Union "Encouraged" By Senate Defeat The Move "To Strip TSA Of Collective Bargaining"

The U.S. Senate Tuesday voted down an amendment to the FAA reauthorization bill which would have severely curbed the ability of TSOs to organize for collective bargaining. The amendment, called the Termination of Collective Bargaining for Transportation Security Administration Employees Act, was sponsored by Sen. Roger Wicker (R-MS). It would have blocked 44,000 Transportation Security Officers from joining a union, and removed those who have already joined from union rolls.

The vote was applauded by the American Federation of Government Employees, which claims some 12,000 TSA employees as members and hopes to organize the remainder of the agency's workforce. "AFGE thanks the members of the Senate who said 'no' to this irresponsible amendment," AFGE National President John Gage said. "Workplace rights improve employee morale, which will improve security, not undermine it. In fact, collective bargaining brings with it improved security for passengers. A bargaining agreement would lead to better working conditions, fair promotion and evaluation practices and safer workplaces, and in doing so, increasing morale.

"It should be made very clear that AFGE does not advocate for, nor is it allowed that we would bargain over security and security issues," Gage added.  "We do, however, advocate for a safe, fair and healthy workplace."

AFGE has lobbied for TSA collective bargaining rights since the agency's inception. Last week thousands of AFGE activists hand-delivered messages to their senators, urging them to reject the Wicker Amendment.

"This country's TSOs are unequivocally dedicated to protecting each and every American, just like the unionized police and firefighters who valiantly ran into the burning buildings on 9/11. It is an absolute insult to say that with a collective bargaining agreement, TSOs couldn't fulfill the mission of TSA, of DHS and of the United States of America," Gage said.

AFGE expressed thanks all the senators who voted in opposition to the amendment, and specifically Sens. John Rockefeller, Tom Harkin, Joe Lieberman, Daniel Akaka, Claire McCaskill, and Barbara Mikulski.

FMI: www.tsaunion.com