK operator and never fly more than 550 hours a year and have a final salary pension. I expect there are many thousands of other U.K. based pilots in the same situation or better as me.
The salaries certainly haven't 'kept up' since the 70s or 80s. I think pay wise UK pilots in the '80s used to compare their salaries to GPs or even consultants.
I expect the general technology available to us makes a big difference. I can video chat to my kids when abroad or use skype etc. That must make things better than in the '70s.
The kit we operate must be easier to get along with. Tracking airways with just VORs and a basic autopilot must be much harder than todays LNAV VNAV flying.