Pilot Strike Looms Large at Air Log in the GOM
Thread Starter
Dog,
I have never flown in the GOM....the Air Log advertisement that I posted contains a list of requirements regarding flight hours and such.
In your experience, do you have any idea of whether the minimum standards asked for by that advertisement meet oil company standards as specified in their contracts?
It was my understanding when I talked to Air Log about working for them in the Gulf....(I got very hungry one time waiting for an international contract)....that based upon my background I was able to go to any contract they had. They noted during that conversation that most of the guys coming to them that had no offshore time were of not a lot of value to them until they had accumulated at least a years work or more in the Gulf.
Can you enlighten me on this issue?
I have never flown in the GOM....the Air Log advertisement that I posted contains a list of requirements regarding flight hours and such.
In your experience, do you have any idea of whether the minimum standards asked for by that advertisement meet oil company standards as specified in their contracts?
It was my understanding when I talked to Air Log about working for them in the Gulf....(I got very hungry one time waiting for an international contract)....that based upon my background I was able to go to any contract they had. They noted during that conversation that most of the guys coming to them that had no offshore time were of not a lot of value to them until they had accumulated at least a years work or more in the Gulf.
Can you enlighten me on this issue?
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SASless:
I always laugh when I read a post that asks a specific question which elicits a bunch of anonymous "Sorry, I can't answer that," replies. Happens here a bit, maybe more frequently over on that "other" helicopter website. And I always think, SO WHY EVEN POST THAT REPLY, NUMBNUTS?! If you cannot answer a question, then...simply...don't! But anal-compulsive helicopter pilots always just HAVE to chime in with their two cents, even if it is to make the tragically self-evident statement that they know nothing.
And so I find it ironic that to this question I have to reply, "I don't know." A current Air Log pilot who is knowledgeable about his company's customers and their particular requirements will have to give us that info.
Back in the bad old days when there were more major oil companies in the GOM...back when there used to be cooks offshore and you could be reasonably sure of landing on any big platform and getting a hot meal...many oil companies did indeed have minimum requirements. Either they related to make/model time, or offshore time. But the majors have dwindled, merging or being absorbed or selling off their "shallow-water" properties to smaller independant operators who really can't be picky about the qualifications of the pilot who drives them around.
However, we still hear stories from PHI pilots who suffer extended stays in the "pool," covering spare aircraft or being assigned to jobs that don't quickly build their oh-so-valuable offshore time. So maybe there still are enough companies with minimum requirements that it could make a difference. I just don't know.
But I *do* know that before we talk about any customer-imposed requirements we must consider this:
A) You are correct, Air Log's minimum hiring standards have not really been reduced. Low-time Robbie pilots with big dreams and dollar signs for eyes need not apply; they still need to have 1,000 PIC R/W. So I do not predict a huge increase in the number of qualified applicants they receive over what they're already getting every week.
B) It takes time to make an offshore Part-135 pilot. You do not just hire a guy, give him a headset and an Ops Manual and tell him to blast off out to Vermillion three-million in that there 407. There is an FAA-approved training syllabus, and I doubt very seriously that the feds will allow them to truncate or abbreviate it for the sake of expediency. (Just the opposite, you'd better believe!) My point is that the Training Department is going to be Busy with a capital "B." And remember, the existing training schedule cannot be discarded. Recurrent has to be done. So let's hope that none of the Training Department pilots are union members/supporters or there could be big trouble in little New Siberia.
C) Finally, the washout rate for offshore pilots is and has always been high. Not every applicant makes it through training. Of those who do, not everybody can actually do the job. Not everybody adapts to GOM-life. For various reasons, many leave. Air Log knows the percentage, and they surely know that just because they get 100 giddy applicants lining up for contract positions, not all 100 of them will make it out into the field, and of those who do, some will be gone by the second week of that ridiculous 28-day hitch.
And now we FINALLY get to think about customer minimum-requirements! At which point I must again defer to someone more knowledgeable than me. Sorry.
