Says Workers Must Sign Anti-Strike Pledge

The pilots union at helicopter operator PHI filed an injunction Monday, asking a federal court to order the company to immediately put pilots who struck the company back to work, without conditions.

The lawsuit accuses PHI of violating federal and state laws protecting employee's rights to unionize. The union does acknowledge PHI has reinstated pilots who struck the company, as agreed... but the company is allegedly placing them at the bottom of the seniority ranks.

The Office of Professional Employees International Union Local 108 also says PHI is forcing returning workers to sign a pledge not to strike again... which is in violation of labor laws.

"PHI's illegal conduct has 'chilled' and continues to 'chill' the willingness of the PHI pilots represented by the Unions to engage in protected union activity thus resulting in irreparable harm," the suit read, according to the Lafeyette (LA) Advertiser.

The union went on strike September 20 following two years of failed labor contract negotiations. Earlier this month, the union sent notice to PHI saying pilots would return to work -- an offer the union later took PHI to task over for its slow response time.

The union says it is asking for back pay and benefits for "all pilots who it has illegally refused to work" despite the return to work offer.

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