Natural Evolution
Delta management's plan for a new 35% reduction in pilot compensation is not sinister, underhanded, unfair, or a "betrayal" of the pilots.
It's a natural and inevitable progression as Delta fights for survival.
Pilots are by far the most expensive labor cost for an airline. It is inevitable that pilots will shoulder a far, far larger hit than other employees as legacy carriers scramble to reduce costs so they can stay alive.
Airlines are doing this, of course, in order to be able to continue offering cheap fares while still making a profit. Airlines that can do that will survive; airlines that can't, won't.
I think the comment or two by Delta pilots here saying they've found an alternate career or are looking for one are pretty intelligent. Pilots who are smart and want some control over their careers will establish an alternate career field now. It's inevitable that one or more major US airlines will go bankrupt; pilots need to realize that a full professional flying career (assuming they can have that) is never going to be anywhere as financially rewarding as it used to be. Why? One main reason: the cheap fare.