I used to work for SEA Handling in Milan Linate airport. SEA Handling is a subsidiary of SEA-Aeroporti di Milano (the airport operator). Up to 2001 we were the only ones there. When you signed a contract as passenger services agent you had a 1 month classroom training, a test, a 1 month training on the job with passenger services agent that had been in SEA since at least 5 years and then another month of half day classroom training half day on the job. When you finally passed the final test you would still check in and board with a supervisor for 1 month and then you'd be independent.
Since 2001 we have ATA Handling competition on passenger and ramp and Globeground Italia and ICTS for passenger services and the quality has gone down tremendously. The training for SEA Handling only lasts 2 weeks and no handling agent has contracts of more than 6 months and so every 6 months you see new faces in the airport. Every now and then we heard of accidents on the ramp.
The latest handling agent to arrive was Aviapartner who left Linate airport after 3 months but got quite big in Malpensa airport. In Linate the staff did not have uniforms and so worked in jeans. Furthermore they had NO classroom training. Their only customer Iberia got fed up and so issued Iberia uniforms but they did not speak a word of Spanish! In regards to ramp handling they subcontracted the services to a cooperative that did not have the licence to operate on the ramp!!! The Polizia di Frontiera (Border Police) and Guardia di Finanza (military customs police) sent a letter to Italy's civil aviation authority which opened an investigation. They said that as long as Aviapartner responded to any problems on the ramp they were allowed to subcontract the services to whomever they wanted! Later the Guardia di Finanza discovered that many people working on the ramp were illegal immigrants. At that point Aviapartner closed down activities in Linate.
What I think should be done is give ground handling to airport authorities and put the services connected to landing fees. That would simplify security and improve efficiency!