Spoke to a CAL ramper last week. I worked the ramp in EWR during college in 1989. Starting pay was $7.49/ hour. The ramper told me that starting pay today is $8.49/hour. 1$/hour raise in 18 years. Because the pay is not enough to live off and turnover is high, they are even more understaffed than the pilot group. Think about that the next time you think other employees are lazy because there is no ramp crew, JWay driver, egent...etc to meet your flight.