Quote from Magic Buff:
I saw this happen myself twice before, when Ezy sold out from Aviance to the circus at LPL and then again when they left Aviance for Menzies at BFS, although usually the TUPE arrangement happens,but it is only mandatory on the incomming handling agent if the contract represents more than 60 percent of the other handlers business, am not sure if this would be the case with Swissport at STN. The other point is that it leads to a massive loss of morale among the staff, they end up feeling that they have been betrayed by the airline and by both handlers, they will feel that all their efforts in the past and all the good will and favours they have done will have counted for nothing, so what happens, even if they TUPE over, these favours and good will, will cease.
Thirdly, the staff did not apply for jobs with Menzies, they wanted to work for Swissport, so even if they TUPE, they will feel that they are involentarrily working for the opposition, who will be for them an unknown and untrusted entity, they will have evolved a certain way of working that they think is sensible and logical and with which they are comfortable, and then Menzies of course will come along and want to impose their own ethics and proceedures, leading to futher misunderstandings and mistrust, Menzies will have presumably got the contract due to the fact that they were cheaper, as is usually the case and will therefore seek to save money on materials and staffing levels, which will do nothing for the staff other than confirm their worst fears, Easyjet will demand the same standards for less money and the staff will say 'why should we care, we gave you what you wanted before and you sold us out,' oh yes this whole thing is frought with potential problems.
It also leads staff to being alienated from each other, they will regard their former collegues who are still at Swissport with envious eyes and seek to return there at the first possible opportunity, so what is safe and known.
You have summed this up nicely but replace Swissport with Servisair and tat is
EXACTLY how it is here at BRS. This sums up the mood and feeings extremely well.
Roll on next summer when servisair will be recruiting again.
Speedbird