AA has been using this tactic for decades to get APA to settle for an inferior contract promising more airplanes. For some reason it still seems to work.
Now, so many of the senior guys are bailing out to save their retirement funds they can use it again on the new guys. The new guys will probably bite on it too. What a shame that the airline pilot profession has lost so much ground in the last 20 years. I loved my career but feel sorry for the future of the one's still flying. It is not the same now. The company has no interest in any contract negotiations with anybody at this time. They feel they are holding the football.