Strike of Flightcare baggage handlers at Brussels Airport

[sn26567]

The baggage handlers of Flightcare at Brussels Airport are on strike today. At this moment the impact on flight schedules is limited. There are no cancellations so far, but delays of approximately 30-40 mins per flight. Brussels Airlines (which uses Flightcare as baggage handler) will keep passengers updated as soon as the situation changes. The Brussels Airlines ground staff is doing their best to help out with the baggage handling to avoid further disruptions.

Passengers are advised to come to the airport as scheduled. Strike may lead to delays of some flights.

[cnc]

its time we get a new handling company at BRU and make flightcare nothing more then a memory from the past

[Stij]

The Brussels Airlines ground staff is doing their best to help out with the baggage handling to avoid further disruptions.

Congratulations to the Brussels Airlines Ground Staff!!!

Really, no kidding!

Cheers,

Stij

[airazurxtror]

As a rule, I surely am no supporter of strikers - but, on the other hand, for the Brussels Airlines ground staff to break their colleagues' strike is nothing to be proud of (and another time, it could be the other way round).

[Passenger]

As a rule, I surely am no supporter of strikers - but, on the other hand, for the Brussels Airlines ground staff to break their colleagues' strike is nothing to be proud of (and another time, it could be the other way round).

Screwing up the holiday and/or business trip from innocent travellers is also nothing to be proud of.
.

[9vsmu]

here we go again

[matey11]

As a rule, I surely am no supporter of strikers - but, on the other hand, for the Brussels Airlines ground staff to break their colleagues' strike is nothing to be proud of (and another time, it could be the other way round).

Common serious collegues?? 2 total different companies, should brussels airlines stop there activities because another companie is on strike. It's like saying to BASF to stop working because BAYER personel is on strike?? Any sense in this.

And to be honnest do not see an baggage handler flying or repairing a plane neither.

Regards,

[airazurxtror]

Breaking somebody else's strike is bad form - it simply is not done.
If you have ever worked on the floor, been a member of a union, you know that.

[RoMax]

Breaking somebody else's strike is bad form - it simply is not done.
If you have ever worked on the floor, been a member of a union, you know that.

Well maybe the SN staff is just much more responsible and they realise striking is not the right solution at this moment. Taking over the job of Flightcare so their pax can get on their destination is just a sign of responsibility...many people could learn of that. BTW, some happened at Jetairfly...don't you hear saying something about that. Can I say this is once again a "I just don't like SN" statement of you...

BTW, you also know the big majority of the Belgian population claims they don't want to participate with the recent public strikes (like late last year and planned for later this month)...especially young people (18-35) do not believe in strikes as a solution and are against it. This is also why the amount of people in this age group that is member of a union is quite limited and not growing (while this is the generation that should worry the most about their future).

[cathay belgium]

Airazur,

Really get your point, but..

When the NMBS is on strike ( luckily this happens not that often ), should the taxi's and other busdrivers join too to get a complete country down ?
Don't see the problem in this case, two different companies like the others said ref Bayer / BASF good comparison..

Everyone / company will search to solutions what's good for their own no?
So your saying if one company @ BRU airport is on strike everyone else must join..

What with differing planes to other airports in this case like JAF,TC has done last time ...

In any other case within the company.. we call them rats... scabs.. ( on react like if they ... )

CX-B

[matey11]

Breaking somebody else's strike is bad form - it simply is not done.
If you have ever worked on the floor, been a member of a union, you know that.

As far as I see SN's employees made shure there companie just didn't went into a bad start of the year. Don't forget the numbers for SN wheren't that good last year. Also this was a wild strike so not really fare to the other 3000+ employees of SN and all the others on the airport.
What happens internally in another company shouldn't affect others operations.

Maybe I'm on the workfloor and maybe closer to a certain company affected by this strike then you think and maybe just maybe I'm also representative for the unions. But also there are different views on striking for certain things even within the same company.

Regards,

[Flanker]

Airazurxtor doesn't have it all wrong.
The people of Flightcare who went on strike are indirect employees of SN (and to a smaller degree of other airlines).
SN pays Flightcare who in turn pays its employees.

Basically, SN is victim of its own working method.
This is the result of someone somewhere in an office at SN, calculating that the return on investment isn't worth doing their handling themselves and it's cheaper to use Flightcare.
While it's not worth it for SN, Flightcare makes it worth it for themselves by overworking its staff. Duh, how else!

