Rainboe, the information you are receiving is very selective. The so called higher rates of pay or 'legacy' pay as the company calls it are being paid to those in the Republic of Ireland. The three bases in Belfast, Gatwick and now Washington are on 'local' terms and conditions. Astreaus aircraft will only be flying out of Belfast and Gatwick bases where the company only last week said is very happy with it's cost base. As such the hiring of your company will have no impact on the terms and conditions of the perceived higher paid contracts.
The surplus of pilots is now in the Republic of Ireland as they will be losing 5 aircraft to your company. However the surplus is at the bottom, not at the top where the cost is approximately one third that of those at the upper end and in line with pay at it's UK bases. The only difference is the pension contribution made by company but this is to go anyway. It makes no financial sense. All 100 surplus pilots are First Officers not Captains. These 100 pilots want to move to UK contracts as most are eligible for command. Many of these held command positions in other airlines before joining Aer Lingus and are eager to get back to that seat again. They are voluntarily willing to do this, not forced. The net cost will be less to the the company if they were allowed to move. One must now ask the question as to why the Aer Lingus would employ an outside company to operate it's flight when it has it's own cheapest labour within the department willing to do so. It's financial suicide and does nothing to tackle the higher rates of pay of those at it's home base.
300k by the way is a long way wide of the mark. Don't believe the information the tabloids and their equivalent boast of.