Once upon a time, Delta, United, NWA, were highly compensated pilots too with handsome retirement, life and health benefits.
With the help of their ALPA, MECs, and coercion from management, they all agreed to take pay cuts. Their retirement benefits were terminated. Their health benefits options were also reduced. They all agreed to this without any provisions for repayment of reduced salaries, nor restoration of benefits. But that's what happens when you have ALPA on your side.
Big difference with SWA is that they have a strong union and do not let management get away with anything.
Then there is the public's perception of pilot's pay. There has been a great deal of informational picketing at airports in the US about the erosion of pay and benefits. Unfortunately after the KMSP overfly and KATL taxiway incident... say so long to public sympathy.