I've been following this thread with interest, I got caught up in the B.A. strikes of '77 and '89 The management 'pencil whipping' as Redtail calls it. The pilot community didn't help either bending over backwards to break the strike, aircraft after aircraft arriving 'NIL DEFECTS' (strange that!) and anything of any significance jotted down on a piece of paper and handed to the ongoing crew. I think one of the results of this was the Trident wing cracks bought on by tankering fuel.
I'm not so sure management would find it quite so easy now though, the tier above the L.A.E. have all had their authorisations taken away (passivated) and would now need retraining due to the length of time 'off the tools'. Ask someone who has tried to get a passivated authorisation back.