NTEU's Kelley Calls for Immediate Guidance Permitting Employees to Wear Protective Masks

OK... it may be too easy to draw a number of allusions to others associated with the wearing of masks... but a union leader seems to think that TSA workers are at risk in meeting the public face-to-face. And, well, she wants them to be masked... which might make your next pat-down a truly surreal affair. 

The ever-vociferous NTEU President, Colleen M. Kelley, has called upon the Department of Homeland Security to 'make good on its word' and issue guidance to permit workers to wear masks helping protect them from contracting swine flu in the performance of their duties. "Local managers are refusing to allow employees to wear protective gear and that is unnecessarily putting them at risk," said Kelley. "Employees want, need-and deserve-the immediate right to protect their health, if they choose."
           
Further, Kelley complained that she has been receiving reports from its chapters at ports of entry around the country that employees are being told by local managers they cannot wear the masks and employees who have donned masks have been ordered by some supervisors to remove them. In discussions with CBP and DHS earlier this week, NTEU claims to have pressed for CBP and TSA employees to have the right to wear masks and gloves, and "to have frequent breaks" so they may wash their hands. NTEU also made the point that some employees may be particularly at risk because of certain health conditions that make them susceptible to viruses.
           
To date, employees have reportedly been told to follow guidance issued by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and that they should maintain a distance of at least six feet between themselves and someone who appears to be ill. However, NTEU argues that this advice is impractical for CBP Officers and TSA employees performing a variety of their routine work tasks. TSOs are involved in 'wanding' passengers, engaging in pat-down searches or checking boarding passes. Likewise, CBP Officers frequently work in close contact with travelers, checking documents and baggage. Those officers, in fact, are constantly clearing airport, vehicle and pedestrian traffic from Mexico. 
           
"If employees want to wear masks, they should be allowed to," said Kelley. "These employees are in high risk situations and should be allowed to protect themselves."

FMI: www.tsa.gov