Did you see the subthread that the motivation behind this union does not seem to be collective bargaining over compensation, but in response to management's decision over personnel issues:

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48665062

Indeed, the OP does not mention increased pay at all, but rather "concerns over transparency, trust, and the organisation’s future direction."

You can go ahead and call that rhetoric, but you are also reading in intentions that do not seem to match reports from the ground.