So you don't know the reason for the pay raise. If you watched the crew news DP gave just before the pay raise announcement DP was explaining that since we were in the normal cycle of pattern bargaining, compensation adjustments (paraphrasing here) would half to wait, or take place, in 2020.

Well then the pay rate adjustments were announced shortly thereafter. Many in the training department were saying that pilots were leaving classes for other carriers, specifically Delta. While your somewhat correct that no one can really place their finger on the reason for the change it wasn't because the union was "pressuring" the company for the rate change. Thats the point.

What I think was instrumental for the change was Elise Eberwine, along with DP, went to the board to convince them the upcoming pilot shortage in concurrence with the regional pilot shortage was a potential problem for the company that had to be addressed. Her husband is a LAWA senior (formally junior) Captain. Im sure getting her husband a pay raise had something to do with it.