TOPICS
TOPICS
House panel advances bill granting airport screeners bargaining rights
On a party-line vote, the House Homeland Security Committee approved a bill on Thursday that would grant Transportation Security Administration employees collective bargaining rights, and move workers under the agency's pay-for-performance plan back to the General Schedule.
The 13-6 vote in favor of the bill (H.R. 1881) came after little debate. Committee members did not offer any amendments to the legislation.
Supporters said the bill would give TSA employees the same rights and protections as their counterparts in other Homeland Security Department agencies. Currently, the TSA administrator can decide whether or not to let employees bargain collectively.
"This bill transitions the entire TSA workforce to the mature, widely-accepted, and well-understood Title 5 federal employee system -- including the General Schedule," said Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., in his opening statement. "Effectively, H.R. 1881 would bring an end to TSA's 'grand personnel experiment.' "
Rep. Peter King, R-N.Y., ranking member of the committee, said the legislation was premature as a new Obama-appointed TSA administrator is not yet in place.
"This would tie the hands of the administration, and tie the hands of the administrator," King said. "I think this is very much a rush to judgment. We ought to be fair to the administration and fair to the department."
The National Treasury Employees Union -- which represents transportation security officers, but cannot bargain on their behalf -- was quick to praise the committee's vote.
"Passage of this legislation will enhance security at our nation's airports by retaining experienced employees and reducing costs created by high attrition rates, allowing TSA to become a world class airport security agency," NTEU President Colleen Kelley said.
COMMENTS
- I joined TSA in Oct. 2002. I belive that it is imperitive that TSO's be granted the right of collective barganing at this point, in order to preserve what is left of morale and pride in our organization. Save what is left before a total recontruction of the organization is required. Venessa D. Purvis Posted August 2, 2009 11:34 AM
- I am not normally a union supporter because I think that is one of the biggest problems in the country right now. Every time you turn around there is this union or that union on strike or raising a stink that they want more pay or better benefits and it has driven costs through the roof. I have read that the AVERAGE compensation for an auto worker is around $70 an hour and they STILL complain. I wish I made $70 an hour. The non union shops only average around $40 an hour--again I wish I made ONLY $40 an hour. If you can't live on $40 an hour then something is VERY wrong with YOU!! Having said that I am FOR this union. Those of us that work at tsa are tired of being pushed around by management. The usual phrase we hear is "because I said so" when we ask why something needs to be done. And the PASS system is so unfair that I don't know whether to cry or laugh about it. This union would NOT give rights to bargain for pay or the ability to strike but it WOULD give us a say in how we are treated. The usual statement about "we wouldn't be able to adequately deploy our staff" is just so much bull. Other than when tsa was initially "rolling out" and the current NSF staff, when was the last time any tsa officers were "deployed" anywhere except on a voluntary basis? The answer is NEVER. As for the fact that we have no Administrator--so what. It has nothing to do with how well tsa runs. We havn't had one, except for Gale,for months now and nothing has fallen apart. (hmm--what does THAT tell you). Maybe Obama should appoint a CZAR--he's doing it to all the other posts. Actually I want to be appointed the CZAR of the CZAR's. Oh wait I can't. I actually PAID my taxes last year. Bubba902 Posted July 16, 2009 12:39 PM
- wonder if they will bargain making spanish the preferred language at the airports dan m ketter Posted July 13, 2009 2:16 PM
