Give them nothing

[Oldguystrtn2fly]

I can't imagine paying someone more than minimum wage to handle baggage. It seems like outside of being mildly physical, one would need no training,education or expertise of any kind that would warrant a premium. Quite generous of the company really. They must believe in karma.

[altiplano]

I can't imagine paying someone more than minimum wage to handle baggage.

Minimum wage to push back multimillion dollar aircraft too?

I don't know what these guys are seeking, but they have the right to try.

[rxl]

I can't imagine paying someone more than minimum wage to handle baggage. It seems like outside of being mildly physical, one would need no training,education or expertise of any kind that would warrant a premium. Quite generous of the company really. They must believe in karma.

These are the people who are responsible for the safe loading and securing of baggage and freight including hazardous materials onto YOUR airline flight. They service a number of different types of aircraft each of which has its own characteristics and critical procedures for ground handling. They must ensure that your flight is properly loaded for balance and that no compartment is overloaded. They must ensure that the loading is properly documented as presented to the pilots.
They operate specialized heavy equipment to load and unload your flight, to push it back from the gate and to tow it when required. As an example, loaded for departure an A380 Airbus can weight close to 1,000,000 lbs. They are responsible to complete a final pre-departure walk around Inspection of your flight once all doors are closed to ensure that it is safe to depart.
While a university degree may not be required, the training required and especially the level of responsibility that they have for your safety certainly far exceeds that of the vast majority of jobs that pay minimum wage.

[tailgunner]

It is still a somewhat free society. If you do not like the responsibility that comes with your job, you can seek out a new job with fewer worries. One can also seek out employment that provides a higher hourly wage. One could also invest in developing skills, experience, and training that will allow for choices in choosing employment. I challenge anyone to accurately define what a "livable wage" is. Livable depends on lifestyle and expectations. For what is ample in one case, is short in another. If one values driving a newly pimped out Mitsubishi, with the annoying muffler and rear spoiler, then perhaps the wages offered do not suffice. My two cents.
Cheers.

[Instructor_Mike]

I look at the blocking of traffic as crossing the line even if it wasn't the highway. I support strike action and if workers want to stop the airplanes from moving by not showing up to work or slowing down the system so only half the aircraft movements occur (assuming it's within their legal strike options) then I have no problem with that.

I support the idea of unions and recognize the holiday we just had (Labour Day) is a result of the labour revolution from over a hundred years ago. The problem I have with union workers is when they pull stunts like this. It does get us all talking about them so it makes the news but unfortunately it's not positive publicity.

[Meatservo]

I can't imagine paying someone more than minimum wage to handle baggage.

Minimum wage to push back multimillion dollar aircraft too?
.

Why not? They pay other people close to minimum wage to operate them!

The trouble with blocking roads is, most of the time, you're not allying anyone to your cause. The general public doesn't deal directly with Swissport, so public pressure isn't going to matter much. It's kind of like when First Nations people block highways. I'm generally sympathetic to their cause, as I am to the Swissport guys. But when someone with a bandanna concealing their identity is banging on the hood of your car and yelling, they become "the enemy" unless you are a very open-minded individual.

Blocking public thoroughfares is crossing the line, and arrests should be made. Some people fly for medical reasons, or to visit dying relatives, or any number of reasons that are more serious than an employment dispute. Possibly the police don't get involved as they too are unionized and therefore sympathetic.

Either way, it pays during airport strikes to watch the news, anticipate if you can this type of disruption, and maybe take that new train to the airport.

[Inverted2]

While these guys have delayed me a few times going into the parking garage, I feel for them. They've been out for 6 weeks and have pretty much been replaced by scabs. Swissport is starving them out. I haven't heard of any flight delays in weeks because of the strike.

[ant_321]

While these guys have delayed me a few times going into the parking garage, I feel for them. They've been out for 6 weeks and have pretty much been replaced by scabs. Swissport is starving them out. I haven't heard of any flight delays in weeks because of the strike.

I feel for them too. I will say though in my two years dealing with swissport from the pointy end of the airplane this is the smoothest things have ever been. Since the strike I haven't waited for a ground crew or taken a delay for anything ground crew related.

[Rockie]

The thing about strikes is that the people conducting it rarely benefit enough to make it actually worth their own personal while. Between the lost wages and enormous stress it places on employees and their families it's a wonder any employee group ever gets to that point to vote for it. It really is a nuclear option from an employee standpoint and people don't vote for it lightly. Once it is voted for actually implementing it and sustaining it is even more difficult from a union standpoint and especially from an individual position. So I have little patience for assholes who say "if you don't like it quit". They are in my mind weak cowards.

In reality strikes in pursuit of better working conditions benefit the future workers, and while it's unfortunate workers have to resort to it the legal ability to shut down a work place is often the only driver behind better working conditions and safety protections for employees.

[confusedalot]

I tend to be union neutral and admittedly naive, you know, everyone is so nice and good and fair sort of thing, however I must agree that it is better to have unions survive. Human nature is what it is, best not to slip back into Victorian times, bad scene.

[crazyaviator]

There was and is still a time and place for unions! When we look at the auto industry in Ontario, one realizes that they have gone too far !