At Vet0 they are only slightly worse than Cons. Rifles are different matter as they are the strongest core infantry unit atm. At Vet3 they equall to Cons or maybe slightly better (don't remember exact numbers). At Vet4 they are already better.
Early game you're supposed to utilize Volks with Kubel and Sturmpios. No buff is required.
Back in the halcyon days of WFA release people spammed Sturmpio's like crazy because of how good they were (they were then nerfed heavily ofc), nary a volks was seen until people were forced to make them. If you bring volks back into the eh category by making them basically slightly better Oustruppen people will just start spamming Pio's and Kubels again.
Not to mention the fact you want to remove the very thing that makes them vet up so darn fast, so If they are scaling like every other infantry in the game until vet 3 they are going to remain inferior to cons and riflemen. What point is there to making them if you have to wait until vet 3 for them to be equal to cons?
If you want to remove the shrek (that's fine) you need to give them something in return! Many people have suggested multiple things already in this very thread.
You do also know that you could make the argument that every unit in the game is fine as long as you utilize it with other things right?