The Water Corporation in WA did the same thing. Gave all these guys voluntary redundancy and within 12 months more than 1/2 of them were back on contracts at more money as they had the experience and knowledge. They'll never learn. Best one was a foreman who had been with them for 30 odd years, made him redundant and a few weeks later rang him up to ask about the layout of some pipework he had been in charge of burying. Short answer was Bu**er Off! I'm retired.
Bill