Chl Ems Pilots Certified

[Reddog]

I personally do not agree with Jetbox but I'm not going to get upset at a little name calling. He obviously feels very strongly about this subject and is having a problem expressing himself clearly.

[Reddog]

Everyone seems to be having a problem seperating CHL from CHC Global Operations.

 

The CHL Ambulance pilots, as everyone knows, has certified and is negotiating now.

 

OneVoice is a private CHC Global pilot's chatsite. The CHC GO pilot's are talking about organizing and are slowly moving in that direction, very slowly, but inexorably.

 

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I'm not privy to the CHL pilot's grievances with their management but I would imagine that they are similar to ours and I would bet that the reason that they are not answering Jetbox's request for enlightenment is that it would take too long to type out. The movement to organize probably was a last ditch effort to redress a long list of problems over a long time period.

[PerfectTrack]

"when an overwhelming majority of a group of educated and informed individuals, choose to collectively unite and form a union"

 

I'm only going to comment on this statement as it only takes 51% to form a union. this is hardly an overwhelming majority and the other 49% get their rights trampled on after that.

With an employee base of 100 thats only a swing vote of two guys, and union scare tactics as well as pressure from pro union people can easily sway the weaker ones.

Personally an overwhelming majority to me is excess of 80%. So if you can find 80% of the canadian helicopter workforce that is unhappy, go for it. I think you'll fail.

Grover mentioned that most of the pilots weren't union supporters but voted in favour anyway, I wonder why? Was the pressure there, were other factors at play? Did they just want to gamble? Those who voted against, are now forced to gamble and they have no choice.

And as far as decertifying a union, it rarely happens, usually only when the company folds because the bargaining failed miserably and the company closes the doors. That happens frequently.

[Reddog]

If I remember correctly from a previous post the CHL vote was 80+%.

 

I don't think that the pilot's at CHL are any different than the rest of us and I know from talking to a friend that was was involved that most voted for the union reluctantly so that must say something about the circumstances.

[treetopflyer]

To PerfectTrack and Jetbox and others,

 

I don't believe any of the members of the CHL EMS union have or will be suggesting that VFR pilots or any other group of pilots should follow suit. You are all adults and can make your own decisions.

 

If you are not or have not been a part of the IFR helicopter workforce then I don't think you have a clue about our issues. The lack of employers in this field necessitate a different outlook. It's not like flying an a-star moving crews around in the bush where there is seemingly unlimited employers.

 

I for one was a contract VFR driver in a previous life and loved it. I set my rate where I was happy and the companies paid me for services provided. In the IFR market pilots are full-time 95% of the time and paid the payscale rates. You have NO say as an individual on what those payscales are from year to year. You have NO say as an individual on policy changes or any other issue that affect your working environment.

 

Comments regarding pressure etc. for voting for a union are completely without merit. Most of the pilots I know voted for the union but are anti-union in principal but things have not improved for sooo very long on sooo many issues that they felt this was the only way to improve things for themselves and their co-workers. The vote I believe was over 75% but with the final cards received maybe topped 80%.

 

Hopefully, when everything is said and done this will be a better place to work for the current and future pilots of CHL EMS.

[Blackmac]

Very well stated Tree Hugger, the EMS is a niche market encompassing one company at this time.

 

As I stated in another thread it will never happen in your lifetime that all helicopter (VFR) companies will become unionized. Working conditions are totally different.

 

So why worry, if you want representation you had better find another route.

 

Cheers, Don

[Night Hawk]

Well said Treetop there is only one game in town if you want to fly EMS in Ontario. Also Armpit made a good point, there are other circumstances at play, a lot of us can't simply up and leave due to family obligations, our spouses career, children etc. Besides I don't want to leave EMS, it's the best job in the industry in my opinion. The schedule alone makes it a great job but it could be so much better.

VFR pilots would you just relax, the VFR world will never organize.

[jetbox]

Culls? Convincing evidence that a blacklist of pilots exists.

Yipee, I hope they get what they want and I hope a method is found fast to take back the industry from the assh09e management types that fire guys for stupid reasons and disclude person from working in the industry for bogus reasons. Under a union you have to make a serious mistake to get fired, no more red herrings , no more personnality conflicts no more culling of the heard to suit the fancy of the industry know-it -alls. finally a mecanism between empoyee and employer. What a hopefull sign for the future.

 

Who's responsible for this great new development, well the dickheads that treat employees like crap. Finally get what's comming. Higher wages on the way!!

 

I pray for the day that the industry know-it-alls power is reduced to a trickle . I look forward to the day when a proper conflict resolution mechanism can be put in place to protect the rights of the pilot. There are many many pilots who are deserving of working in this industry but for stupid reasons have been "culled" or unjustly dismissed on the whim of some management idiot who didn't like them for reasons that have nothing to do with the ability opf the person to do the job safely or get along with clients.

 

These are the sort of comments that led me to "blow a gasket". I don't know a thing about the off shore or EMS market. My anti-union stance stems from interacting with many imbeciles in the VFR market who can't understand that they are complete f***-ups and can't hold on to a job. In return, they blame all "the owners" for all their problems.

If the union solves the EMS pilot's problems then congradulation!

 

I still say there's something fishy if you won't even give us a basic list of grievances that the union is trying to resolve for you.

 

Why don't you prove me and other non-union friendly types wrong and list a "before and after" list to show us all the improvements the union afforded you.

 

I would also see a comparison list of what you wanted and what you actually get after the agreements are signed.

[hurler]

Well

 

We ( employees) are entitled to an opinion , are we not? The functional difficulty here is that obviously the employees opinion is of no value unless it coincided with that of persons ( management) such as Jetbox . Granted the employee is not always correct, but could you imagine working for a guy like Jet box, OMG if you disagree with the guy you are automatically suffering from some kind of internal self propelled fault!

 

There are many of these types!, It affects moral,job safety, and employer employee relationships.

 

The industry fits the lowest common denominator factor regardless, most of the persons that I know that have been culled are usually those who hold an opinion and are generally a little smarter that the average guy.

 

No manager wants to deal with a guy or gal who is going to ursurp his or hemanagement ideas, with ease, far easier to find a 'no brain drone" who will just agree, right Jetbox?

 

OK I'll change my name to the MUSHROOM, always in the shiit in the dark!

 

We need a union to protect our right to ideas , self expression, and our right to disagee with the jar head manager if he is wrong. Maybee Jet box should join the military!!

 

Yes sir! :up:

 

H

 

FYI- DID YOU KNOW THAT PERSONS WHO HOLD STRONG OPINIONS OR DONT AGREE WITH MANAGEMENT ON ALL MATTERS ARE UNSAFE PILOTS? THOSE PERSONS WHO HAVE GRIEVENACES ABOUT TREATMENT HAVE BAD ATTITUDES AND ARE UNSAFE- ? UN FRIKEN REAL!!

[Kyle]

There is no need to challenge each other, please do that within PM's.