As I See It
It’s interesting to re-read this thread, which began almost a year ago, in light of the outcome of our labor action. Though it’s still unclear to me who was right and who was telling the truth, one thing is absolutely certain. Our local union and the national organization which backed us were completely unprepared to deal with PHI’s resources and Mr. Gonsoulin’s resolve.
The company was dealt a severe setback by the strike, but has almost completely recovered to full operational capacity. Financially, I don't know, but I'm pretty sure PHI is operating in the black and getting stronger by the day. I've noticed no cutting of corners in our operation since I've been back. Our standards for training, operations, and maintenance remain as high as ever. I'm not aware of aircraft being grounded for unusually long periods awaiting parts. Bottom line, I think our customers are quite satisfied with the service we're providing.
The strike affected us individually in several ways. In terms of money it cost most of us a few thousand dollars (give or take $10,000). In terms of job assignments and promotions, it’s re-shuffled the deck. Those who returned from the strike lost all rights to any permanent assignment they may have had, and must now compete for jobs and upgrades based on their seniority. Several pilots elected to move on and found other employment rather than deal with the acrimony and uncertainty at the time. A handful have not been accepted back and are still in limbo.
On the other side of the coin, things have worked out rather handily for many of us former strikers. This is a boom time in the Gulf and PHI is very busy. There’s a continuing need for pilots to fill seats created by expansion and in anticipation of large-scale retirement over the next few years. It means unprecedented opportunities for advancement, especially for the younger folks. Additionally, in order to attract and retain pilots the pay continues to rise, keeping pace with the competition. Mr. Gonsoulin and PHI painted a rosy picture of the future of the company, but to be fair, he and his company have been as good as their word in implementing promised improvements.
There is little mention of the strike these days. It’s not that people are afraid to talk about it, it just seems to have become irrelevant. The atmosphere and working relationships between strikers and those who came to work during the strike are generally cordial and professional. There has been no discernable discrimination or ostracism directed either way. We appear to have accepted that each individual did what he/she thought was right and that’s the end of it.
We continue to have a large number of pilots who choose to work on a contract basis rather than become full-time regular employees. All who worked during the strike were well compensated. The company offered several categories of incentive pay. Workover was available to nearly anyone who wanted it. In fact, it’s been postulated that PHI spent more to break the strike than it would have cost to accept the union’s contract proposal. The value to a business owner of not having to deal with a strong union must be substantial. In any case, I don't think PHI will have to contend with one for a long time to come.
-Stan-