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Return to Article: Airport screeners slam TSA recertification program

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  I am a former TSA screener. 'Nuff said?

  Former TSA Screener Posted April 11, 2009 12:07 AM
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  I was recently hired as a screener in a small Airport. I took the entrance qualifications exam and it was very difficult. Lockheed Martin is very strict and the requalification test is too difficult and all our supervisors failed the first time. I agree the pay is low and the supervision is not up to standard but the job is a good one even though the people you serve hate you and make fun of you. Their safety does come first and change is coming soon. It has too.

  Bob Morris Posted March 20, 2008 10:09 AM
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  I was hired by TSA as a screener went through initial lockheed martin training. It was the worst fastest paced training i have ever beeb through. I was terminated due to not passing the test with the high standards TSA wants. My termination letter states you could have been terminated for any substandard performance in a two year period. At 14 dollars an hour good luck TSA trying to keep a working force and i understand why they call TSA the bottom feeders of the government. Talk about abusing workers and not caring, the congress should try the first two weeks to find out what a mess they have created and maybe Lockheed martin is just making a lot of money off the tax payers.

  Richard Posted March 5, 2008 3:30 PM
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  I totally agree, TSA is a big joke...i'm a screener since it all started..First of all the training is poor..Supervisors are not even qualified for the job, they hang around the podium eating and talking nonsense, meanwhile exhausted screeners are doing away with poor performance. No one cares about security..and it all starts with Management. They are the biggest crooks..to them its all about the money. Do you know that Supervisor and leads are failing the recertification exams..now how are they supposed to clear a security treat??? Tsa management is filed with uneducated and incompetent individuals..they have no sense of ethics and professionalism. That is why we have so many cases of sexual harassment,low morale and the many issues. It's a joke ...look around you...the only Federal agency with low pay..why? if we are the frontline of defense..why? are we facing so many unanswered questions and unresolved issues? Why? Why? This is a frustrated screener who cannot tolerate anymore..im sure there are many more...we want to be heard and we need change. One more thing TSA loves to do random drug testing of screeners..why not do a stress test and you will see how stressed these screeners are...it is a treat to our health..and they wonder why they call out sick.

  Janet Posted February 20, 2008 4:59 PM
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  I agree. Unfortunately most workers live in fear of losing their jobs in this bad economy. Still, there is a history of strength in numbers. "Be the change you want to see in the world." This is how women finally won the vote in 1920. It's about truth, fairness and the American way. I'm proud to be an American.

  GovExec.com reader Posted August 2, 2006 1:17 PM
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  The real problem is that there is a big diference between what we do when we take the test and what we do at the check point. I have found that supervisers pay so little attention to what screeners are doing that proper screening is not taking place. You can have all the testing in the world but if people are not doing the job right at the check point when the examiners test an airport things are going to get thru. I myself am guilty of infractions and in two years no superviser has ever corrected me. Either I am the greatest screener in the world and so are my co-workers or no one is realy paying attention.

  GovExec.com reader Posted January 6, 2005 4:24 PM
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  We have seen the same thing in Atlanta. Screeners were not tested on the current screening standards implemented in Atlanta. Second try testing was definitely watered down and easy to pass. The first Module was a complete joke as most all were given copies of the written test before hand (depending on the shift, checkpoint, and who you knew) I assume Atlanta has the same problems as other large airports with more than one checkpoint. There are different standards on each checkpoint. The Maincheckpoint has never followed full TSA SOP. Running on many days with only four or five people on a lane. "Trainers" qualifications are more than questionable. Most trainers are leads or sceeners with major attitudes and very little people skills. "Training" is non existant as far as screeners are concerned. Running a few 'test bags' a shift?? What a joke! How can anyone even BEGIN to clean up the mess that is TSA??

  GovExec.com reader Posted February 19, 2004 3:53 PM
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  TSA had (and has) ample opportunity to contract with small, excellent training development companies, but chose a large, bureaucratic company with the "turning radius" of the Titanic. This is yet another sad example of Contracting Officers taking the easy way out by knowing they won't get into trouble by hiring a large contractor if things go wrong, whereas they will if a small company falters. This mentality needs to be discouraged and changed.

  GovExec.com reader Posted February 19, 2004 10:02 AM
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  We're all required to take an oath when we accept government employment. And we all find it quite surprising when everything we see management do goes against that oath. It's no wonder people are leaving government service.

  GovExec.com reader Posted February 19, 2004 8:29 AM
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  I am a screener and I fully agree with the statements made by the screeners and workers in this article. We were tested based on Lockheed Martin's standards and not the SOP we were trained to work with and have been working with since day one. The managers are selectively passing and firing the workers that they want gone, this is a great example of non-government policy. We need representation to prohibit this at will behavior from FSD's on down to our workforce.

  GovExec.com reader Posted February 19, 2004 7:45 AM