Just to be clear, from someone who works for the company, what you hear from a mate and what is actually happening can differ.
Is the work to rule causing problems? No. When there are open time flights are people volunteering to cover? Yes (and getting paid handsomely - including some from the PPU) Are we short of pilots? Yes. Are we actively recruiting? Yes. Is VAA a good company to work for? Yes. What's does the future hold - Who knows? Are there people queuing around the corner to join? Yes.
The biggest question you want to ask is - who in there right mind would ever want to run an airline?