I have two words for you guys:

Safety First!

Unless your pilot group (not your union) individually (yet collectively) decides to actively promote "Safety First," you'll never get the contract you desire. This has been proven many times over by others who have been where you are today.

I mentioned this concept recently to a Pinnacle jumpseater. He agreed, yet made it clear that your pilot group is afraid that if performance suffers, Delta will attempt to cancel your contract. This is true. What you must understand, is that your Management is even more afraid of this than you are. At some point Delta will come to your management and say, "either you guys get your act together (i.e. get a pilot contract) or we're going to start cancelling your flying." If this happens, I guarantee, within a week, you'll have a contract.