VB hired four DECs. So what? This is Australia after all, I heard you chaps work for peanuts and let things like that happen to you without doing a thing.
As much as you critisise them, the French would never agree to such miserable practice, not when ripe F/Os are waiting to be upgraded. There is a lot to be learned from the French when it comes to not putting up with Sh.t.
You don't want
VB to do this, strike or stop complaining.