Sounds more like stupidity of those guys to me. Now suppose mangement was actually trying to get them jobs elsewhere (I know, maybe a more hopeful than real scenario, but anyway), then now management has all possible excuses for not having found anything for them.
'Hey boss, you promised you would get me a new job.'
'Yes. I was close to have you one, but then you admitted publicly that you were no safe pilot!'.
Really bright one, as maxalt said.