I expect that, for the Vps, in terms of the ULP charges, it's not a question of "winning" or "losing" that's at issue, but rather the resolution of the charges against the company...the charges against the union might easily just be "gravy".
Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but if the charges against the company are resolved to the satisfaction of the NLRB (with the posting of a few notices, or promises to desist, or whatever) and subsequently the union doesn't issue an unqualified offer to return to work, doesn't the coverage provided by the "ULP" cease to exist? I.e. - it then becomes a strictly economic strike, with the options ("permanent" replacement, for one) open to those who are on the receiving end of such an "economic" strike?
If such is the case, I'm not too sure that OH - as with just about any other company - is all that concerned about being at "fault" for such [relatively] minor infractions. Rather, their concern more likely lies in getting around the inconvenience unresolved charges might present. Just off hand - and this is by no means an "expert" observation - it appears they may have done just that. The one thing the union had going for it (in terms of keeping permanent replacement at bay) was the maintenance of the ULP charges. Now it seems that they're becoming resolved in one fashion or another (acceptance of penalty, withdrawal, denied prosecution, etc).
In that sense, I can well understand how the Vps would be unable to accept that they "lost"....because, under any meaningful sense of the term, they don't seem to have "lost" at all. Instead - economically, at least - they seem to have gathered in a big "win". Nor do I think they're going to lose any sleep at night worrying about a group of (what are in their consideration) disloyal, ungrateful employees who voluntarily walked away from their jobs; rather, I suspect they're more concerned now about moving forward with those who are currently employed (read actually "working").
Again, purely an IN-expert observation....and meant to be taken that way.