25-31/10/2018 Aviapartner strike at Brussels Airport

Join this forum to discuss the latest news that happened in the world of commercial aviation.

Moderator: Latest news team

Post Reply
b720
Posts: 891
Joined: 04 May 2006, 00:00

Re: 25-26-27/10/2018 Aviapartner strike at Brussels Airport

Post by b720 »

saratoga wrote: 27 Oct 2018, 11:11 As a pilot i land quite often in BRU and my company is using aviapartner as well. We see so many times, when on blocks even, we really have to wait for them to show up to take care of everything, causing delays ofcourse. There is simply a lack of staff (like swissport as well) and they really have to work their ass of!!!! 1700 € salary all included for the kind of job and hours they have to do.....well it is not that well paid. On top of that, a lot of ppl do not show any respect towards them. Well they get my respect and i support their action to strike. It is always more more and more for less less and less. Common public does not give a toss, because they just wanna go on holiday for a few euros!!
That “common public” going on vacation is what pays your salary and keeps your job! A bit of respect!
And who says vacation of a few euros?
Some people have to save the whole year to afford a vacation with their kids. They are stranded vacation paid for .. i I think that it dirty to strike at the start of a school holiday, and worse a wild cat strike!

ostair
Posts: 363
Joined: 19 Jan 2004, 00:00
Location: ostend

Re: 25-26-27/10/2018 Aviapartner strike at Brussels Airport

Post by ostair »

Heard that AP Ostend was handling some BRU flights today.
Can't find any info on this.

Airpocket
Posts: 12
Joined: 26 Oct 2018, 12:37

Re: 25-26-27/10/2018 Aviapartner strike at Brussels Airport

Post by Airpocket »

b720 wrote: 27 Oct 2018, 12:19
saratoga wrote: 27 Oct 2018, 11:11 As a pilot i land quite often in BRU and my company is using aviapartner as well. We see so many times, when on blocks even, we really have to wait for them to show up to take care of everything, causing delays ofcourse. There is simply a lack of staff (like swissport as well) and they really have to work their ass of!!!! 1700 € salary all included for the kind of job and hours they have to do.....well it is not that well paid. On top of that, a lot of ppl do not show any respect towards them. Well they get my respect and i support their action to strike. It is always more more and more for less less and less. Common public does not give a toss, because they just wanna go on holiday for a few euros!!
That “common public” going on vacation is what pays your salary and keeps your job! A bit of respect!
And who says vacation of a few euros?
Some people have to save the whole year to afford a vacation with their kids. They are stranded vacation paid for .. i I think that it dirty to strike at the start of a school holiday, and worse a wild cat strike!
Respect has to goe both ways. Buying a ticket for 25€ and expecting a first class service is foolish. Someone is losing money so people can go on a cheap holiday. That someone is not the greedy airport who gives contracts to the lowest bidders. It is not going to be the management of the company that won with the lowest bid. No, it is going to be the workers of that company with the lowest bid. Just a question: do you think it is coincidental that these strikes always happen at Brussels airport? There are rumors that the passenger security is going to strike to.

b720
Posts: 891
Joined: 04 May 2006, 00:00

Re: 25-26-27/10/2018 Aviapartner strike at Brussels Airport

Post by b720 »

Airpocket wrote: 27 Oct 2018, 13:06
b720 wrote: 27 Oct 2018, 12:19
saratoga wrote: 27 Oct 2018, 11:11 As a pilot i land quite often in BRU and my company is using aviapartner as well. We see so many times, when on blocks even, we really have to wait for them to show up to take care of everything, causing delays ofcourse. There is simply a lack of staff (like swissport as well) and they really have to work their ass of!!!! 1700 € salary all included for the kind of job and hours they have to do.....well it is not that well paid. On top of that, a lot of ppl do not show any respect towards them. Well they get my respect and i support their action to strike. It is always more more and more for less less and less. Common public does not give a toss, because they just wanna go on holiday for a few euros!!
That “common public” going on vacation is what pays your salary and keeps your job! A bit of respect!
And who says vacation of a few euros?
Some people have to save the whole year to afford a vacation with their kids. They are stranded vacation paid for .. i I think that it dirty to strike at the start of a school holiday, and worse a wild cat strike!
Respect has to goe both ways. Buying a ticket for 25€ and expecting a first class service is foolish. Someone is losing money so people can go on a cheap holiday. That someone is not the greedy airport who gives contracts to the lowest bidders. It is not going to be the management of the company that won with the lowest bid. No, it is going to be the workers of that company with the lowest bid. Just a question: do you think it is coincidental that these strikes always happen at Brussels airport? There are rumors that the passenger security is going to strike to.
Respect must go both ways, agreed. But I sense that u lack some respect to the people you fly. Please keep in mind that the absolute majority of those you fly from pint A to point B have not paid 25 EUR. Some yes, absolutely..
but many have paid 10x more if not more. Ryan air is not making all those profits on the 25 EUr fares. SN does seats for 34 EUR O.W. I fly them almost every week. I never paid that little.. sometimes I have paid over EUR 200 one way.not even in flex! So not even a free glass of water..
I have friends who work for SN as cabin crew. Some of them seriously believe that all those in check and go have paid 34 EUR!!!!