In your experience, do you have any idea of whether the minimum standards asked for by that advertisement meet oil company standards as specified in their contracts?
And so I find it ironic that to this question I have to reply, "I don't know." A current Air Log pilot who is knowledgeable about his company's customers and their particular requirements will have to give us that info.
Back in the bad old days when there were more major oil companies in the GOM...back when there used to be cooks offshore and you could be reasonably sure of landing on any big platform and getting a hot meal...many oil companies did indeed have minimum requirements. Either they related to make/model time, or offshore time. But the majors have dwindled, merging or being absorbed or selling off their "shallow-water" properties to smaller independant operators who really can't be picky about the qualifications of the pilot who drives them around.
However, we still hear stories from PHI pilots who suffer extended stays in the "pool," covering spare aircraft or being assigned to jobs that don't quickly build their oh-so-valuable offshore time. So maybe there still are enough companies with minimum requirements that it could make a difference. I just don't know.
But I *do* know that before we talk about any customer-imposed requirements we must consider this:
A) You are correct, Air Log's minimum hiring standards have not really been reduced. Low-time Robbie pilots with big dreams and dollar signs for eyes need not apply; they still need to have 1,000 PIC R/W. So I do not predict a huge increase in the number of qualified applicants they receive over what they're already getting every week.
B) It takes time to make an offshore Part-135 pilot. You do not just hire a guy, give him a headset and an Ops Manual and tell him to blast off out to Vermillion three-million in that there 407. There is an FAA-approved training syllabus, and I doubt very seriously that the feds will allow them to truncate or abbreviate it for the sake of expediency. (Just the opposite, you'd better believe!) My point is that the Training Department is going to be Busy with a capital "B." And remember, the existing training schedule cannot be discarded. Recurrent has to be done. So let's hope that none of the Training Department pilots are union members/supporters or there could be big trouble in little New Siberia.
C) Finally, the washout rate for offshore pilots is and has always been high. Not every applicant makes it through training. Of those who do, not everybody can actually do the job. Not everybody adapts to GOM-life. For various reasons, many leave. Air Log knows the percentage, and they surely know that just because they get 100 giddy applicants lining up for contract positions, not all 100 of them will make it out into the field, and of those who do, some will be gone by the second week of that ridiculous 28-day hitch.
And now we FINALLY get to think about customer minimum-requirements! At which point I must again defer to someone more knowledgeable than me. Sorry.
"Just a pilot"
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.
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.
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The fact is that Air Log is a very large player in the GOM, and there is very little excess capacity in terms of aircraft and pilots. In short, there isn't a company that can take over Air Log's contracts, not even all the other companies combined. In the event of a strike, the affected oil companies are just SOL. There aren't enough boats to cover everything even if they tried. The parsimony of the oil companies over the decades here has resulted in all service companies maintaining bare minimum inventories of equipment and personnel, because that's all they could afford, based on the low-balling tactics of the oil companies. The close-in production can mostly be covered with 206s, probably, but the deep-water big drilling rigs, which rely on medium or large helicopters, simply can't be covered in the event of a strike.
Thread Starter
Could Columbia, Carson, and few other operators show up for short term use as a contractor to Air Log? The summer fire season will not start for a while....and if it is slow...with the holdup with the CWN contracts....is that a card that could be played?
Does OLOG have a way to bring Super Pumas from the UK for short term contracts and use British crews? Makes one wonder just what extremes OLOG would go to in this matter? Afterall, OLOG has a vast international fleet and pool of pilots they could draw from if they had to.
Does OLOG have a way to bring Super Pumas from the UK for short term contracts and use British crews? Makes one wonder just what extremes OLOG would go to in this matter? Afterall, OLOG has a vast international fleet and pool of pilots they could draw from if they had to.
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NEO.....110% sure...
Sasless, doubt severly your latest intell on british pilots. Work permit and pure "will to persist to resist" is inforce.
See thread on backing from NH and BALPA
Sasless, doubt severly your latest intell on british pilots. Work permit and pure "will to persist to resist" is inforce.
