In the room beyond, ramp workers sit at tables eating lunch.

Top base pay for ramp workers will increase to $25.06 an hour, and to $26.02 for customer service representatives.

They drove to the gate, where a ramp worker told them that the gunman was on the plane.

About 2,500 ramp workers who had been making $15 an hour were replaced with people working for subcontractors for a little more than $5.

The total number of mechanics and ramp workers, which include baggage handlers, will be cut by about 1,390 across Canada.

The union said 92 percent of the mechanics and 86 percent of the ramp workers are men.

None are more upset than members of the machinists' union, which represents ramp workers and customer-service agents.

In fact, the machinists' union no longer represents United mechanics, only ramp workers and gate personnel.

An attempt to organize 11,000 ramp workers was easily defeated in 2000.

The biggest loss of jobs has been among the ramp workers and baggage handlers, who had earned $15 an hour.