User avatar
lumumba
Posts: 2059
Joined: 04 Sep 2003, 00:00
Location: brussels Europe

Re: 25-26-27/10/2018 Aviapartner strike at Brussels Airport

Post by lumumba »

b720 wrote: 27 Oct 2018, 13:29
Airpocket wrote: 27 Oct 2018, 13:06
b720 wrote: 27 Oct 2018, 12:19

That “common public” going on vacation is what pays your salary and keeps your job! A bit of respect!
And who says vacation of a few euros?
Some people have to save the whole year to afford a vacation with their kids. They are stranded vacation paid for .. i I think that it dirty to strike at the start of a school holiday, and worse a wild cat strike!
Respect has to goe both ways. Buying a ticket for 25€ and expecting a first class service is foolish. Someone is losing money so people can go on a cheap holiday. That someone is not the greedy airport who gives contracts to the lowest bidders. It is not going to be the management of the company that won with the lowest bid. No, it is going to be the workers of that company with the lowest bid. Just a question: do you think it is coincidental that these strikes always happen at Brussels airport? There are rumors that the passenger security is going to strike to.
Respect must go both ways, agreed. But I sense that u lack some respect to the people you fly. Please keep in mind that the absolute majority of those you fly from pint A to point B have not paid 25 EUR. Some yes, absolutely..
but many have paid 10x more if not more. Ryan air is not making all those profits on the 25 EUr fares. SN does seats for 34 EUR O.W. I fly them almost every week. I never paid that little.. sometimes I have paid over EUR 200 one way.not even in flex! So not even a free glass of water..
I have friends who work for SN as cabin crew. Some of them seriously believe that all those in check and go have paid 34 EUR!!!!
The real problem here is that profits are more important that people.
That's not ok Ryanair and Aviapartner are the same they squeeze there employees.

“You pay peanuts, you get monkeys”(Airpocket) that's it.
Hasta la victoria siempre.

Airpocket
Posts: 12
Joined: 26 Oct 2018, 12:37

Re: 25-26-27/10/2018 Aviapartner strike at Brussels Airport

Post by Airpocket »

b720 wrote: 27 Oct 2018, 13:29
Airpocket wrote: 27 Oct 2018, 13:06
b720 wrote: 27 Oct 2018, 12:19

That “common public” going on vacation is what pays your salary and keeps your job! A bit of respect!
And who says vacation of a few euros?
Some people have to save the whole year to afford a vacation with their kids. They are stranded vacation paid for .. i I think that it dirty to strike at the start of a school holiday, and worse a wild cat strike!
Respect has to goe both ways. Buying a ticket for 25€ and expecting a first class service is foolish. Someone is losing money so people can go on a cheap holiday. That someone is not the greedy airport who gives contracts to the lowest bidders. It is not going to be the management of the company that won with the lowest bid. No, it is going to be the workers of that company with the lowest bid. Just a question: do you think it is coincidental that these strikes always happen at Brussels airport? There are rumors that the passenger security is going to strike to.
Respect must go both ways, agreed. But I sense that u lack some respect to the people you fly. Please keep in mind that the absolute majority of those you fly from pint A to point B have not paid 25 EUR. Some yes, absolutely..
but many have paid 10x more if not more. Ryan air is not making all those profits on the 25 EUr fares. SN does seats for 34 EUR O.W. I fly them almost every week. I never paid that little.. sometimes I have paid over EUR 200 one way.not even in flex! So not even a free glass of water..
I have friends who work for SN as cabin crew. Some of them seriously believe that all those in check and go have paid 34 EUR!!!!
Still, there is no denying that a lot of company’s have bad contracts with Brussels airport. The management of those company’s try to save money where they can. Which will hurt the workers off course. Like I said: it is not a coincidence strikes happen so much at Brussels airport. Only profit counts.

