Frequent fliers intent on finding cheap airplane tickets, discount hotel rooms, and discount travel packages still want flying to be as safe as possible. Some question the impact on future airline travel of the Transportation Security Administrations (TSA) decision to grant over 40,000 airport screeners restricted collective bargaining rights.
TSA screeners will be able to bargain on a national level on a variety of work conditions including setting work shifts, transfers, vacation time and awards. The decision strictly forbids negotiations on issues that could affect security, the deployment of security personnel, job qualifications, proficiency testing, discipline standards, pensions, and pay. Screeners continue to be prohibited from work slowdowns and strikes.
Republican lawmakers are concerned that future union demands might endanger national security or slow response times during a crisis. Some believe that this action will hamstring the governments fight against terrorism.
Republicans argue that burdensome and costly union demands could negatively impact TSAs effectiveness and note that the FBI, CIA, and Secret Service do not have collective bargaining rights. Union officials counter that thousands of public safety officers already enjoy collective bargaining rights, including Border Patrol agents, firefighters, and the Capitol police.
In justifying its decision TSA commented morale and employee engagement cannot be separated from achieving superior security. The morale at TSA ranked second to last among all federal agencies in a recent survey conducted by the Office of Personnel Management. Democrats argue that collective bargaining at TSA can enhance workforce productivity.
When Congress created the TSA after the 9/11 terrorist attacks its workers were not given the right to join a union. The reasoning at the time was that TSA needed maximum flexibility to deal with changing terrorist threats. The law did though give the TSA administrator the authority to decide whether collective bargaining should be permitted sometime in the future.
The Federal Labor Relations Authority has approved union elections at the TSA to start in March. Screeners will have the option of selecting between two unions (the American Federation of Government Employees Union or the National Treasury Employees Union) or deciding to have no union representation.
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