Airport Security Troubles Unions
By ARI PAUL

American Federation of Government Employees President John Gage testified to a U.S. House of Representatives subcommittee Nov. 1 about problems facing U.S. Transportation Security Administration workers such as low-quality training and staff shortages.

JOHN GAGE: Heavy turnover in ranks.

Speaking before the Transportation Security and Infrastructure Protection Subcommittee of the House Committee on Homeland Security, Mr. Gage said in his prepared testimony that the agency's current hiring plan "does not take into account the effect of the incredibly high [Transportation Security Officer] attrition rate on its staffing assumptions. The first eight months of 2007 resulted in a TSO attrition rate of 19.6 percent, much higher than the current 2.2-percent attrition rate of the Federal workforce. The recent spate of largely cosmetic TSA personnel policy changes have not provided the sort of meaningful change required to maintain the current, dedicated TSO workforce. Since January, 151 TSOs have left Boston Logan, one of the nation's largest and busiest airports."

While allowed to join unions, screeners are barred from engaging in collective bargaining. AFGE represents TSA employees at dozens of airports around the country. The National Treasury Employees Union represents screeners at John F. Kennedy International Airport.

COLLEEN KELLEY: Problems affect service.

Wrong Kind of Training

Mr. Gage took issue with the fact that much of screeners' on-the-job training was computer-based rather than hands-on and charged that promotions within the agency were based on favoritism instead of merit. He also told the committee that a lack of worker input on the job was leading to low morale.

"According to the 2006 Federal Human Capital Survey, 54 percent of the TSA workforce, overwhelmingly comprised of TSOs, stated that creativity and innovation are not rewarded at TSA and only 38 percent of the workforce believed they had 'sufficient resources' to do their jobs," he said. "Half of TSA workers report they do not have 'a feeling of personal empowerment' regarding work processes. Too often TSOs report they were laughed at by supervisors when they requested additional training."

AFGE officials have claimed that in addition to the attrition problem injury rates at the TSA are the highest in the Federal workforce.

Need Contract Rights

Both AFGE and the NTEU have said that the lack of collective-bargaining rights adversely affects the flying public and is a threat to the effectiveness of the agency, which was formed under the U.S. Department of Homeland Security after 9/11. Both unions advocate for legislation undoing the prohibition.

"The low morale and job dissatisfaction among TSA employees and the unacceptably high turnover rate of 14 to 17 percent in this agency are far from idle considerations for the traveling public, as well," said NTEU President Colleen M. Kelley in an e-mail. "Airport screening wait times rise to unnecessarily high levels - not to mention the potential for increased security concerns - as a constant stream of new employees are asked to become familiar with TSA policies and procedures."