GovernmentExecutive.com

Senate Democrats agreed on a compromise Monday that would strip from major homeland security legislation a provision that would grant collective bargaining rights to federal airport screeners.

The provision, included in a measure to implement the unfulfilled recommendations of the 9/11 Commission, would have provided collective bargaining rights to thousands of airport screeners at the Transportation Security Administration.

Late last month, Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., attempted to appoint conferees for talks with the House on the legislation, but Republicans requested assurances that the measure would not grant TSA screeners collective bargaining rights. President Bush has threatened to veto the bill, citing the TSA provision.

Sheila Menz, a spokeswoman for Sen. Joseph Lieberman, I-Conn., said Reid made a compromise with Republicans to send the bill to conference without the TSA provision. On Monday, the Senate agreed by unanimous consent to move the bill forward, Menz said.

"Lieberman was fighting to keep the provision," Menz said. "It was obviously a contentious provision, but if it meant the whole bill was going to fall, [Lieberman] felt it was worth it" to compromise so the bill could move forward.

The American Federation of Government Employees and the National Treasury Employees Union criticized the action Monday, holding that it is further evidence of an anti-union bias that has affected the federal workplace over the last six years.

"It is disappointing in the extreme to see the lengths to which this administration and some Republican members of the Senate will go in order to deny basic workplace rights to a large group of federal employees who not only deserve but need them," said NTEU President Colleen Kelley.

She added, however, that House and Senate Democrats have made clear their intentions to continue working with unions to secure collective bargaining for TSA screeners in the future.

"This only makes us more determined to get bargaining rights for TSA workers which have been wrongfully denied," AFGE President John Gage said.

COMMENTS

• I personally appreciate the job that you and your fellow employees are doing. Everyone is entitled to their own opinions, but every opinion is not equally valid, or important. Thanks again! US Customs Senior Inspector (Retired) Posted July 18, 2007 6:15 PM
• I am highly offended by Dan Ketter's remarks. How many people do you know will do their best to keep you and your family safe by looking for bombs and prohibited items for $12.00 an hour? Some of the locations I work in at my airport do not have AC or heat. I do not get time while working to write or read emails or comments. I get items thrown at me, people yelling and cursing at me and have back aches from lifting 80 pound bags and from constant bending. We also work 365 days a year and miss out on time with family. We also are forced to stay until the last plane leaves which can make it over 14 hour days. I am proud to help keep the public safe. Thank God there are REAL people who do appreciate what I do. I also was a victim of the Identity Theft situation in which the Govt. "lost" my personal info. They gave us 1 year of monitoring services. What do I do for the next 30 years or so? The govt. is not giving me a new SS number.. Dan, I AM A FEMALE SCREENER WHO MOVES THE BAGS FOR INSPECTION AMONG OTHER DUTIES. I train new people, other screeners on IED's and have a 4 year college degree. I am not getting a "FREE LUNCH" or sitting home collecting money by not working. I have been a CS for 10 years and would not change that! All screeners want is to be treated fairly, with respect and have safe, healthy working environments and be compensated for what we are there to do. We are tested on our skills every 3 months in order to keep our jobs. We must always be up to date on issues and always be on "ALERT". Come work with me for a week and see how you feel then. LAL Posted July 18, 2007 2:27 PM
• Gee, Mr. Ketter, can you spell "ad hominem"? Guess you proved my point about off topic posters. It's obvious that you have never worked for the federal government, or your ignorance wouldn't be showing. Just for the record, I carried a firearm, qualified 4xs per year, had police powers, made many drug arrests, so what? Read my original post again, you just might learn something. US Customs Senior Inspector (Retired) Posted July 17, 2007 10:35 AM