Ground Support Worldwide

DEC 2016 JAN 2017

The ground support industry's source for news, articles, events, product and services information.

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34 GROUND SUPPORT WORLDWIDE DECEMBER 2016/JANUARY 2017 EDITOR'S NOTE Editor - Josh Smith jsmith@aviationpros.com 920-563-1644 SOCIAL MEDIA & ONLINE CONTENT Meet the Airport Business 2016 Top 40 Under 40 AviationPros.com/12281812 Airpro Brings Electric Pushback Tractors to Helsinki Airport AviationPros.com/12264019 Tronair 28.5V Ground Power Unit AviationPros.com/12276402 YOUTUBE youtube.com/user/ AviationProsVideos TWITTER @aviation_pros LINKEDIN linkedin.com/groups/ 1763027 FACEBOOK facebook.com/ AviationPros MEDIA CENTER TOP ARTICLE ONLINE PRODUCT GUIDE Strikes and other demonstrations in several major cities have made it clear that this is a critical topic facing the industry today. Although contracted workers' desire to earn higher salaries came as no surprise to me, I was caught off guard by a report, cited by the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), which stated 42 percent of airport workers live below the poverty line. The report, published by Lake Research Part- ners, states a majority of the 599 workers surveyed across targeted airports make less than $12 an hour and a majority lives in a household making less than $25,000 annually. And with one-third of the participants having been at the airport for less than a year and more than half being on the job for less than three years, the report suggests there are not many long-term workers being employed. Without diving into the politics of organized labor and minimum wage standards, I can see some benefits to increasing salaries for ramp and cargo agents, baggage handlers, fuelers, lavatory service personnel, tug drivers and other ground service providers. Simply put, an increase in wage could reduce employee turnover. As a result, more satisfied workers may be more inclined to stay in a position for a longer period of time, gather valuable on-the-job experience and impart their years of knowledge on new employees. Moreover, employees with years of experience may be less prone to mistakes and accidents, help- ing create safer working conditions. Safer working conditions could mean quicker turnarounds on the ramp and more productivity. Without a doubt, a company needs to look at all areas of its budget, not just employee salaries, to make sure it is profitable while keeping rates com- petitive in the market. But if an increase in wage could encourage more employees to do a better job for a longer period of time, is it worth considering? A Raise in Pay for an Increase in Production? I n my brief time as editor of Ground Support Worldwide, numer- ous news stories about airport worker labor negotiations have come across my desk. Demonstrations across the U.S. have put a spotlight on airport workers' salaries. Would increasing wages lead to better ground support service?

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