AFGE Angling To Represent TSOs

With close to 10,000 TSA members in 22 Locals nationwide, the American Federation of Government Employees added to its ranks recently with a new Local in Dallas, TX. More than 100 Transportation Security Officers at Dallas/Fort Worth International and Dallas Love Field airports joined Local 1040 after it was chartered in August.

"AFGE has stood behind TSOs in Dallas for seven years, but this new Local means that TSOs will have a voice at home, not just one nationally," said Local 1040 President Greg Gallo. "As a member of TSA's first class in 2001, I have seen the ups and downs at the agency. Unfortunately, there are mostly downs so an AFGE presence is imperative to boosting confidence and morale."

The union says its influence in Dallas has already been felt... citing a case earlier this year, in which a TSO was restored to her position as a Lead after AFGE argued that TSA management failed to follow the doctrine of progressive discipline in determining the appropriate discipline in her case and that a demotion was excessive punishment.

TSOs in Dallas also have been active in AFGE's campaign to organize TSA workers and to obtain the same collective bargaining rights available to other national law enforcement officers. In contrast to other employees at the Department of Homeland Security, and most other federal employees, TSOs do not have such rights.

AFGE has lobbied for such provisions since TSA's inception... and is encouraged by the recent election of Barack Obama as President, given his union-friendly stance.

"AFGE is excited to add yet another new Local to its growing list of localized chapters across the country," AFGE National President John Gage said. "The new Local signifies a growing trend among TSOs that they want local representation, while belonging to the largest -- and among the most influential -- federal employee union in the nation. AFGE is the only union that can offer that, and will continue its drive to have Locals in every major city in the US."

AFGE is the largest federal employee union representing 600,000 workers in the federal government and the government of the District of Columbia, including the largest constituency of DHS employees.

AFGE has been the only union to represent TSA employees since the agency's inception and with members in 129 airports nationwide, and is "widely recognized" as the TSA union... though at the moment, TSA workers remain officially non-unionized.

FMI: www.tsaunion.net, www.afge.org/