There's been a lot of discussion as to why things are the way they are at a fine operator like Air Log. Some thoughts from an outsiders's fevered brain (I never flew for Air Log):
In my 13 years in the GOM, I never heard more vitriolic comments from any other company's pilots regarding management than I did from Air Log guys. Even guys at operators they regarded as marginal weren't as adversarial. It never got that bad at PHI- This in spite of the fact I was at PHI through 3 union drives, and can document management's flat lies to, and exploitation of, the line pilots.
I think the bloody (Apologies to the UK readers at the term- it's all I can think of that's at all descriptive.) adversary culture is the management philosphy at Air Log.
This culture made the company the first in the Gulf with a successful union drive. In spite of the pride and dedication to the company felt by the line pilots, they felt compelled to unite *against* management. Air Log's union drive passed by a significant majority. The proposed contract was rejected by a similar significant majority. These messages are absolutely unheard at the Air Log head-shed in New Iberia- the pilots are united and willing to put the company down rather than continue. I repeat, these are guys who have always taken pride in being Air Log pilots.
I think that the union improved the line pilot's situation but not the relationship with management, see thoughts above. The union and pilot solidarity is a fact on the ground that management will have to deal with for the rest of the company's life. Short or long, they have issues with pilots, and will continue to do so until they change.
For reasons I'm sure make sense to Air Log management, it's determined to rid itself of the union. They will be ultimately unsuccessful. They will perhaps extinguish the business in the effort. Even if they succeed in keeping the company running and viable through a strike, and the union is decertified- the culture remains that resulted in a successful union drive. It will do so again- pilots are pilots- and nothing has really changed at Air Log since the first union drive. The company will have spent years and millions of dollars fruitlessly, while the market changed and left them behind. The only hope I see for Air Log is OLOG divesting themslves of the helicopter portion of their business, and a clean sweep at New Iberia.