I think there is lots of wishful thinking going on here. You have to remember who you are dealing with. Peter Bellew. He was taken to court by Ryanair for lying and pushed out of easyJet for the disaster he oversaw.
He really really doesn't like pilots. My guess is after they are crewed, the contract will be "refreshed" for "flexibility" and you can either take the pay cut or walk. They'll do it when the market is tight so people have no where to go.
PB's history is widely available online, there is a reason they hired him specifically.