Union Says Company Violated Railway Act

Reports of a cooling in tensions over an ongoing pilots strike at helicopter operator PHI may have been premature... as the pilots union Thursday accused the company of not responding to its unconditional offer to return to work soon enough.

The Office of Professional Employees International Union Local 108 says that apparent stalling tactic violates the Railway Labor Act... and is a side of "bad faith" in its dealings with pilots.

As Aero-News reported last week, PHI responded to the union's offer November 15 -- five days after the union announced it was ending its labor action. The company didn't accept the offer, however... instead stating it would respond after management gave the deal a thorough going-over.

The union says PHI already had five days to do that.

"If PHI continues to break the law by not taking the pilots back in order of seniority for open positions and has temporary replacements continue to work or supervisory personnel continue to work in their jobs while pilots are on the outside, the union will file a lawsuit and we'll also go for a restraining order," said OPEIU spokeman John Turchiano to the Lafayette (LA) Daily Advertiser.

PHI representatives were unavailable for comment.

FMI: www.phihelico.com, www.opeiu.org