Company Especially Needs Sikorsky Pilots

Going into its third week with striking pilots, PHI is now offering $1,000 a day to pilots qualified on the twelve-passenger Sikorsky S-76.

"My understanding is PHI is really short on people that can fly that," local union president Steve Ragin told the Lafayette Daily Advertiser. He added that the company is offering $700 a day for other chopper pilots.

PHI is one of the largest helicopter transport companies in the nation, and serves both the offshore oil and gas and air ambulance industries. Its pilots went on strike after a nearly two-year pay dispute.

"Despite what they say, they're still critically short on certain pilots for certain jobs. My understanding is the pilots who are currently flying are on continuous duty and with no time off," Ragin told the Advertiser.

Representatives from PHI continued to decline to comment.

A letter from the union's executive board to union pilots warns, "If we buy into this short-term windfall offer PHI is making to us, we will have ruined our chances for any long-term future gains our ultimate victory will provide to not only us but every pilot in our industry."

As Aero-News reported, pilots at PHI struck the offshore oil platform and emergency services helo provider September 20... and received severance notices from the company the next day. The pilots said they were tired of waiting for a new contract; negotiations began in May 2004.

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