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- Dec 21, 2002
- 5,998
- 347
Deny Rights to Airport Screeners
Bush Administration Hides Behind War on Terrorism to
Deny Rights to Airport Screeners
Decision That Bargaining Rights Incompatible with War Effort Deeply Offensive
Washington, D.C. – The following statement was issued today by Sonny Hall, President of the Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO, in response to the Transportation Security Administration’s (TSA) decision to deny collective bargaining rights to newly federalized airport security screeners.
The Bush Administration is trying to make the case that being a union member is incompatible with the nation’s war against terrorism. The statement by Admiral Loy is akin to saying that being a union member gives aid and comfort to the enemy. It is time for this Administration to stop hiding behind the war on terrorism to mask a brazen assault on the basic rights of working men and women in this country.
Given the long history of labor-management collaboration in the federal government, there is no credible basis for the Administration to argue that exercising one’s freedom to join a union somehow conflicts with waging war to defend our basic freedoms. Today’s announcement is deeply offensive to TSA employees and all federal workers and it weakens – not strengthens – our national security.
Shortly after 9/11, we made a national commitment to improve an aviation security system that was broken. And Congress overwhelmingly chose to federalize this work force because private security contractors failed to train their workers and paid them barely above the minimum wage, leading to annual turnover rates as high as 400 percent. The nation was shocked by the stories of screeners leaving their jobs for better-paying fast food jobs. So it looked like we were finally starting to get it right. Until today.
We urge the President to reverse this ill advised decision. TSA workers and the nation deserve better.
Bush Administration Hides Behind War on Terrorism to
Deny Rights to Airport Screeners
Decision That Bargaining Rights Incompatible with War Effort Deeply Offensive
Washington, D.C. – The following statement was issued today by Sonny Hall, President of the Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO, in response to the Transportation Security Administration’s (TSA) decision to deny collective bargaining rights to newly federalized airport security screeners.
The Bush Administration is trying to make the case that being a union member is incompatible with the nation’s war against terrorism. The statement by Admiral Loy is akin to saying that being a union member gives aid and comfort to the enemy. It is time for this Administration to stop hiding behind the war on terrorism to mask a brazen assault on the basic rights of working men and women in this country.
Given the long history of labor-management collaboration in the federal government, there is no credible basis for the Administration to argue that exercising one’s freedom to join a union somehow conflicts with waging war to defend our basic freedoms. Today’s announcement is deeply offensive to TSA employees and all federal workers and it weakens – not strengthens – our national security.
Shortly after 9/11, we made a national commitment to improve an aviation security system that was broken. And Congress overwhelmingly chose to federalize this work force because private security contractors failed to train their workers and paid them barely above the minimum wage, leading to annual turnover rates as high as 400 percent. The nation was shocked by the stories of screeners leaving their jobs for better-paying fast food jobs. So it looked like we were finally starting to get it right. Until today.
We urge the President to reverse this ill advised decision. TSA workers and the nation deserve better.