Continental-520,
As you state, employee satisfaction in the past was higher. And I would submit that the competition locally was much less in the past. These factors and the others mentioned have not moved in cycles, they have trended steadily to the negative for EK. Hence, I consider them "unprecedented" in that EK has not had to deal with them in such magnitude in the past. They most certainly have not gone through "phases" in the past where they - for example - struggled to attract experienced pilots. Until fairly recently they had their pick of the crop. Certainly, they have faced crises such as the 2008 GFC common to all carriers. But that's not really relevant.
I would also take issue with the statement that the root cause of EK's problems are their reactions to external factors. The majority of their current problems are self-inflicted, they've completely lost the plot on how to manage any company's biggest, most valuable resource: their people. The external factors are, as you note, common to all players.
Point is, the pendulum is not going to swing back magically as you seem hopeful it will. Radical changes would be necessary to effect that, and it's plainly obvious the will/competence/humility is not there to do so. It's a slow-motion train wreck.
But I do understand the need to try and stay positive and justify one's decisions. Not meant facetiously, one does what one has to put up with a situation.