They do this in the corporate world...when they reorg and want to lower salaries or get rid of people...you reapply for the position you’ve held.
I used to work for a corporation but was separate from the facility itself. My supervisor was 3 hrs away. A lot of the people that worked there complained about the manager and wanted him gone. I told them they should thank their lucky stars that he left them alone and if someone new came in they’d be sorry. Sure enough he left for a new job and the new manager cleaned house. When she was done there was hardly anyone left.
That’s what they all do.