Wouldn't your relative be vested in the pension system? Not that he could collect anything right away, and he probably couldn't get as much, but he ought to be able to collect something four years from now.
I agree, it is rotten, rotten, ROTTEN!
Has he talked to a lawyer who specializes in age discrimination cases? It sounds like there is a pattern here. I don't know how successful those have been in the courts lately, but it's worth a try. (And I'm not lawsuit crazy, but the people who fight back when they are cheated by an employer seem to come out OK. Even the ones who deserve to be fired. Speaking as someone who has been on both sides of such a dispute and did not fight enough.)
I hope things get better for your relative.