Airpocket
Posts: 12
Joined: 26 Oct 2018, 12:37

Re: 25-26-27/10/2018 Aviapartner strike at Brussels Airport

Post by Airpocket »

lumumba wrote: 27 Oct 2018, 14:07
b720 wrote: 27 Oct 2018, 13:29
Airpocket wrote: 27 Oct 2018, 13:06

Respect has to goe both ways. Buying a ticket for 25€ and expecting a first class service is foolish. Someone is losing money so people can go on a cheap holiday. That someone is not the greedy airport who gives contracts to the lowest bidders. It is not going to be the management of the company that won with the lowest bid. No, it is going to be the workers of that company with the lowest bid. Just a question: do you think it is coincidental that these strikes always happen at Brussels airport? There are rumors that the passenger security is going to strike to.
Respect must go both ways, agreed. But I sense that u lack some respect to the people you fly. Please keep in mind that the absolute majority of those you fly from pint A to point B have not paid 25 EUR. Some yes, absolutely..
but many have paid 10x more if not more. Ryan air is not making all those profits on the 25 EUr fares. SN does seats for 34 EUR O.W. I fly them almost every week. I never paid that little.. sometimes I have paid over EUR 200 one way.not even in flex! So not even a free glass of water..
I have friends who work for SN as cabin crew. Some of them seriously believe that all those in check and go have paid 34 EUR!!!!
The real problem here is that profits are more important that people.
That's not ok Ryanair and Aviapartner are the same they squeeze there employees.

“You pay peanuts, you get monkeys”(Airpocket) that's it.
Indeed. But Brussels airport is as much to blame for me. These problems and strikes are not new, but this year aviapartner and swissport got the contract again.

sean1982
Posts: 3260
Joined: 18 Mar 2003, 00:00
Contact:

Re: 25-26-27/10/2018 Aviapartner strike at Brussels Airport

Post by sean1982 »

saratoga wrote: 27 Oct 2018, 11:11 As a pilot i land quite often in BRU and my company is using aviapartner as well. We see so many times, when on blocks even, we really have to wait for them to show up to take care of everything, causing delays ofcourse. There is simply a lack of staff (like swissport as well) and they really have to work their ass of!!!! 1700 € salary all included for the kind of job and hours they have to do.....well it is not that well paid. On top of that, a lot of ppl do not show any respect towards them. Well they get my respect and i support their action to strike. It is always more more and more for less less and less. Common public does not give a toss, because they just wanna go on holiday for a few euros!!
I would have if they’d Followed the rules regarding strikes. Just dropping everything in total disregard of the law should be penalised severely. Personal liability for financial damage caused would be a good start

b720
Posts: 891
Joined: 04 May 2006, 00:00

Re: 25-26-27/10/2018 Aviapartner strike at Brussels Airport

Post by b720 »

sean1982 wrote: 27 Oct 2018, 15:12
saratoga wrote: 27 Oct 2018, 11:11 As a pilot i land quite often in BRU and my company is using aviapartner as well. We see so many times, when on blocks even, we really have to wait for them to show up to take care of everything, causing delays ofcourse. There is simply a lack of staff (like swissport as well) and they really have to work their ass of!!!! 1700 € salary all included for the kind of job and hours they have to do.....well it is not that well paid. On top of that, a lot of ppl do not show any respect towards them. Well they get my respect and i support their action to strike. It is always more more and more for less less and less. Common public does not give a toss, because they just wanna go on holiday for a few euros!!
I would have if they’d Followed the rules regarding strikes. Just dropping everything in total disregard of the law should be penalised severely. Personal liability for financial damage caused would be a good start
Absolutely. Everyone has the Right to strike, but not like this.

Passenger
Posts: 7266
Joined: 06 Dec 2010, 20:54

Re: 25-26-27/10/2018 Aviapartner strike at Brussels Airport

Post by Passenger »

The wildcat strike was illegal when it started on Thursday evening. The trade unions then have to decide immediately what to do: to give notice to management that they support the strike/strikers, or to advise management and strikers they don't support the strike. if the trade unions do not support a wildcat strike, the strikers face dismissal and financial penalties.

Unfortunately, but not suprisingly for Belgian trade unions, they advised management on Thursday evening that they officially support the strike. They searched in their Documents File, and found an official strike notice from January 2018. As from that moment, the illegal strike became a legal one.

On a sidenote: the only "benefit" from this strike being a wildcat strike, is that airlines can waive claims for the indemnity from EU-Rule 261/2004 (250€-600€) because in jurisprudence, a wildcat strike is regarded as unevitable. When it would have been a planned strike by a private business partner, airlines have the time to set up plan B - and thus risk the indemnity.