See thread on backing from NH and BALPA
Thread Starter
Joedirt appears to be correct....CHC led the way...then BHL pilots found the courage to force the issue on pay rises.
Found this excerpt from a Rotor and Wing article....
CHC Scotia’s pilots already have accepted a salary increase. The package, announced November 19, gives captains an £18,000 (US$25,847) raise over the next two years and a £6,000 ($8,615) pay hike for co-pilots during the same period. Beginning with the third year, all pilots will receive a programmed cost-of-living increase of 2.5% or the UK rate of inflation, whichever is greater.
In late December, Bristow pilots also voted to accept a deal sponsored by the British Airline Pilots’ Association (BALPA). Bristow air crews will receive basic pay increases up to £20,765 ($30,000) beginning in September 2004.
The contracts for both CHC Scotia and Bristow pilots will help ensure that the pay scales of helicopter pilots working in the offshore support sector will be brought in line with those at the airlines.
The current UK shortage of support helicopter capacity, combined with increases in pay scales, are reflected in recent increases in ad hoc hourly charter rates. Rotor & Wing has learned that the new rates are: $5,600 for an AS-332L Super Puma; $6,500 for an AS-332L2; $4,800 for an S-61N; and $3,800 for an S-76A+.
Found this excerpt from a Rotor and Wing article....
CHC Scotia’s pilots already have accepted a salary increase. The package, announced November 19, gives captains an £18,000 (US$25,847) raise over the next two years and a £6,000 ($8,615) pay hike for co-pilots during the same period. Beginning with the third year, all pilots will receive a programmed cost-of-living increase of 2.5% or the UK rate of inflation, whichever is greater.
In late December, Bristow pilots also voted to accept a deal sponsored by the British Airline Pilots’ Association (BALPA). Bristow air crews will receive basic pay increases up to £20,765 ($30,000) beginning in September 2004.
The contracts for both CHC Scotia and Bristow pilots will help ensure that the pay scales of helicopter pilots working in the offshore support sector will be brought in line with those at the airlines.
The current UK shortage of support helicopter capacity, combined with increases in pay scales, are reflected in recent increases in ad hoc hourly charter rates. Rotor & Wing has learned that the new rates are: $5,600 for an AS-332L Super Puma; $6,500 for an AS-332L2; $4,800 for an S-61N; and $3,800 for an S-76A+.
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Speaking of our brothers to the north (or to the south depending on where ya at), it seems they are headed to the GOM. Heard from several sources, VIH (Cougar), aka Western Airways (usa) has been asked by a certain oil company they service off the Grand Banks to set up shop in the the GOM....for a pretty good sized deep-water drilling contract and the a/c are on order (some from CT I hear)...
also rumors that the hummingbird is looking real hard at the GOM, who knows wouldnt be too hard to chnage the ALOG blue and white to red blue and white after the bankruptcy firesale
Its not like they dont own huge engine shops and repair staions in LA already!
I got a jackson that says we see the Canooks in the gulf with in 18-24 months tops.. any takers
RB
also rumors that the hummingbird is looking real hard at the GOM, who knows wouldnt be too hard to chnage the ALOG blue and white to red blue and white after the bankruptcy firesale
Its not like they dont own huge engine shops and repair staions in LA already!
I got a jackson that says we see the Canooks in the gulf with in 18-24 months tops.. any takers
RB
Thread Starter
Rotorboy,
How do they get around the foreign ownership hurtle?
They would have to buy an American company in order to obtain the Operating Certificate....hmmmmm....wonder who can be bought in the Gulf?
Felton Baker is getting a bit long in the tooth....or Rotorways....Omni.....what about Tex-Air/ERA?
If TexAir-ERA (think SEACOR here folks) then teamed with CHC....whew! Now we are talking a real marriage....you either ride the company aircraft or the company boat.....but how would that affect OLOG?
If CHC bought into ERA...and with ERA's Alaska operation....that would make CHC a competitor in both the GOM and Alaska. My money is on ERA as being the target. That is the one that gives them the most access to US markets.
