Rejecting a 30 percent raise was a great strategy for alienating them from the number of American workers who would have been happy to have gotten a raise at all over the last four years.
Do not say "I don't have mine, so you do not get to have it either". That is the problem with the US, if you see people working and fighting for their rights and you are not, who's fault is that.
But I remember correctly, the workers gave up a lot when they approved the last contract. I think part of this is to get what they gave up.
Ignoring that half the reason they can ask for whatever they want is that they are the last standing expert on some esoteric internal thing. Of course you get treated well! Too bad the rest of us don't have 15+ yrs here and practically own this or that piece code.
Sounds like those workers should've joined unions too