Happy Labor Day weekend. Several hundred baggage handlers, security personnel and janitors walked off their jobs today after months of contract talks that have gone nowhere. Officials of the Service Employees International Union Local 1877 say the walkout will continue through the busy holiday weekend (about 825,000 travelers are expected, roughly the same as last year). The workers are employed by private companies that contract with the airlines, though only about half of the 5,000 LAX service workers are actually unionized. Workers are asking for higher pay and better health insurance. Negotiations apparently broke off earlier today. (LAT, Daily Breeze)