Chaos in BNE - baggage Handlers Strike

[markis10]

Baggage handlers' strike brings Brisbane airport to standstill

Strike causes airport chaos
Marissa Calligeros

March 30, 2009 - 11:11AM
Brisbane's airport has been thrust into chaos with a Qantas baggage handlers' strike causing major flight delays and passenger congestion at both the domestic and international terminals.

The strike is mainly affecting the domestic terminal which is understood to be at a standstill as relief staff attempt to check-in and unload luggage.
The action has also choked traffic to and from the airport as people arriving to collect passengers queue along Airport Drive.

 

[codash1099]

Baggage handlers' strike brings Brisbane airport to standstill

Strike causes airport chaos
Marissa Calligeros

March 30, 2009 - 11:11AM
Brisbane's airport has been thrust into chaos with a Qantas baggage handlers' strike causing major flight delays and passenger congestion at both the domestic and international terminals.

The strike is mainly affecting the domestic terminal which is understood to be at a standstill as relief staff attempt to check-in and unload luggage.
The action has also choked traffic to and from the airport as people arriving to collect passengers queue along Airport Drive.

Pretty much Australia wide, I think. Just hearing news of passengers in planes on the ground for over 20 minutes and still counting in PER. QF terminal packed to the rafters and no-one being let in.

DJ still flying, which is a surprise given that the strike seems to be over security, not against QF in particular.

Edit: Just heard it's the TWU and the action is only at PER, BNE and SYD.

 

[Nigelinoz]

According to this:
Qantas strike causes major delays
it's about outsourcing and security checking of staff,affecting
ADL,BNE,PER and SYD.

 

[Kendall Roy]

Unions are Scum! :evil:

*runs for cover*

 

[codash1099]

Unions are Scum! :evil:

*runs for cover*

I prefer "sediment". Scum rises to the top. Sediment is as low as you can sink.

*joins the run*

 

[simongr]

If I go out to buy a car I look for the make and model that I want and find the best price that I can. When I go to replace the car if I can find it somewhere cheaper than where I went last time then I buy it somewhere else. What I don't expect is the first mob to blockade the new mob to stop me choosing how and where I spend my money.

Unions have a right and a role in negotiations with management - I don't believe they have a right or a role in impeding other people doing their jobs or living their lives.

I have to say that this is shockingly short sighted - we are in the middle of a recession and the airlines are hurting - this wont help anyone's jobs...

 

[JohnK]

Very disappointing and again the people who will suffer the most are the travellers. Lucky I came back into BNE last night....

 

[futaris]

Just as well that the relative that I picked up at the airport today flew in on Virgin Blue. The Baggage carousels seemed a lot busier than usual for the three flights from Sydney, Cairns and Melbourne around noon.

 

[markis10]

If I go out to buy a car I look for the make and model that I want and find the best price that I can. When I go to replace the car if I can find it somewhere cheaper than where I went last time then I buy it somewhere else. What I don't expect is the first mob to blockade the new mob to stop me choosing how and where I spend my money.
.

And then the old mob who just happened to have a spare key will open your boot and borrow the camel suit for a while.......

 

[Hvr]

Flight delays as QF baggage handlers protest

Am surprised no one has posted this article yet.

Flight delays have hit Melbourne Airport as Qantas baggage handlers protest against the airline over security issues.


The baggage handlers are taking action at Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth airports, with knock-on effects for Melbourne Airport.


Baggage handlers have accused Qantas of "treating them with contempt" on security issues, in the wake of violent bikie brawl just over a week ago.

Talk about treating customers with contempt. Surely there must be industrial action they could take without impacting on the very people who pay their wages?

I wonder if there is fault on the management side of Qantas as well? Why isn't this being discussed behind closed doors? A good union delegate will take their members' concerns to management with a good argument and temper the more radical elements of their membership.

However to do this effectively they need to have reasonable access to management so that these issues are dealt with at a fairly low level instead of being allowed to flare up at the most inopportune times.

 

[Ikara]

Re: Flight delays as QF baggage handlers protest

They have.............

http://www.frequentflyer.com.au/com.../chaos-bne-baggage-handlers-strike-17061.html

JB

 

[Hvr]

Re: Flight delays as QF baggage handlers protest

D'oh, I need new glasses and this is proof.

Sorry. Hopefully this will we closed/amalgamated with the other thread.

 

[MDC]

Annoyed... but such is the travelling life. I wonder if I should bill the union for the half day consulting $ I missed out on. I was on BNE-DRW this morning - 2 hours sitting on the tarmac.

 

[bambbbam2]

Some of the PER flights left 5-6 hours late.

Not good at all. How does the union rationalise this as beneficial to its cause?

 

[Flashback]

Makes me kind of glad I had changed my MEL-PER to leave on Sunday night, rather than first thing Monday morning! Although, that being said I would have just left my bag there and QF could have couriered it to me.

 

[anat0l]

*sigh* Just great.

That's all I have to say. Thank goodness I'm not travelling today.

 

[docjames]

Very disappointing and again the people who will suffer the most are the travellers. Lucky I came back into BNE last night....

I just naturally assumed you were travelling..:mrgreen:

 

[Mal]

Some media articles I read today indicated that the root cause of the strike was Jetstar wanting to outsource baggage handling from Qantas employees to Aero-Care (who does Virgin Blue and Tiger's baggage handling).

Can't wait till the next strike. Hmm - Easter is only a couple of weeks away, and school holidays are near. Looks like it might be sooner than some expect!

 

[JohnK]

Can't wait till the next strike. Hmm - Easter is only a couple of weeks away, and school holidays are near. Looks like it might be sooner than some expect!

I am jinxed more than enough and can do without any further baggage handler strikes. :-|

 

[drron]

I am jinxed more than enough and can do without any further baggage handler strikes. :-|

Me too.Flying SYD-LAX on the 14th.