Ground Service Agent perspective

[BSmack]

It is pretty messed up that the guys who work these jobs get paid crap wages. I went and read the job description for Ground Service Agent. It sounds like the description for so many shit jobs out there. They make it sound like you're going to really enjoy having an unstable schedule and no money.

My opinion is that the guy who wrote this piece is probably a bit of a fuck up. He talks about another guy who worked with him who was working this job after 10 years in the military. Seems hard to believe that person could work 10 years in the military and not game relevant skills that would allow you to get paid more than 30k. Sounds like that dude should have stayed in.

https://www.thestranger.com/slog/2018/0 ... hat-he-did

[Wolfman]

From my perspective when flying, I see those guys out on the tarmac working their butts off. Schlepping baggage looks like a real chore. I hate just lugging ours around. But when you're <30, you are still strong and can do most any physical labor. I did factory work, asphalt plant, warehouse stuff back then and was happy to be able to chase a buck. I'm guessing not many of those "Ground Service Agents" see it as a career.

[BSmack]

Got to love it when the defense for low wages is that it's "not a career." Like the late Joe Strummer once said, "You've got the music and they've got the vinyl."

[smackaholic]

Did it occur to you that the guy who got out after 10 years in the military might not have chosen to get out?

Unlike many gubmint yobs, you can't just camp out at the bottom rung of the career ladder. If you are a fukking loser, they get rid of you.

I don't know the details of being a ramp ape at the airport, but, I do see plenty of them. It is physical labor. It does require a reasonably clear record to get a SIDA badge, but not much more. My guess is, if you hang around a while, you eventually make better money....if you are worth a fukk.

If this isn't their dream job, acquire a marketable skill and move on.

[Screw_Michigan]

Did it occur to you that the guy who got out after 10 years in the military might not have chosen to get out?

Unlike many gubmint yobs, you can't just camp out at the bottom rung of the career ladder. If you are a fukking loser, they get rid of you.

You're probably not a loser if you spend 10 years in the military.

[Joe in PB]

Before I went in the Navy, but after taking the entry ASVAB test. I was guaranteed electronics & Advanced First Term Avionics schools. Just going into the military guarantees nothing, except you'll likely end up a grunt or truck driver.

[smackaholic]

Did it occur to you that the guy who got out after 10 years in the military might not have chosen to get out?

Unlike many gubmint yobs, you can't just camp out at the bottom rung of the career ladder. If you are a fukking loser, they get rid of you.

You're probably not a loser if you spend 10 years in the military.

Stick to what you know, coin operated laundry, living in DC, watching Tom Hanks movies and sucking cock.

In most branches of the military, simply having a pulse will get you to E-4. You can re-enlist, a time or two. But if you don't make rank beyond that, the military has something called high year tenure. For E-4, it is typically around 10-12 years, E-5 around 15. This does change with changes in manning levels and the needs of the government.

It is quite possible (and likely) that this guy was a loser. There are plenty of people that get out at 10 years, maybe even more....for high paying service related gigs. But, if you get out at 10 years to be a ramp monkey, you prolly suck at life in general.

[Screw_Michigan]

Stick to what you know, coin operated laundry, living in DC, watching Tom Hanks movies and sucking cock.

In most branches of the military, simply having a pulse will get you to E-4. You can re-enlist, a time or two. But if you don't make rank beyond that, the military has something called high year tenure. For E-4, it is typically around 10-12 years, E-5 around 15. This does change with changes in manning levels and the needs of the government.

It is quite possible (and likely) that this guy was a loser. There are plenty of people that get out at 10 years, maybe even more....for high paying service related gigs. But, if you get out at 10 years to be a ramp monkey, you prolly suck at life in general.

You're strangely familiar with what it takes to be a loser with 10 years military experience.

[Left Seater]

I have talked about my summer working as a ramp rat. If you are there for more than a few years you are basically unemployable. Further this guys claim that your lives depend on them on the ramp is crap. Maybe you can argue the weight and balance guy, but not the ramp rats.

It is hard work no doubt, in all weather, but it isn’t rocket science. Despite what Bri might claim, not all jobs are a career. Many jobs are made to be occupied for a few years before people are promoted or move on. Ramp rat is one of them.

If this guy has any skills he will move up to Alaska Air shortly.

[smackaholic]

Stick to what you know, coin operated laundry, living in DC, watching Tom Hanks movies and sucking cock.

