*Deciphering LAX strike

Lots of luck. Yeah, the striking airport workers returned to their jobs this morning after a walkout of less than 24 hours. And yes, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa worked out a three-week cooling off period for both sides, with the Service Employees International Union agreeing not to picket the terminals during that period. See stories from the LAT and Daily Breeze. But beyond the basic press release stuff, there's very little indication of what's going on. For instance:

--Who are the contractors that employ the unionized baggage handlers, security personnel and janitors? We know their names and the fact that they're hired by the airlines as subcontractors, but are they part of larger companies? Do they handle airports around the country or even the world? If so, are other union contracts in limbo? What’s their financial condition?

--Would the airlines be prepared to pay them more for these airport services?

--Going out on strike during the busy Labor Day weekend is a huge move for the SEIU, so why call it off after less than a day? What happens if there's no movement after the three-week cooling off period? Did the mayor offer any carrots to the union - or to the contractors?

--What kind of disruption would a walkout really cause? We are hearing predictions of economic disaster, but there's nothing to back up those warnings - and frankly, logic would tell you that while the loss of 2,500 airport workers would be inconvenient, it's certainly won't alter anyone's travel plans.

This is yet another example of the pitiful coverage of organized labor, a beat that was getting short shrift well before the current newsroom cutbacks. You might recall that the dockworkers recently came to a tentative contract deal – and yet aside from the pro-forma statements from both sides there’s been virtually no original reporting. The ports represent the largest industry in Southern California, so it would seem to merit some attention. Guess not.

*The LABJ's Howard Fine tells me that many of the LAX contractors are units of national and international companies, and they perform similar services at airports all over the world. Only a handful are local. Also, the SEIU is taking similar actions against many of the same contractors at Oakland and SF. Howard notes that the subcontractors are very press shy, as are the airlines, which partially explains the dearth of coverage.