Dapoes--I will try to summarize what I think this is all about. First off, I think most everyone wants a secure, pleasant, well-compensated work life. It's just that there are 2 different ways of viewing how to get there:
1. You are all about being positive, believe the best/not the worst, let's come together (despite your past needling) and everything will be ok.
2. People like Kev, NxNW, BlacknBlue have a more defensive posture, based on past experiences. This is perfectly normal. Even dating back to pre-historic man, he didn't leave the proverbial cave without his club or spear--most likely because he had seen that tiger, bear or whatever -beast, even if just once (one of the reasons we have adrenaline).
In our case, the "club" or "spear" is formal representation. It's kind of like what's going on now with the healthcare elections. Some of it like long-term disability and group accident insurance, someone may (God willing) never need but they choose to make the election, have the $ taken out of their paycheck as, yes...insurance. Sure, they could choose not to elect it based on the fact that they have always been in good health, never been in an accident, etc...but the built-in (caveman) part of them says: "I may not need this, but if something happens, I don't want my savings depleted."
I'm glad you have been happy with Delta in the past. A positive attitude is a very good thing, but others feel the best way to that positive attitude comes with a sense of security. You like walking the tight rope without a net because you've never had a strong wind come up and throw you off balance a little. Others prefer a net because they have been jostled around while trying to walk it. That doesn't make them chicken-littles or bad employees. Just makes them human.