In most branches of the military, simply having a pulse will get you to E-4. You can re-enlist, a time or two. But if you don't make rank beyond that, the military has something called high year tenure. For E-4, it is typically around 10-12 years, E-5 around 15. This does change with changes in manning levels and the needs of the government.

It is quite possible (and likely) that this guy was a loser. There are plenty of people that get out at 10 years, maybe even more....for high paying service related gigs. But, if you get out at 10 years to be a ramp monkey, you prolly suck at life in general.

You're strangely familiar with what it takes to be a loser with 10 years military experience.

Having been in the military for a good chunk of my life, I am obvioously more familiar with all aspect of it than you.

Contrary to what a lot of people like to think, not eveyone in the military is a hero. There are losers there, just as in any field. For the most part, they are weeded out fairly quickly, but some hang around for a decade. Hell, some, due to luck manage to ride it out for a career.

[Screw_Michigan]

Having been in the military for a good chunk of my life, I am obvioously more familiar with all aspect of it than you.

You're certainly much more familiar with being a loser than I am so congrats on that.

[smackaholic]

Whatever you say, skippy.

I'll take my life, in my crappy paid for house, with a full compliment of household appliances, also paid for, over your transient existence in that tax dollar balck hole.

[Screw_Michigan]

Whatever you say, skippy.

I'll take my life, in my crappy paid for house, with a full compliment of household appliances, also paid for, over your transient existence in that tax dollar balck hole.

Congrats, I guess, on making it in an undesirable shithole.

[Rooster]

Before I went in the Navy, but after taking the entry ASVAB test. I was guaranteed electronics & Advanced First Term Avionics schools. Just going into the military guarantees nothing, except you'll likely end up a grunt or truck driver.

I have no idea if you are doing a job that you enjoy or are making bank in a career of your choice, but if you are not too far from those days as an avionics tech and want to make serious money PM me and I’ll connect you with someone is looking for experienced spark chasers. No joke.

[Joe in PB]

Thanks for the shout out Rooster, but I'm good.

[Rooster]

Glad to hear it, Joe.

[smackaholic]

Before I went in the Navy, but after taking the entry ASVAB test. I was guaranteed electronics & Advanced First Term Avionics schools. Just going into the military guarantees nothing, except you'll likely end up a grunt or truck driver.

I have no idea if you are doing a job that you enjoy or are making bank in a career of your choice, but if you are not too far from those days as an avionics tech and want to make serious money PM me and I’ll connect you with someone is looking for experienced spark chasers. No joke.

A guy I used to work with, did helo maintenance in the army. Not sure if he was avionics or airframe mechanic. Anyhooo, he did similar work in the private sector for a while but said he had to leave it as it was notoriously bad paying.

I get poor pay for ramp rats but you’d think anyone spinning a wrench/meter probe on aircraft would be towards the top of the technician pay scale, but apparently not.

I think it has to do with the fact that working in the aviation field is considered a cool job by many. It’s romanticized to the point that many will accept less pay rather than work on less cool, hum drum stuff.

Take a look at pilots.

These are highly skilled people with a lot of expensive training. And they are willing to work for ridiculously low levels of pay. I do understand that once they get a few thousand hours of seat time, the pay picks up, but what other industry with a comparable training and skill requirement starts out that low?


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[Rooster]

Doctors maybe. Med school, residency, then getting in on the ground floor of a hospital staff. Truth be told, while I am well paid, I do it because I really enjoy flying. Each and every day that first take off is still as fun and thrilling as it was back in ‘74 when I went on my first helicopter ride over the Badlands. Granted, six hours in the saddle later I’m ready to get out and do,something different, but the fact is I love flying and would— and have —done it for a lot less pay.

There are few professions where a person truly is in command of his environment or “office.” In the cockpit I am the Boss. My word is law and I choose how I carry out my business within the parameters of the FAA’s regulations and how my employer mandates that I fly. Beyond that, there is infinite room for creativity, exploration, and, not to put too fine a point on it, art.

Granted, if it all goes to worms in flight everything will be blamed on me, but those are the terms of the deal and I generally cheerfully accept them. The only downside is getting a cojo who is an ass or tells the same joke 60 days in a row and doesn’t seem to remember that. But I prefer to fly single pilot, so most of my flying reflects that. Sadly, the vast majority of overseas flying is dual pilot cockpit stuff, but to get the paychecks that gets you, you suck it up and live with it.