DHS Ends TSA Union, Abolishes Collective Bargaining

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has announced that it’s ending collective bargaining for the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), in order to “enhance safety, efficiency, and organizational agility.”

TSA losing collective bargaining power

The DHS will be forcing the TSA to abolish its union, “making American’s transportation networks resilient again.” The DHS claims that it’s “fighting for TSA workers” by abolishing their union, because “Transportation Security officers are losing their hard-earned dollars to a union that did not represent or protect their interests,” and “the union has hindered merit-based performance recognition and advancement.”

The DHS claims that “gaps in benefit programs, including non-verifiable Family and Medical Leave, are being exploited by a select few poor performers, placing greater burden on TSOs at the expense of American travelers and taxpayers,” and that “this includes instances, where a TSO requested sick leave seven months in advance.”

The DHS also argues that the TSA has more people doing full-time union work than it has performing screening functions at 86% of airports. Of the 432 federalized airports, 374 airports have fewer than 200 TSA officers performing screening functions, yet nearly 200 TSA officers are paid by the government but work full-time on union matters.

The DHS also claims that in a recent TSA employee survey, 60% said that poor performers are allowed to stay employed, and to continue to not perform.

Here’s what a DHS spokesperson had to say about this decision:

“Thanks to Secretary Noem’s action, Transportation Security Officers will no longer lose their hard-earned dollars to a union that does not represent them. The Trump Administration is committed returning to merit-based hiring and firing policies.”

“This action will ensure Americans will have a more effective and modernized workforces across the nation’s transportation networks. TSA is renewing its commitment to providing a quick and secure travel process for Americans.”

Union responds, calls decision retaliatory

TSA employees who participate in the union are represented by the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE). The union points out that joining the AFGE is voluntary, and isn’t a requirement of working at the TSA or any other federal agency. The union also points out that official union work makes up less than 0.5% of total TSA work hours performed.

In response to this decision, Everett Kelley, the President of the AFGE, put out the following statement:

“47,000 Transportation Security Officers show up at over 400 airports across the country every single day to make sure our skies are safe for air travel. Many of them are veterans who went from serving their country in the armed forces to wearing a second uniform protecting the homeland and ensuring another terrorist attack like Sept. 11 never happens again.”

“Today, Secretary Noem and the Trump administration have violated these patriotic Americans’ right to join a union in an unprovoked attack.”

“They gave as a justification a completely fabricated claim about union officials – making clear this action has nothing to do with efficiency, safety, or homeland security. This is merely a pretext for attacking the rights of regular working Americans across the country because they happen to belong to a union.”

“Our union has been out in front challenging this administration’s unlawful actions targeting federal workers, both in the legal courts and in the court of public opinion. Now our TSA officers are paying the price with this clearly retaliatory action.”

My take on the TSA’s union being abolished

Obviously unionization and anything political right now is polarizing. So I’m not looking to debate the general merit of unions, or Trump vs. whatever. But it does feel to me like if you’re going to make the argument for abolishing the TSA’s union, you could do better than this, no?

The DHS argues that TSA employees “will no longer lose their hard-earned dollars to a union that does not represent them.” But TSA employees don’t have to join the union or pay dues if they don’t want to.

So it seems the argument against the union comes down to around 0.5% of TSA work hours being used for administrative union functions, as well as wanting to bring back “merit based hiring.” Historically the requirement to become a TSA agent has been that you’ve needed to be at least 18 years old, a US citizen, and have a high school diploma. No disrespect to TSA employees, but historically, getting a job with the organization hasn’t been all that selective.

Is the DHS making one of those DEI arguments, and claiming white men are being rejected from the job, or where is there not merit-based hiring?

Let me simply say this… if you ask me, the TSA has come a long way over the years, in terms of service and reliability. TSA employees are much friendlier, on balance, than in the past. And as much as we’ve so many issues with staffing shortages across the economy, the TSA has done a remarkably good job being there for the traveling public, and managing wait times, even with the huge swings we’ve seen in travel demand. Let’s see what impact eliminating the union has on both morale and staffing levels.

Bottom line

The DHS is forcing the TSA to abolish its union, arguing that this is going to enhance safety and efficiency. This is hardly the most shocking thing to happen in the past several weeks, so what can really be said?

If the DHS is to be believed, it sounds like the traveling public has a lot to look forward to with the TSA. Personally, I can’t imagine this is good for morale and staffing levels, but I guess we’ll see…