Is it 100% that it is only being delayed? Who says it is inevitable? What else are the dues going to go towards - either the lawyers get rich or ALPA national gets rich. If the alternative is unbearable, why make the decision for them and not try? Don't try = 100% chance of losing.
There were real (at least in the minds of the US Air East pilots) issues and ALPA pretended they didn't exist, much like they pretended the majority of respondents to the polls weren't against Age 65.