An interesting thread.
Unfortunately (or fortunately depending on your point of view) Handling Agents represent the best chance for those of us who want to get into aviation but are not aircrew. Historically the Handling Agents at UK airports operate as a cartel keeping their costs down to the maximum they feel the airlines will pay. Therefore, in order to run a profitable business salary's of the troops are kept low. They know that there will always be numerous applicants for jobs until the percieved romance of working at an airport wears off. I once had a converstaion about staff retention with the MD of a Handling Agent that I worked for, he stated:
"I don't give a @#~k about the staff, they are two a penny and there are always plenty of suckers out there"
Until the industry is rid of senior management with this mentality employees will always get a raw deal.
It is the goodwill of the staff that is perhaps a handling agents biggest asset and while their employees contine to go that extra mile nothing will change.