The stategy is to scare and threaten pilots both with the planned Jetconnect integration and both the upcoming SH and LH EBAs.
Seen from afar, it would seem likely that this is a viable strategy.
It is almost without question that the Jetconnect, Network and 457 'announcements' are well timed.
After all, 1989 is 30 years ago!
The 2011 'dispute' and grounding was well timed as a
new generation of pilots were in jet cockpits, who may well remember that year as footnote in history!
The strategy is a cornerstone of the adversarial model. As has been discussed on other threads, it is usually timed with a down turn in the business cycle to drive home fear. There is plenty of literature supporting your hypothesis.
It worked before it will probably work again!