It is irrelevant whether the Feds are in touch with their members or not. Clearly they did a deal with the Company to endorse the document. Just seems that in their haste to ingratiate themselves with the Company they forgot to create the illusion that they weren't expecting what the document contained.
In my view they clearly had prior info on the late inserts to the doc, probably because they had suggested them in a futile (or maybe not) attempt to attract more F/O members. Unfortunately such an ill thought out tactic has probably cost them a shed load of members in Long Haul, and given existing members pause to think what the hell they are up to.
Whether you like VIPA or not, it is for this exact reason that it was started and if they do nothing else, at least they have exposed the Feds yet again for being driven by self interest rather than the interest of the Virgin pilots.