TSOs Begin Voting on Union
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In one of the biggest union elections in recent years, more than 40,000 transportation security officers (TSOs) at 450 of the nation’s airports began voting Wednesday on whether to join a union. After 10 years, the TSOs finally gained the right to bargain and working people around the country are now urging the officers to vote for AFGE.
Even though the TSOs did not have collective bargaining rights, more than 12,000 TSO members are currently in 40 AFGE local unions across the country. The ballot offers three choices: AFGE, no union or an unaffiliated union. The voting ends April 19.
In a statement, Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA-CWA) President Veda Shook said:
The training and expertise of transportation security officers across the country play a vital role in aviation security. As safety professionals, Flight Attendants count on TSOs every day to ensure a secure work environment and safe travels for passengers. Flight Attendants need TSOs to have a union.
Be a Facebook Friend of TSA Workers
For more than eight years, the 40,000 uniformed officers at the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) have fought to win back the collective bargaining rights the Bush administration stole away from them.
You have the chance to join in their fight without even moving from your computer keyboard. AFGE member Lance Stewart, the creator of the Facebook page for TSA workers, just launched a drive to win 100,000 friends for the Transportation Security Officers (TSOs).
If a dog named Buddy can have a Facebook page with almost 125,000 members, I know we can also exceed 100,000 members in support of the TSO’s fight for justice….Let’s get the House of Labor behind this by having every labor supporter on Facebook join our page.
Screeners Closer to Long Overdue Bargaining Rights
Some 43,000 airport screeners at the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) yesterday moved another step closer to winning “long overdue” collective bargaining rights and other workplace protections.
By a 19-10 party-line vote, the U.S. House Oversight and Government Reform Committee approved legislation (H.R. 1881) restoring the workers’ rights that the Bush administration stripped away in 2003. In addition, the bill grants the screeners—also known as Transportation Security Officers (TSOs)—and other TSA workers “whistle-blower” rights and the same civil service protections enjoyed by other federal workers.
Committee chairman Rep. Edolphus Towns (D-N.Y.) says the restoration of collective bargaining rights is “long overdue” and will help the agency
deal with the high attrition, low morale and severe workplace injury rates that have plagued the agency since its creation in 2001.
