IMO the pilot issue won't disappear, industrial action or no industrial action, recession or no recession.
However, the way I see it, Ryanair management is having to fight on too many fronts right now. They have the customers, regulator, pilots and even the investors to appease. They are distracted by their own admission; they will shelve their Alitalia and Air Berlin aspirations.
The management are on the back foot, so yes, now is a great opportunity for the pilots to seek improvements to T&Cs. I'm sure there is plenty of chatter behind the scenes.