User avatar
luchtzak
Posts: 11734
Joined: 18 Sep 2002, 00:00
Location: Hofstade, Zemst - Belgium
Contact:

Re: 25-26-27/10/2018 Aviapartner strike at Brussels Airport

Post by luchtzak »

"Race to the bottom, the employees of the handling agents are the victim", https://www.vrt.be/vrtnws/nl/2018/10/27 ... delingsbe/

User avatar
lumumba
Posts: 2059
Joined: 04 Sep 2003, 00:00
Location: brussels Europe

Re: 25-26-27/10/2018 Aviapartner strike at Brussels Airport

Post by lumumba »

sean1982 wrote: 27 Oct 2018, 15:12
saratoga wrote: 27 Oct 2018, 11:11 As a pilot i land quite often in BRU and my company is using aviapartner as well. We see so many times, when on blocks even, we really have to wait for them to show up to take care of everything, causing delays ofcourse. There is simply a lack of staff (like swissport as well) and they really have to work their ass of!!!! 1700 € salary all included for the kind of job and hours they have to do.....well it is not that well paid. On top of that, a lot of ppl do not show any respect towards them. Well they get my respect and i support their action to strike. It is always more more and more for less less and less. Common public does not give a toss, because they just wanna go on holiday for a few euros!!
I would have if they’d Followed the rules regarding strikes. Just dropping everything in total disregard of the law should be penalised severely. Personal liability for financial damage caused would be a good start
But like I said before the management also could be prosecuted because thay did not payed what they signed for!
That's why they started the wild strike.
Hasta la victoria siempre.

Passenger
Posts: 7266
Joined: 06 Dec 2010, 20:54

Re: 25-26-27/10/2018 Aviapartner strike at Brussels Airport

Post by Passenger »

Aviapartner doesn't squeeze their employees to make more profit. They don't make profit. Their financial situation is so bad that every unpaid creditor can sue them for bankruptcy now ("dagvaarden in faillissement") (they won't do so because they know they won't get anything from the bankruptcy: every eurocent will go to the banks and the staff).

Yesterday I have posted some figures from their annual account 2017, published just one week ago. Let me repeat some of the amounts, for those who have missed that post (or worse, ignore the unconvenient truth):
Passenger wrote: 26 Oct 2018, 13:52 Turnover 2017: 61.709.090
Operational loss 2017: 2.775.916 (-)
Final loss of 2017 (verlies boekjaar): 3.635.453 (-)
Cumulated loss (overgedragen verlies): 24.334.941 (-)
Own assets (eigen vermogen): minus 15.473.643 (-)
Capital (geplaatst kapitaal): 4.952.268
Total debts: 49.049.861
Debts one year max.: 26.296.218
Source: National Bank of Belgium, Public Search:
http://cri.nbb.be/bc9/web/catalog?lang= ... 0404529392

My comment, as a non financial expert: like body temperature is the first indicator for a patient's health, "own assets" is the first indicator for the health of an enterprise. And in this case, it is minus 15.173.643 €. This means that the owners/shareholders not only have lost their 5 mio € investment: they should invest another 15 mio € to get the body temperature back to 37°C.

Remember the big story at Air Belgium two weeks ago, with that Special Board Meeting? Reason was that their (positive) own assets had decreased to less then half of their 20 mio capital. With Aviapartner Belgium, the own assets are at minus 15 mio! And this will deter for F.Y. 2018 because airlines will demand compensation for the damage that the strike has caused.

The only way out on long term, given the high labour costs in their total expenses, is to drop some clients (as I posted earlier) and that staff would give in on salary and/or productivity (example: work 44 hours, get paid 38 hours). Untill better times. But for Belgian trade unions, such proposition is not even discuttable.

jan_olieslagers
Posts: 3059
Joined: 24 Jun 2006, 08:34
Location: Vl.Brabant
Contact:

Re: 25-26-27/10/2018 Aviapartner strike at Brussels Airport

Post by jan_olieslagers »

I say again: it is not normal that still further sacrifices from staff should be required. It is possible that Brussels airport management pushed the handlng companies to work unrealistacilly cheap (as was suggested earlier in this thread) - but if management accepted that, it is not for staff the settle to bill. I keep on questioning the ability of Aviapartner's management, at least at Zaventem and probably in Oostende, too.

