Isn't this just a further extension of the age old problem of DEC's entering an existing company and bypassing seniority lists and thereby displacing senior f/o's that were ready for upgrade?
Companies have been setting up "new" bases on reduced T&C's, bypassing labour laws, instigating new seniority lists and the like for years. Emirates as just one example have bypassed their pool of f/o's in order to take on DEC's in order to reduce training costs. FR even asked for sealed bids for upgrades at one of its bases and the "successful and dillusional" f/o's didn't even seek an increase in pay for shifting to the LHS.
Paying for PIC time is just a step further if you ask me and is tapping into a business opportunity.