My advice to the FE is get as much as possible, play hard ball and don't except anything less.
My father was made redundant in 1987, he worked for ThornEMI as an electronics engineer (nothing to do with aviation), he was 55 at the time.
He is now struggling because their union accepted the first offer, about 10 grand and a pension. Not bad considering when it was.
He paid off the morgage with that and had a hoiliday with mum. Not much after that, as you can guess. He as a pension of 5 grand a year.
My father as never really worked since then, no permanent work, permanent recession( we're Northerners).
If for example that the FE are getting 50 grand, average age I would suspect is about 50ish (no offence!). You are more or less in the same position as my Dad. There is no guarentee that you'll get a well paid job again. Pensions, I would suspect are pretty good but as what happened to my Dad this year, they decided not to give them their bonus (2000quid).
You also have to factor in Inflation. It's pretty low at the moment but please remember that in the early 1990's it was 11% (actual 15-16% government smudged the figures after black wednesday!).
So that really is what you've got to live on for the next 20,30,40 years, who knows?
Sorry, this was a long one!!
In a nut shell...
Those in this position should screw as much money as possible out of BA
.
Those not in this position and don't agree with this have right to their opinion but I would guess would do exactly as the above.
Nobody can predict the future, it's not being greedy but providing security in an umpredictable world (Do you think I should sell pensions? ).
Goodluck