If SN management were competent and would make the company thrive, they would be able to pay Flightcare more or choose another handler or do their own handling, in order to offer customers a better, strike-free handling service, which in turn would also attract more customers, and so on...
Instead, they prefer to keep paying Flightcare peanuts, so they can receive a peanuts-class service and strikes, which chases more customers away.

Finally: if SN management can't figure a way to make their company thrive by sitting in their fancy offices, shouldn't they be the ones to go out during such strikes and put the luggage on the belts and the carts themselves, and not the ground crews?

Why SN and not Jetair? Jetair is a bit too small to start their own handling, so they have no other choice than to use one of the handlers. If they also choose to go for the cheapest option, then they too have to live with the consequences!

[cnc]

they prefer to keep paying Flightcare peanuts, so they can receive a peanuts-class service

you have no idea how much flightcare charges for a rotation/pushback/towing/... do you?
flightcare just missed a lot of money because there was hardly any need for deicing on which they make huge profits per litre.
atleast we are looking (if it doesnt cost too much) to get out of the contract with flightcare and use aviapartner untill swissport hopefully joins in. no idea if true but i've been hearing LH is doing the same.

Breaking somebody else's strike is bad form - it simply is not done.
If you have ever worked on the floor, been a member of a union, you know that.

lol are you serious? so if an other company go's on strike and cause your company to make losses which could result in a bankruptcy or some loss of jobs its ok for you?
you have no feeling with reality do you?

[RCMike]

Airazurxtor doesn't have it all wrong.
The people of Flightcare who went on strike are indirect employees of SN (and to a smaller degree of other airlines).
SN pays Flightcare who in turn pays its employees.

Basically, SN is victim of its own working method.
This is the result of someone somewhere in an office at SN, calculating that the return on investment isn't worth doing their handling themselves and it's cheaper to use Flightcare.
While it's not worth it for SN, Flightcare makes it worth it for themselves by overworking its staff. Duh, how else!

If SN management were competent and would make the company thrive, they would be able to pay Flightcare more or choose another handler or do their own handling, in order to offer customers a better, strike-free handling service, which in turn would also attract more customers, and so on...
Instead, they prefer to keep paying Flightcare peanuts, so they can receive a peanuts-class service and strikes, which chases more customers away.

Finally: if SN management can't figure a way to make their company thrive by sitting in their fancy offices, shouldn't they be the ones to go out during such strikes and put the luggage on the belts and the carts themselves, and not the ground crews?

Why SN and not Jetair? Jetair is a bit too small to start their own handling, so they have no other choice than to use one of the handlers. If they also choose to go for the cheapest option, then they too have to live with the consequences!

This is only a part of the story... But it's true! Just compare the handling quality on swiss, lufthansa with handling of an SN flight and then you'll know who's the better paying company

Don't forget that Flightcare is owned by a spanish construction group (FCC Group). They don't care about handling quality, safety... They determine their budgets based on profit! Given the fact that they want to sell Flightcare, I can imagine that budgets have been cut drastically. Less budget imposes extra work pressure, demand for unbearable flexibility, ... Can we blaim flightcare Belgium or do we have to look up higher?

Mike

[flightlover]

As a rule, I surely am no supporter of strikers - but, on the other hand, for the Brussels Airlines ground staff to break their colleagues' strike is nothing to be proud of (and another time, it could be the other way round).

Common serious collegues?? 2 total different companies, should brussels airlines stop there activities because another companie is on strike. It's like saying to BASF to stop working because BAYER personel is on strike?? Any sense in this.

And to be honnest do not see an baggage handler flying or repairing a plane neither.

Regards,
Mathew

To make a better comparison: It's like Johnson controls is in strike and it hurts Ford Genk.
Don't forget it is a supplier that strikes not a competitor.

[sn26567]

Striking workers of Flightcare have not picked up work this morning: the strike continues. The airlines are working hard to reduce the impact of the strike to passengers. The impact still limited at this hour.

The same advise as yesterday applies: check your flight info before you come to the airport. Do not come if the flight is cancelled, but contact the airline.

[sn26567]

I just got a confirmation: the strike at Flightcare is over. Airport operations get back to normal.