Flight/Ground Ops, Crewing and DispatchA forum for the people who are engaged in operational control/flight dispatch/crewing and their colleagues airside in ramp dispatch, load control and ground handling, to discuss issues directly related to keeping their aircrew and aircraft operational.
Hearing rumours around Manchester that Swissport are balloting for strike action over pay increases!!!Has anyone heard similar and if so would it be true?
There is a slight difference, Swissport at LHR were what remained of EI handling but the current Swissport UK comes from Groundstar. When the company were Groundstar they were a fair bunch, if there was a reason for a low pay offer it was explained so that everyone knew. I don't think things work like that any more, there is a high turn over in the middle management ranks and sometimes things aren't done properly by people who should know better.
I hope for the sake of all those who remain that things get sorted.
how will we know if it has started.....some things to look out for.
no bags laying in the road for hours....so no fear of tripping up.
no steps or belts left on the ramp for days.....with police aware stickers on.
nobody to dump baggage dollys on every stand for the paddyair inbounds every night, while you are still trying to do turnrounds.
no more buzzing to get a baggage reclaim belt number.......normaly they get theirs about 4 hours before the plane has left the other end.....even though we have bags to dump now.
Someone turning up to meet the plane. Might indicate they are not striking. I hear that they are losing Monarch. It's costing them a fortune sitting idling on the Taxiway waiting for someone to meet the aircraft.
Your saying that monarch are leaving swissport to go where?. Servisair have told them they couldnt cope with them as did aviance maybe a 4th handling agent is in the pipeline
Your saying that monarch are leaving swissport to go where?. Servisair have told them they couldnt cope with them as did aviance maybe a 4th handling agent is in the pipeline
The 4th handling agent will be gate aviation, they have been granted a handling license due to commence in Feb 09. Monarch are strongly tipped to leave swissport and commence handling with them as they seem to always favour the services of new handling agents due to the didicated service provided. Latest news on the strikes for next Monday and Friday are that 97% of ramp staff will definatley strike and bank holiday chaos is expected.
LGWStar are you sure that the proposed action for Monday will go ahead? Rumour is that the union advised the management too late, not giving the mandatory 7 day notice period? ALso I find it hard to believe that S/port staff would give up a double bubble day to strike & get nowt! RE Gate Aviation we have heard the stories about a 4th H/A before & they have always proved to be false, what makes you think this will be differant? There is not enough work at BHX to make another H/A profits.
Your saying that monarch are leaving swissport to go where?. Servisair have told them they couldnt cope with them as did aviance maybe a 4th handling agent is in the pipeline
Sorry, My source didn't mention a new handling agent only that they were that fed up that they were leaving SwissPort. I guess even Circusair would not turn down the contract if it actually was offered to them in the present climate. Gate aviation have been offered a licence at Gatwick not BHX as far as I know. Oh well! Throw the dice and lets wait and see. It might turn out allright in the end....
Gate might not have the license yet but one of their directors has been spending some time at BHX along with the Station Manager who will run it. I think the only question is if it will be their own license or take over someone else's??
Sorry for any confusion as my comments were based upon LGW not BHX. Regarding your question about the imminent strike, yes it will be going ahead at Gatwick on Monday the 25th of this month
" There is a slight difference, Swissport at LHR were what remained of EI handling but the current Swissport UK comes from Groundstar. When the company were Groundstar they were a fair bunch, if there was a reason for a low pay offer it was explained so that everyone knew. I don't think things work like that any more, there is a high turn over in the middle management ranks and sometimes things aren't done properly by people who should know better. "
you make it sound like the company had nothing to do with past disputes and that what happened in their past was justified. At the end of the day in the past 5 years only 1 handling company has presided over strikes and whatever the reasons and whoever the work force were they obviously feel they were or are pushed/forced into a corner by the management.
I feel for anyone in the industry as times are hard but then times are hard all round, i just hope the staff at Swissport are aware of the company's history in dealing with the aftermath of strikes.
I am very well aware of the history of the company. The problems at LHR were set in motion well before what is the current Swissport UK came into being. The current management structure for UK were only put in position shortly before the shutdown, maybe a couple of months if I remember correctly, and can have no responsibility for what was going on there. Having said that they must take responsibilty for plenty that has happened since. Coming into new stations paying top rates to attract the best staff then squeezing them down to be lowest paid and hardest worked. I know all to well how they operate, I just hope the staff can get the recognition they deserve for the miracles they pull off most days. BHX in particular now seems to be a training ground with the experienced staff going one by one, everyone has their breaking point, but with the wages so low compared to the others they can't get experienced replacements. More pressure gets put on those that can, those that can't have fewer and fewer mentors to help them learn and get pushed into positions they don't have the experience for. Maybe the strike will help focus those minds that can do something to stop the rot before it is too late.
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