It’s basically why SOs need to take LWOP.
As the guys at the top trickle down, Qantas probably can’t make SOs CR as the FOs lose a stripe along with Captains.
Of course Qantas could just build up a pool of SOs as the top move down and then make those positions redundant. However the easiest way to manage it is targeted VR at the top to prevent the downwards RIN and targeted LWOP at the bottom.
The ones I really feel sorry for are the recent transfers to long haul from Shorthaul who could be facing loss of a stripe. But it’s still better than nothing I guess.
Aviation really is messed up sometimes.