Unless they go after OLOG....would that not be a hoot knowing Bristow sold off their share of Canadian years ago. For CHC to wind up owning Bristow via a takeover of OLOG....that would be turnabout is fair play.
I have never flown for a Canadian outfit before....maybe I will get my chance especially if they are getting some real helicopters!
How do they get around the foreign ownership hurtle?
They would have to buy an American company in order to obtain the Operating Certificate....hmmmmm....wonder who can be bought in the Gulf?
Felton Baker is getting a bit long in the tooth....or Rotorways....Omni.....what about Tex-Air/ERA?
If TexAir-ERA (think SEACOR here folks) then teamed with CHC....whew! Now we are talking a real marriage....you either ride the company aircraft or the company boat.....but how would that affect OLOG?
If CHC bought into ERA...and with ERA's Alaska operation....that would make CHC a competitor in both the GOM and Alaska. My money is on ERA as being the target. That is the one that gives them the most access to US markets.
Unless they go after OLOG....would that not be a hoot knowing Bristow sold off their share of Canadian years ago. For CHC to wind up owning Bristow via a takeover of OLOG....that would be turnabout is fair play.
I have never flown for a Canadian outfit before....maybe I will get my chance especially if they are getting some real helicopters!
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Found this on Air Logs union page http://local107.org/ :
Date: January 21, 2005
Fellow Pilots,
The Negotiating Committee, E-Board, and the International Union have all worked very hard this past two years to obtain a contract the membership could be proud of. As you know, this Union has never advocated or condoned any type of work slowdown or any other action in violation of the Railway Labor Act.
Due to a recent increase in injuries and difficulty in finding Pilots to perform workovers, the Company is now alleging that the Union is somehow influencing these events. It remains the position of the International and this Local Union that all Pilots shall continue to conduct themselves professionally and legally in every respect. We do not and have not supported any type of action in contradiction of that position. Workovers are voluntary under the contract. Therefore, an individual pilot is within his or her rights to refuse a workover. However, we stress that individual pilots should continue to accept or decline offered workovers just as they would in the normal course, without taking into consideration the current state of negotiations or related matters.
Again, we are speaking here of illegal job actions. Such actions can take the form of work slow downs, sick-outs, etc. The point is, job actions prior to the end of the 30-day cooling off period – are illegal.
As the President of the Local, I wish to make the Union’s official position on such behavior absolutely and unequivocally clear. The Union is instructing you not to engage in any such behavior.
Neither the Local’s Negotiating Team, the Executive Board, nor the International; in other words, no one associated with the leadership of our Union, is advocating any such behavior. In fact, once again, we wish to emphasize: we are instructing you not to do so.
By engaging in illegal job actions, you jeopardize not only your job, but everything we worked so hard to achieve.
Thank you in advance for your anticipated cooperation.
In Solidarity,
Kenneth Bruner /s/
President, Local 107
Date: January 21, 2005
Fellow Pilots,
The Negotiating Committee, E-Board, and the International Union have all worked very hard this past two years to obtain a contract the membership could be proud of. As you know, this Union has never advocated or condoned any type of work slowdown or any other action in violation of the Railway Labor Act.
Due to a recent increase in injuries and difficulty in finding Pilots to perform workovers, the Company is now alleging that the Union is somehow influencing these events. It remains the position of the International and this Local Union that all Pilots shall continue to conduct themselves professionally and legally in every respect. We do not and have not supported any type of action in contradiction of that position. Workovers are voluntary under the contract. Therefore, an individual pilot is within his or her rights to refuse a workover. However, we stress that individual pilots should continue to accept or decline offered workovers just as they would in the normal course, without taking into consideration the current state of negotiations or related matters.
Again, we are speaking here of illegal job actions. Such actions can take the form of work slow downs, sick-outs, etc. The point is, job actions prior to the end of the 30-day cooling off period – are illegal.
As the President of the Local, I wish to make the Union’s official position on such behavior absolutely and unequivocally clear. The Union is instructing you not to engage in any such behavior.
