It's too bad the Delta pilots don't have Member Ratification of ANY and ALL side letters signed by the MEC.
It would make the Delta MEC come to the pilots and COMPLETELY and THOROUGHLY explain why they did what they did BEFORE it was done, since it would have to pass the "smell test" with the pilots.
I have been and always will be a big proponent of this at ANY airline. It's aggravating when a few people can control the lives and futures of thousands and the answers don't add up to anything but the probable loss of jobs in the future.
That wouldn't have made any difference. This was a grievance settlement, not a side-letter. The contract language didn't change.