So any company can eliminate the positions of all senior hourly employees, then rehire them in lower paying jobs but have them perform the same work?
Anytime they want to?
And I think it's the 13th Amendment you're referring to...
My hourly position was eliminated and I took a less senior job in the company (at a 60% pay cut) to keep my health benefits.
Once I decided to take the less senior position, the company decided since I was still here, I should continue doing my old job, just at the greatly reduced rate of pay...