Under the american justice system they are not criminals.
Criminal charges are filed at the request of the complaintent. If the victim cannot file charges, the D.A will represent the people and proceed accordingly. This is how the Criminal Justice System works.
A criminal does not have to be someone who has been charged or arrested. If someone steals your car and they are never caught, that does not make them any less a criminal.
Assault is a crime, period. Pre-meditated assualt is especially heinous because it may not only a be crime of passion but also a crime of vicious intent for the purpose of causing harm or injury, either mentally or physically.
The "22" former employees went to other union's meeting with the obvious intent of at least causing a disturbance. When you rent a hotel room or even a house, you have a resonable expectation of privacy and safety. When that expectation has been violated, a law has been broken. Breaking and Entering charges could also be filed against the "22".
Did you also notice that the hotel has not filed charges for the distruction of property? The case against these "22" former employees is still being made.
Civil charges may also still be filed against the "22" for financial compensation, ie. hospital bills, property damage, etc...
Un-employement benefits are for those persons who have lost their jobs at no fault of their own. The termination of the "22" came at their own hands. US Airways nor any other outside force had anything to do with this.
I hope you can appreciate the fact that these folks knowlingly and willfully broke the law.
The "22" have only themselves to blame for their current situation.
On a personal note. Quick tempered, hot headed people who appear to have a serious disreguard for law and order have no business working on or around aircraft. Our passengers and fellow employees deserve better than that.