Company Drops The Axe With Severance Notices

PHI's union pilots all received severance notices from the company on Thursday. As ANN reported earlier today, PHI's union pilots say they have negotiated with the company for a new contract since May 2004. Declaring they were tired of the company dragging its feet, they began picketing on Wednesday.

Allan Duquette, a PHI pilot for 30 years, told KHOU 11 News he received his severance notice Thursday morning in a letter which said, “Because you are engaging in a strike activity, you are being permanently replaced.” The letter said final paychecks would be mailed within three business days.

PHI's unionized pilots are members of the Office & Professional Employees International Union Local 108. Attorney Bill Lurye, representing Local 108, claims PHI's Gulf of Mexico operations are shut down. He also says the union notified the company early this morning “that it’s in violation of the law,” by attempting to permanently replace the pilots.

Reports yesterday from companies serviced by PHI were mixed, with some hospitals saying their operations were unaffected. This morning, however, only two of five air ambulance operators served by PHI in Houston are operating. And Oak Bend Medical Center in South Bend, IN told Fort Bend Now its helicopter, flown by PHI union pilots, is grounded.

According to KHOU, PHI has only a few choppers operating and they're being piloted by supervisors and flight instructors.

Although its still unclear exactly how many pilots are involved in the strike -- the pilots say several hundred; the company disputes that -- there is no question the strike is now impacting company operations.

In a statement issued late Friday, PHI accused the union of making numerous false public statements regarding PHI's flight activity. PHI maintains that contrary to the union's claims, during the period of the strike, the Company's Gulf of Mexico Oil & Gas operations have completed approximately 80% of its normal flight volumes, and its Air Medical segment is operating at about 90% of the volume prior to the union job actions.

PHI adds that according to public statements by PHI's primary customers, the impact to their operations has been minimal.

FMI: www.phihelico.com