Nothing will be settled until they actually stop abusing the system and/or acting childish in response to criticism IMO.
In my opinion experienced users should lead by example and to show a willingness to compromise.
Many members (not only in mentioned section) aren't taking "Trust settings" with due seriousness and they need gently explain that such behavior can harm the forum community.
Theymos foresaw this situation and wrote that it is better to settle the conflict instead to engage in constant disputes.
I still discourage retaliatory ratings, and with these changes I encourage people to try to "bury the hatchet" and de-escalate rather than trying to use any increased retaliatory power you now have.