44,000 TSA Workers Win AFGE Representation

(Metropolitan Washington Council, AFL-CIO)Some 44,000 airport screeners across the country have won representation by the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE). AFGE won the right to negotiate on behalf of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) workers by besting  a rival union, the National Treasury Employees Union, 51 percent to 49 percent, in mail balloting results announced June 23.  In all, 17,350 workers cast votes. "We're going to do everything we can to give TSOs at Washington metro-area airports the best representation possible" Dwight Bowman, AFGE National Vice President for the 14th District, told Union City as he was boarding a plane. "Thanks to all our brothers and sisters in the local labor movement who helped us reach out to TSAs during this campaign!" AFGE President John Gage said the union is “obviously thrilled with the election results, but more importantly are delighted that the transportation security officers now will have the full union representation they rightly deserve.” The TSA in February agreed to grant screeners limited bargaining rights.  The TSA workers were one of the few federal employee groups without the right to have union representation.  Congressional Republicans are trying to override the agency’s decision to allow bargaining rights, claiming unionization would harm national security. AFGE is the nation’s largest union for federal workers.
- includes reporting by Union Communication Services; photo: AFGE TSA rally at the AFL-CIO in February 2010; photo by Chris Garlock