Neither the Local’s Negotiating Team, the Executive Board, nor the International; in other words, no one associated with the leadership of our Union, is advocating any such behavior. In fact, once again, we wish to emphasize: we are instructing you not to do so.
By engaging in illegal job actions, you jeopardize not only your job, but everything we worked so hard to achieve.
Thank you in advance for your anticipated cooperation.
In Solidarity,
Kenneth Bruner /s/
President, Local 107
Thread Starter
So much for the company claim the Union is orchestrating illegal acts. I wonder what the company is up to that might be considered improper acts?
Latest comment of interest I heard about was the firing of the six pilots that were accused of improperly picketing. The one side of it said they were off duty and off the property and that a clause in the contract allows for no prohibition of free speech rights. The other side said the picketing was an improper act under the contract.
The other complaint said the contract has a method for the company to grieve issues to the union exactly in the manner the contract allows the union to grieve what they think are improper acts by the company. The company has never used the grievance method to resolve differences whereas the union has.
Three of the six guys fired were involved in the union management somehow...and of the six....three of those fired have wives that are fighting cancer and the loss of their medical insurance is going to be devastating to them. Not all the pilots that participated in the picket were fired. It would be enlightening to know the full details of the event and decisions on both sides that resulted in the firings.
All of this could have been prevented had a compromise solution been found sometime during the past two years. What a shame it is to see the human costs of this fight. Unfortunately, this is only the beginning of those kinds of loss.
Latest comment of interest I heard about was the firing of the six pilots that were accused of improperly picketing. The one side of it said they were off duty and off the property and that a clause in the contract allows for no prohibition of free speech rights. The other side said the picketing was an improper act under the contract.
The other complaint said the contract has a method for the company to grieve issues to the union exactly in the manner the contract allows the union to grieve what they think are improper acts by the company. The company has never used the grievance method to resolve differences whereas the union has.
Three of the six guys fired were involved in the union management somehow...and of the six....three of those fired have wives that are fighting cancer and the loss of their medical insurance is going to be devastating to them. Not all the pilots that participated in the picket were fired. It would be enlightening to know the full details of the event and decisions on both sides that resulted in the firings.
All of this could have been prevented had a compromise solution been found sometime during the past two years. What a shame it is to see the human costs of this fight. Unfortunately, this is only the beginning of those kinds of loss.
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We will never know the whole story behind the terminations. But you might gain some insight into reading the complaint filed in court by the company. Interesting reading. I have a copy of the PDF file but have not been able to copy it over to the board. If someone has a web site where they can post it for all to read, I will be glad to email it.
Interesting reading - it offers up the companies view of the union activities. The results of the court proceedings will ultimately tell us if there is any merit in the company's allogations. My understanding is that the three that were terminated were the only ones that picketed at both locations after having been told what they were doing was not covered by the CBA.
Interesting reading - it offers up the companies view of the union activities. The results of the court proceedings will ultimately tell us if there is any merit in the company's allogations. My understanding is that the three that were terminated were the only ones that picketed at both locations after having been told what they were doing was not covered by the CBA.
Thread Starter
The company is recruiting Contract pilots as described in copy of their advert posted earlier. A question was raised about the time delay in putting contract pilots to work. The FAA approved training manual will have to be complied with....granted I am sure some feverish activity is going on to revamp the requirements for initial training with a view towards shortening the process....or so one would think anyway.
This is an excerpt from the permanent pilot advertisment listed on the company's web site.
"New Hire Pilot Training Program:
· Approximately 14 days (continuous)
· Training consists of classroom instruction, simulator training, flight training, and water survival
· Air Logistics provides lodging while in training
· New hire pilots will receive $15 per diem for food
· New hire pilots pay is 70% of base pay during training"
The contract pilots are being offered 250 USD per day while in training....50% of the daily rate while on full duty status. Permanent pilots would get about 155 USD per day for the same training and tasking.
