In my experience, management tends to protect themselves and go up to bat for each other, especially when things can be blamed on their subordinates.

This isn't about blame, though. Even if for some reason you feel the need to care about blame passed around in a company after you've left, I would say it's still worse to strike when you can leave.

Unless you're suggesting that being blamed by management is intrinsically important and going on strike is going to be less blamed by management? I would just disagree with every aspect of that statement.