I've heard similar things G_S.
It's a big thing for someone to move literally to the other side of the world, especially when the move involves coming to one of the most expensive cities on the planet! Once the move has been made, just how difficult will it be to reverse the decision? REX will be looking for a return on their investment, and that will come at a price.
As for the employment contract, the new pilots will start at the bottom of the seniority list. This means that if redundancies occur, for whatever reasons, it's last on, first off!
Food for thought.
