AFGE Convinces DFW to Suspend Controversial Leave Control Program

Union to file group grievance on behalf of TSOs disciplined under unfair system 

Washington, D.C., Oct. 30, 2009 – Following repeated protests by the American Federation of Government Employees, the Transportation Security Administration at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport finally suspended the controversial leave control program, which penalizes employees for taking justified unscheduled leave. Managers will now be personally tracking employee attendance instead of using the automated attendance tracking log.

"I expect moving forward that each security manager and STSO will closely monitor their team's attendance and carefully consider each absence individually based on all the circumstances," FSD Cedric Alexander wrote in an Oct. 23 memo.

AFGE on July 8 sent a letter to FSD Alexander, demanding a repeal of the attendance control program, which automatically generates letters of counseling or letters of reprimand if employees take three unscheduled absences in a three-month period regardless of circumstances or approval of their immediate supervisors. The union raised the issue in the historic, first-ever labor-management meeting between AFGE and TSA on July 23. Then it sent a follow-up letter to TSA about the issues discussed at the meeting, including ACP. Assistant Administrator for Security Lee Kair subsequently issued a directive Aug. 13, prohibiting unauthorized local policies including ACP.

"AFGE is encouraged that FSD Alexander was willing to take a closer look at the impact of the ACP on the TSA workforce," AFGE President John Gage said. "With collective bargaining on the horizon, there will be an opportunity to develop one written leave policy so that there is uniformity at all of the airports. What we saw at DFW was each terminal manager enforcing the leave and attendance rules differently."

AFGE is in the process of filing a group grievance seeking revocation of letters of counseling, letters of reprimand, and leave restrictions previously issued under the program. Any TSOs who were disciplined under the ACP should contact AFGE at 1-866-392-6832.