Members of the BALPA union have selected strike in a long-running feud with the helicopter company for better pay and conditions which have been frozen for years. The union claims the striking staff have given years of loyalty to the company during hard times, now the company is doing better, they should be valued and fairly rewarded.
The company, already reeling after the crash of one of its Sikorsky S-92 helicopters at the start of March, said it was disappointed by the strike action, especially after an offer which "provides significant enhancements to pay and conditions” had been put on the table. It urged the unit to rejoin it at arbitration service ACAS.
BALPA said the company was “failing to listen and come forward with a fair pay offer that is acceptable to members”. The helicopter crews voted overwhelmingly in favour of strike action back in February of this year with a 96.31% YES vote on a 92.74% turnout. The union claims it called off an earlier planned strike as a mark of respect following the Sikorsky S-92 crash off the coast of Norway. However, other commentators indicated that in the wake of the crash, some craft had been grounded for checks and to go ahead with the strike would have had little impact on the company.
Bristow said it had put comprehensive mitigation plans in place to support its customers, including the coastguard, but at this stage, it is unknown how many lives had been put at risk around the UK due to a lack of air support in a search and rescue capacity.