My guess is, they budgeted receiving the interest on the money they get by delaying pilot pay raises by one month as this affects someone's "Under budget bonus." , and have now made this delay tactic an SOP. Also, a rumor is brewing, that OT threshold will be lowered to 85-87 hours. If this is done it would be great, but completely screw the hardest working drivers the (330/340). Again.
EK should also add pay for every day off less than 12 to acknowledge this. Also absolutely needed is credit for training and vacation. Until this happens lowering the threshold does little in the way of good faith or justice. IMHO