If the Contract jobs being offered are really for a shortfall in pilot numbers needed to man the fleet....and not to be replacement workers....does that mean the Contract pilots cannot join the Pilot's union or can they? Is there something written into the Contract pilots Letter of Appointment that forbids them to join the union?
Gee, lots of questions arise when one considers the situation down ther in the GOM.
This is an excerpt from the permanent pilot advertisment listed on the company's web site.
"New Hire Pilot Training Program:
· Approximately 14 days (continuous)
· Training consists of classroom instruction, simulator training, flight training, and water survival
· Air Logistics provides lodging while in training
· New hire pilots will receive $15 per diem for food
· New hire pilots pay is 70% of base pay during training"
The contract pilots are being offered 250 USD per day while in training....50% of the daily rate while on full duty status. Permanent pilots would get about 155 USD per day for the same training and tasking.
If the Contract jobs being offered are really for a shortfall in pilot numbers needed to man the fleet....and not to be replacement workers....does that mean the Contract pilots cannot join the Pilot's union or can they? Is there something written into the Contract pilots Letter of Appointment that forbids them to join the union?
Gee, lots of questions arise when one considers the situation down ther in the GOM.
Thread Starter
Beware the Ides of March....3 March is thought to be the end of the 30 day Cooling Off Period.....at which point either of the parties can exercise "Self Help" measures.
Rumour has it that a grand total of 7-8 Contract Pilots are undergoing training at New Iberia.....one guy is said to have shown up for training wearing a PHPA hat.....wonder how that was received by the Brass?
I spent a weekend visiting with a friend who works for Air Log and found his perspective to very interesting. I came away from the weekend visit with a greater appreciation for the pilot's side of the argument.
A discussion of the issues fostered a notion that the company is not fighting this CBA purely due to financial concerns. Combine that with the oil industry reported the highest profits in history, it is plain acheiving rate increases is not the problem it is being made out to be.
Rumours coming out of the GOM suggest next year shall be a very good year for the offshore drilling industry....the oil companies have huge piles of money to invest in drilling.
It appears to me, and this is just one man's opinion, settling this CBA as quickly as possible and gearing up for the upswing in business would be the correct approach. If the GOM breaks open for drilling and OLOG has not resolved its labor problems, it will not able to attract and keep customers during the upswing in business. TEX Air/ERA is looking for business....and if PHI settles quickly.....while OLOG drags their feet in coming to a compromise solution....they stand to lose a lot of business.
With the two large contracts OLOG landed on the North Sea....and if they settle the GOM pilots CBA....they will be a force to be reckoned with. Otherwise....what they gained on the North Sea will be offset by a loss in the GOM.
Rumour has it that a grand total of 7-8 Contract Pilots are undergoing training at New Iberia.....one guy is said to have shown up for training wearing a PHPA hat.....wonder how that was received by the Brass?
I spent a weekend visiting with a friend who works for Air Log and found his perspective to very interesting. I came away from the weekend visit with a greater appreciation for the pilot's side of the argument.
A discussion of the issues fostered a notion that the company is not fighting this CBA purely due to financial concerns. Combine that with the oil industry reported the highest profits in history, it is plain acheiving rate increases is not the problem it is being made out to be.
Rumours coming out of the GOM suggest next year shall be a very good year for the offshore drilling industry....the oil companies have huge piles of money to invest in drilling.
It appears to me, and this is just one man's opinion, settling this CBA as quickly as possible and gearing up for the upswing in business would be the correct approach. If the GOM breaks open for drilling and OLOG has not resolved its labor problems, it will not able to attract and keep customers during the upswing in business. TEX Air/ERA is looking for business....and if PHI settles quickly.....while OLOG drags their feet in coming to a compromise solution....they stand to lose a lot of business.
With the two large contracts OLOG landed on the North Sea....and if they settle the GOM pilots CBA....they will be a force to be reckoned with. Otherwise....what they gained on the North Sea will be offset by a loss in the GOM.
I think you'll find the Ides of March is the 15th of March, actually.....
Thread Starter
212man...
