you are talking about the engineers and are comparing Apples to oranges. You are comparing the Polar PFEs to the Atlas/Polar FOs.
The Atlas PFEs that are working are for the most part a pretty senior group. Most have been here since the inception of Atlas - compare the Polar PFEs on the street with the Atlas PFEs working if you are going to make a statement like that. If a guy is not qualified to hold a front seat should he still be kept on the payroll? We all know that classics are going away. The FE job is going with them.
And I do believe the remaining 8 (Bobb says9) Polar PFEs were given some options that would have kept them employed until the merger took effect when they would then take their place on the arbitrated list. Is that not true?