I'm not even really making an argurment here I'm just wondering about the differing outcomes and what exact standard the union could be held to beyond flat out begging for certain things.

Some airlines had maintenence write up injunctions. The courts could do nothing about any legitimate write up. Could you imagine if pilots were capped to a "historical" quota and couldn't write up legitimate discrepancies required by law to be written up?

The union should do everything it can to ensure their end of the status quo is upheld to the best of their ability and let the process work as its laid out for both sides. That also applies to the other side. That means labor can cherry pick the best YoY reroute, commutability, productivity, time on hold awaiting legally mandated prospective rest during IROPs and a million other things.