The release is in effect...that means the two parties can engage in self help beginning as early as the 3rd...but who knows what will happen ....and more importantly....when. It may be the 15th.....but as I recall....Ceasar got the point in the end.
Norwegian pilots have in fact donated funds towards the strike fund....and pledge more finanacial support. The International has added to the Local's fund.
It appears the pilots are quite united and are prepared to take work action at some point. The company advertises a contingency plan is in existence.
The entire US Helicopter industry is watching this fight.....my hope is the two parties can find a compromise and get this behind them.....but I begin to doubt that will be the case.
The release is in effect...that means the two parties can engage in self help beginning as early as the 3rd...but who knows what will happen ....and more importantly....when. It may be the 15th.....but as I recall....Ceasar got the point in the end.
Norwegian pilots have in fact donated funds towards the strike fund....and pledge more finanacial support. The International has added to the Local's fund.
It appears the pilots are quite united and are prepared to take work action at some point. The company advertises a contingency plan is in existence.
The entire US Helicopter industry is watching this fight.....my hope is the two parties can find a compromise and get this behind them.....but I begin to doubt that will be the case.
Thread Starter
Air Dog pilots union meeting in New Little Siberia on 9 Feb....wonder what the agenda holds? Hope the union boys have a technical countermeasures sweep done before the meeting.....or else the OLOG Brass will be listening in.
But then....why not invite the kind gentlemen to join in....maybe they could convince the pilots to accept the standing offer that was voted down with a 92% vote.
Somehow I doubt that could happen.....
But then....why not invite the kind gentlemen to join in....maybe they could convince the pilots to accept the standing offer that was voted down with a 92% vote.
Somehow I doubt that could happen.....
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Sounds like JHR is right, this was posted on the union's homepage: http://local107.org/
Fellow Members,
The time to release and the commencement of the 30-day cooling off period can now be measured in days, if not hours. Because we're so close, it is critical that everyone remain calm, in control, and legal.
Again, so there can be absolutely no mistake about the meaning or intent of this message: Job actions are illegal during the cooling off period. Do not do anything that would place your job in jeopardy.
If you wish to get involved, if you want to help - please contact Andy Dallas at [email protected] and volunteer. He needs your help now!
This has been said before and it will be said again, because it's important. The time for Job Actions is after the 30 day clock has expired, not before!
In Solidarity,
The Contract Negotiating Committee
Fellow Members,
The time to release and the commencement of the 30-day cooling off period can now be measured in days, if not hours. Because we're so close, it is critical that everyone remain calm, in control, and legal.
Again, so there can be absolutely no mistake about the meaning or intent of this message: Job actions are illegal during the cooling off period. Do not do anything that would place your job in jeopardy.
If you wish to get involved, if you want to help - please contact Andy Dallas at [email protected] and volunteer. He needs your help now!
This has been said before and it will be said again, because it's important. The time for Job Actions is after the 30 day clock has expired, not before!
In Solidarity,
The Contract Negotiating Committee
Thread Starter
The two warring parties are now free to exercise "self help" having been released from mediation. The end of the 30 day cooling off period is being advertised as being 11 March 05.
The pilots are holding a meeting in New Iberia tonight.
I would assume the company is watching the stock price....seems the analysts are taking note of the impending strike should a last minute settlement is not reached.
I sure hope calmer heads prevail on both sides.....and a meaningful dialogue can be established which will lead to a compromise offer from the company that will meet the approval of the pilots.
Pilot's wives have started a support group...union lawyers are responding to the company legal actions....this is becoming an interesting situation to watch.
The pilots are holding a meeting in New Iberia tonight.
I would assume the company is watching the stock price....seems the analysts are taking note of the impending strike should a last minute settlement is not reached.
I sure hope calmer heads prevail on both sides.....and a meaningful dialogue can be established which will lead to a compromise offer from the company that will meet the approval of the pilots.
Pilot's wives have started a support group...union lawyers are responding to the company legal actions....this is becoming an interesting situation to watch.