PHI's has two problems.
The first is the expansion of their EMS division. Too many GOMers are trying to jump ship and fly the air ambulances. All things being equal, it's better to sleep in your own bed every night than one out in a swamp in southern Louisiana. And if given the choice, most will opt for the former. Reports are that PHI has instituted a "stop-loss" program for the GOM. If true this will inevitably run them afoul of the union if it has not already.
The second problem is that when the union was voted-in back in 2000, fully 50% of PHI's pilots were age 50 or older and only a literal handful were older than 61. So six years down the road we are definitely at "crunch time." The most senior guys will be dropping out in ever increasing numbers in the next five years. This second problem affects not only the GOM division, but EMS too.
So what does PHI do? They must attract experienced and qualified pilots in the first place, and somehow convince enough to stick with the GOM even when given the option of a position within EMS. Back during the first round of union negotiations, I had some conversations with management. I told them of my belief that PHI would eventually be forced to pay GOM pilots a premium over and above what pilots in other sectors get. It was an observation that was neither dismissed out of hand nor even scoffed at. And it may come to pass.
But there is that darned Catch-52, the "spillover effect" if you will. If PHI raises the pay for GOM assignments, then pilots at Air Log will surely (and justifiably) demand the same. Not to mention, pilots in PHI's EMS division will scream and howl in protest. Too, operators around the country will increase their salaries to match PHI (this has always been the case, and there is no reason to think it will cease). And 'round and 'round we go!
Industry-wise, EMS flying has always been thought of as slightly better than other "menial" types of flying such as GOM which is perceived as crude and basic and unchallenging. Whether this is true or not, a paradigm shift needs to occur. As I see it, PHI's only solution is to add a "bonus" of some sort for their GOMers. And it will have to be more than a pittance. There will have to be a real incentive to stay in the GOM, otherwise pilots will bail at the first opportunity- which they're doing now and in fact have done all along. It's just that it hasn't been too much of a problem in the past.