House Panel to Vote on TSO Bargaining Rights Bill

Washington, D.C., June 26, 2009 – The bill that would grant Transportation Security Administration workers collective bargaining rights and the same workplace protections as other federal workers is scheduled to be debated and voted on by the House Homeland Security Committee July 9.

The Transportation Security Workforce Enhancement Act, H.R. 1881, would give Transportation Security Officers the right to bargain collectively for better workplace rules. It would do away with TSA's highly subjective pay system, the Performance Accountability and Standards System, and would move TSOs under the General Schedule system, which covers most federal employees.

The American Federation of Government Employees has been working closely with lawmakers in drafting the bill, which AFGE believes would address TSA's personnel issues such as low morale, high attrition and injury rates.

"PASS and other current TSA workplace practices that ignore federal worker rights need to go," said AFGE President John Gage. "It is essential that TSOs are afforded the same rights to negotiate over important workplace issues, due process, whistleblower protections, veterans' preference, appropriate salaries, fair pay increases, and leave policies as other federal workers—including those in the Department of Homeland Security."

The bill was introduced in April by Rep. Nita Lowey, D-N.Y., House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., and Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee Chair Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Texas.