« BACK  |  PRINT

RS

MEMBER DIARY

TSA Unionization: A $30 Million Annual Gift to Union Bosses

Another reward for union bosses; another slap in the face for Americans.

By: LaborUnionReport (Diary)  |  November 17th, 2010 at 11:00 AM  | 

RESIZE: AAA

When we have an administration more concerned about rewarding its union cronies than the U.S. Constitution (see ObamaCare for reference), giving union bosses access to the wallets of TSOs was only a matter of time. Now, the Transportation Security Agency’s blue shirts who are doing Janet Napolitiano’s bidding frisking, groping, molesting and seemingly sexually assaulting the American public, are about to get license for further abuse—a union card.

In a significant victory for federal employee unions, the Federal Labor Relations Authority decided Friday that Transportation Security Administration staffers will be allowed to vote on union representation.

The decision clears the way for a campaign by the government’s two largest labor organizations, the American Federation of Government Employees and the National Treasury Employees Union, to represent some 50,000 transportation security officers.

It was bound to happen. Before it became an agency known as Fourth Amendment violators, due to its critical national security responsibilities, the TSA was created in 2001as a non-union agency  As labor attorney Jay Sumner notes:

Enacted in 2001, the Aviation and Transportation Security Act (ATSA) provides that the Under Secretary of Transportation for Security has the power to, among other things, determine the compensation, terms and conditions of employment for employees who carry out security screening functions. Accordingly, in a 2003 memorandum, the Under Secretary declared that TSA officers, “in light of their critical national security responsibilities, shall not, as a term or condition of their employment, be entitled to engage in collective bargaining or be represented for the purpose of engaging in such bargaining by any representative or organization.”

While the Federal Labor Relations Authority (an agency that governs labor relations between the federal government and unions) recently granted permission to unionize the TSA, it has not yet ruled to give the unions collective bargaining rights—yet. But, it is only a matter of time.

“AFGE argued, and the FLRA agreed, that the right for employees to elect an exclusive representative and the right to engage in collective bargaining are two separate and distinct rights,” AFGE National President John Gage said. “We have always said the choice to unionize and the task of winning collective bargaining rights at TSA would be a two-part process.

“While we wait for the decision on collective bargaining rights that TSA Administrator Pistole has indicated will come soon, the election process can begin to move forward,” Gage added.

Here’s some informal statistics for you:

  • Number of TSA employees eligible for unionization: 50,000
  • TSA budget for FY 2010: $7.8 billion
  • Estimated Union Dues TSA unionization will provide union bosses at $50 per month: $2,500,000 per month or $30,000,000 per year.
  • Number of Americans whose Fourth Amendment rights have allegedly been violated: Thousands and still counting.
  • NUMBER OF TERRORISTS CAUGHT BY THE TSA: 0

__________________

“I bring reason to your ears, and, in language as plain as ABC, hold up truth to your eyes.”  Thomas Paine, December 23, 1776

X-posted.

Photo: Publius’ Forum

For more news & views on today’s unions, go to LaborUnionReport.com

Follow laborunionrpt on Twitter

COMMENTS

POSTING RULES  |  LOGIN TO COMMENT  |  REGISTER TODAY
  • acat

    Because it’s bad enough flying with the current level of security theatre – if these fast food rejects get union protection and union work rules, the whole thing becomes just another exercise in frustration.

    Mew

    • http://www.walkerprise.com kingstonjw

      While I tend to agree with arguments thwarting union control over national security assets like TSA, your characterization of TSA workers as fast food rejects is out of place and hateful. This does not further the conversation in any productive way.

      • acat

        The job requirements for TSA front-line screener, though, isn’t much different from the requirement to operate the deep fryer at a burger joint, so I’ll be standing by the comparison to fast food employees.

        And I’ll point out that most fast food workers’ sophomoric pranks don’t tend to lead to fondling the customers, or to some of the other abuses of power that these idiots have been documented pulling.

        Also, because there is such a large pool of labor available, most fast food workers aren’t unionized. Same applies to the TSA – the only reason to unionize is to protect the abusers and to feed money (as LUR points out, a lot of money) to union coffers.