Then again, BRU management are best placed to judge the handlers' performance. Like also said above, there have been problems for many years, so BRU management knew what they were in for. It must be said: one hears no complaints from their side. Strange, because their reputation must be suffering badly.

sean1982
Posts: 3260
Joined: 18 Mar 2003, 00:00
Contact:

Re: 25-26-27/10/2018 Aviapartner strike at Brussels Airport

Post by sean1982 »

luchtzak wrote: 27 Oct 2018, 17:53 "Race to the bottom, the employees of the handling agents are the victim", https://www.vrt.be/vrtnws/nl/2018/10/27 ... delingsbe/
Thats not only at BRU though. When was the latest ground handeling strike at STN? EIN? CGN? Etc ... BRU keeps piling them on, so the unions need to come with a better excuse

Airpocket
Posts: 12
Joined: 26 Oct 2018, 12:37

Re: 25-26-27/10/2018 Aviapartner strike at Brussels Airport

Post by Airpocket »

luchtzak wrote: 27 Oct 2018, 17:53 "Race to the bottom, the employees of the handling agents are the victim", https://www.vrt.be/vrtnws/nl/2018/10/27 ... delingsbe/
Just like I said. Brussels airport gives the contract to the lowest bidder. The same thing is going on between G4s, security’s and other security company’s. They are probably skipping on quality as well.

sean1982
Posts: 3260
Joined: 18 Mar 2003, 00:00
Contact:

Re: 25-26-27/10/2018 Aviapartner strike at Brussels Airport

Post by sean1982 »

Airpocket wrote: 27 Oct 2018, 18:55
luchtzak wrote: 27 Oct 2018, 17:53 "Race to the bottom, the employees of the handling agents are the victim", https://www.vrt.be/vrtnws/nl/2018/10/27 ... delingsbe/
Just like I said. Brussels airport gives the contract to the lowest bidder. The same thing is going on between G4s, security’s and other security company’s. They are probably skipping on quality as well.
Like every airport in The World. Like any business in The World for that matter. Lame union excuse

ostair
Posts: 363
Joined: 19 Jan 2004, 00:00
Location: ostend

Re: 25-26-27/10/2018 Aviapartner strike at Brussels Airport

Post by ostair »

When reading the comments here its as if some want to return to time of "Daens"(1888).

"Thank you Sir for my job, no need to pay me in full. Don't want my bonus. Pension? Don't need it as I will work till I drop"...
I'm not pro unions but thanks to them and some political parties we are able to have a better life than those in 1888.

But hey if you don't like your vacation money ,"13th month", night shift, Sunday bonus,etc let me know. I am happy to give you my bankaccountnumber to transfer the money.

Airpocket
Posts: 12
Joined: 26 Oct 2018, 12:37

Re: 25-26-27/10/2018 Aviapartner strike at Brussels Airport

Post by Airpocket »

sean1982 wrote: 27 Oct 2018, 19:41
Airpocket wrote: 27 Oct 2018, 18:55
luchtzak wrote: 27 Oct 2018, 17:53 "Race to the bottom, the employees of the handling agents are the victim", https://www.vrt.be/vrtnws/nl/2018/10/27 ... delingsbe/
Just like I said. Brussels airport gives the contract to the lowest bidder. The same thing is going on between G4s, security’s and other security company’s. They are probably skipping on quality as well.
Like every airport in The World. Like any business in The World for that matter. Lame union excuse
There are 2 camps to blame for this strike, and that is Brussels airport who gives contracts to the lowest bidder and the management of aviapartner who try to compensate their bad contract by letting their workers “pay” for it. This practice is not just at Brussels airport, it is happening al over the world in the private sector. A lot of company’s try to cut corners or look for the boundaries of what is ethical in order to make more profit. The food industry makes more and more food with bad substitutes to make food taste better and stay fresh longer, but don’t care if it is unhealthy. A lot of clothes are made by children in Asia or Africa. Volkswagen cheated with tests so they could make more money but did not look at the environment and health of people. A lot of company’s do stuff like this. The problem at Brussels airport reflects everything what is wrong with modern economics: company’s try to make as much money as fast as they can (even by doing bad stuff) to please shareholders.
Last edited by Airpocket on 27 Oct 2018, 23:42, edited 1 time in total.

User avatar
lumumba
Posts: 2059
Joined: 04 Sep 2003, 00:00
Location: brussels Europe

Re: 25-26-27/10/2018 Aviapartner strike at Brussels Airport

Post by lumumba »

Somebody knows the profit numbers of Brussels Airport?
Hasta la victoria siempre.

Post Reply