Just Hired Too Many. So Sorry...

The good news, the TSA tells us, is that it's going to save money, and that security won't be any worse than it is, now. The bad news is, it's going to take longer to get through security. The bad news for screeners is -- better than one out of eight (12.6%) will be fired, by the end of the Summer, with half of those going home right after Memorial Day.

The Transportation Security Administration will make staffing adjustments to its screener workforce and change the way law enforcement officers are deployed at airports as part of an effort to become a more efficient and effective security agency, pensioned Adm. James M. Loy, TSA administrator, said Wednesday.

At a press conference, Loy outlined a wide range of measures that will refine aviation security and soon provide $2.3 billion to airlines to cover additional government-imposed security costs since the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. Changes include a reduction and realignment of the screener workforce and a lifting of the requirement that law enforcement officers be posted at airport checkpoints. He didn't explain the criteria he'd use, to employ this mass-firing to help meet the agency's diversity quotas.

TSA's screener workforce totaled 55,600 on March 31. Due in part to misjudging how much the budget would be and how many people it would take to do the job, the agency will cut 3,000 positions by May 31 and another 3,000 positions by September 30, the end of the 2003 fiscal year.

Hiring cap end-run lands on Loy's lap.

The 45,000-person legally mandated cap on screener headcount was handily subverted by the TSA, which hired an extra 9000 or so, calling them, "temporary workers," with contracts as long as five years. Those "temporary" workers, being under such a contract, would presumably be immune from this round of firings; and the so-called "permanent" workers will get the axe.

Having a first look at reality... 

"While we still live in a dangerous world, it also is time to assess our workplace requirements in relation to budget realities," Loy said. "This means looking at the level of screener staffing at every airport, how many are part-time, how many are full-time, and whether they are on duty at the right time, when passenger traffic is heaviest." The revelation that he apparently hadn't looked before has, so far, met with congressional silence.

"My pledge to the American people is to respond to our new challenges with the same dedication and energy as we did after the 9/11 tragedy, building in the efficiencies of a good steward without diminishing the high level of security we have achieved."

In the interest of trimming fat budgets, Loy didn't mention any pay reductions for his airport czars, whose salaries alone roughly match those of US Senators -- and most of whom, at the top levels, are already drawing big retirement checks from the military, the FBI, the SS, and other taxpayer-funded former employers.

(We called the TSA to get some answers, just before 1PM, and were promised a reply "from one of our specialists." They're probably out of "specialists" again, as our call was never returned.)

Now they know...

The TSA has finished assessing how many screener positions -- full- and part-time -- are needed at each airport. The assessment will result in a more-efficient use of personnel during peak and non-peak flight times, wasting fewer taxpayer dollars, while avoiding "significant" increases in passenger wait times at security checkpoints. Some vacant screener positions will not be filled, within the parameters of security needs.

Whenever possible, Loy said, TSA will use attrition - estimated at about 700 jobs a month -- to ease pressures of the workforce reductions. In what seems a new twist, he also mentioned that now poor job performance, legal violations or inappropriate behavior will also result in reductions.

We'll Give You $5000 to Move to Orlando.

Qualified screeners at airports with too large a workforce may seek transfers to airports needing screeners, and screeners may move from working full-time to working part-time. A partial relocation gift ($5000) will be available for screeners who transfer to certain airports.

"This will be a difficult time, but I have complete confidence that TSA screeners will continue to deliver the high levels of security and customer service that the American public deserves and has come to expect," Loy said.

To help TSA meet its budget, the pension-drawing Admiral Loy, also announced a hiring cap for professional and administrative positions at headquarters and on administrative positions at airports.

Less Law Enforcement, Better Security:

Loy also announced a plan to provide a "more-flexible" approach to the use of law enforcement officers at security checkpoints, which he said "makes sense and will make security stronger."  Effective May 31, the TSA will no longer require a law enforcement officer at every checkpoint. "Security will be strengthened because officers will be seen by more passengers and will be able to do more surveillance, while still responding to incidents at passenger and baggage checkpoints."

Spending more on machines, too.

In addition, Loy announced that he would sign letters of intent for about 20 airports to provide federal assistance for the permanent installation of explosive detection equipment. The letters to airports commit nearly $1 billion of federal funds to pay for 75 percent of the cost of new or existing capital improvement projects.

Gotta give that money back some day...

Finally, Loy noted that the TSA is "working hard" to meet a May 16 congressional deadline for reimbursement of $2.3 billion worth of airline security fees to air carriers.  He said allocations would be made in proportion to the amounts each carrier paid to the federal government since late 2001.

Loy cautioned that the program was "not simply a cash hand-out for airlines to restore them to economic health."

Strings Attached: TSA Control Over Airlines' Pay

"In order to receive this money, Congress requires that carriers must document their security costs and, in some cases, sign contracts with TSA limiting the amount of compensation their top executives can receive over a twelve month period," Loy said, without citing any constitutional authority for the government to dictate salaries and benefits awarded by private enterprises.

FMI: TSA Fact Sheet