        Mew

  • ss396

    Then when the TSA union goes on strike, the airlines could make it open boarding. No screening, no x-rays, no pat downs – fly at your own risk.

    On the record to date, my fellow passengers are a far more effective threat deterrent / eliminator than anything the TSA has come up with.

    • johnCV

      the feds will shut down the airlines for ‘safety concerns’, thus adding bargaining pressure to the union’s position (as they bargain with the gov’t – how’s that for cognitive dissonance).

      Exact;y how will they discipline any FEDERAL GOVERNMENT UNION employee? First offense – raise. Second offense – promotion. Third offense – Dept, Head.

      The truly egregious violations can take you all the way up to cabinet level positions.

      • ss396

        The Air Traffic Controllers tried out their union muscle under Reagan; it didn’t work out real well for them.

      • davesinsanantonio

        fly under the old VFR rules, and let the FAA stew in their own juices. Just fill the airplane and take off for your destination. A few rogue controllers could guide you through the weather. Just agree to pay them under the table to avoid the IRS. Meet at a bar after the flight to settle up and everything would be okay.

  • gumbeaux

    TSA has not really caught one terrorist. All they have done is harass the public and treated us all like terrorists because of Political Correctness. They primarily pick on Seniors. They did this prior to 9-11. We were easy pickings because we would not fight back. That has changed. They stand there like a Gestapo and push you around and you have to take it if you want to go visit your kids and grand children on a holiday. They have way too much power now and with the advent of the Union….they will be impossible!

  • jlsankot

    Don’t forget to pay attention to the other “governance” taking place in this lame duck session by this Congress.

    By the way, Red State has to be the most difficult site to leave a comment. I don’t comment as often as some and by the time I do, it seems as if my password has expired. Then I have to start all over with a password that is so complicated, I just give up.

    Otherwise, this is the first site I hook up with every morning.

  • MojoMan

    Airports apparently have the option to “opt out” of TSA screening, as one airport in Sanford, Florida is already moving to do. Here is the link to the story:

    http://wdbo.com/localnews/2010/11/sanford-airport-to-opt-out-of.html

    I wonder if a public referendum could be forced to require our local Houston airport (Intercontinental) to opt out, just like the recent referendum that the forced the end of the use of red light cameras in our area. Intercontinental is a City of Houston production, so perhaps that is a remedy to be considered.

  • txbatman

    That was Reagan, This is OBOZO

  • leftcoastrebel

    It’s funny, God knows we need some comic relief!

    http://www.leftcoastrebel.com/2010/11/caption-contest-for-tsadenver.html

  • bakedbones

    Perhaps this is the tipping point we need to push the air travel industry into the 21st century, as envisioned some years back by NASA. My municipal airport is 45 minutes from the closest major hub, and has had an ILS system for several years. I will lobby my city council to hire an independent security service and embark upon runway and terminal expansion. If they put it up for bid, with no favoritism given to unionized firms, and other smaller airports do the same, the airlines will come, the limos, the hotels, the whole shebang, and the day of the “hub” system will finally give way to the “taxi” style NASA predicted back in the ’80′s. I can put a passenger at the state capitol in less than an hour from the baggage claim. Don’t wait for the metro areas to react, beat them to the punch. ” If you build it, they will come!” With the internet, marketing will be a breeze! Orbitz, Priceline, etc., . . they’ll drive airlines to you, or new airlines will replace the old as autos did buggies!

  • boxedquad

    We the people let our Wonderful Representatives (congress) do a number on us, you know they just loved it when they “took Over” inspection….

    Now look at what they have done…it will never end when it is unionized. look at NASA, etc. etc.

    I like the summary, zero terrorists caught, and if they catch one, the court will let them off, too much groping…

  • http://freedom-light.org solvoreor

    This is a simple thing we can all agree on. If the TSA becomes unionized it is no longer the agency that was established and therefore, should be replaced.

    This is a simple project for the Republican House. Pass a bill that states that since the TSA is established as a non-union organization that it will cease to receive funding 60 days after the members vote union. At that point every air port will be require to hire private contractors to replace the TSA and to retain their operating license.

    Let the TSA employees decide.

    Of course, I would rather see this adult employment program terminated through defunding without cause, just because we could. But that is a different matter.