There is you and then there is me:
"The only way I would take a "voluntary" pay cut this year would be if I saw a bigger return to me this year...."
While agreeing with what you say, I do not know how much of a hair cut they got in their pay. If it is less then 10 % then if I was an employee I would be ok for a few years. Only if the cut was more than 10% would I have to be sure that my return would be this year or at the very least by end of Spring 2017.
I am pessimistic that the expected news will come before winter season (late November?) starts.