February 6, 2011 - After Senate Republican, Roger Wicker (R-Miss) put forth an amendment that would exclude Transportation Security Administration (TSA) employees from collective bargaining rights, on Friday, TSA Administrator John Pistole said 'We Will Not Negotiate on Security' 

U.S. Transportation Security Administration (TSA) Administrator John Pistole on Friday issued a Determination that provides a framework to protect TSA?s ability to respond to evolving threats while allowing Transportation Security Officers (TSOs) to vote on whether or not they wish to be represented by a union.

For the purposes of engaging in limited, clearly defined collective bargaining at the national level only on non-security employment issues. If a union is chosen, each security officer will retain the right to choose whether or not to join the union. 

?The safety of the traveling public is our top priority and we will not negotiate on security,? said TSA Administrator Pistole.

		U.S. Rep. John L. Mica (R-FL), ?this turnover of airport screening to the Administration?s union cronies comes on the heels of last week?s decision to kill the successful TSA contract screening program, all bad news for the traveler, the taxpayer and aviation security. With the airport screening force mushrooming from 16,500 in 2001 to now nearly 63,000, this will be President Obama?s biggest gift to organized labor,? Mica said Under the legislation that created TSA, Congress expressly granted the TSA Administrator sole authority to establish the terms and conditions of employment for security officers at airports. Administrator Pistole pledged during his confirmation hearings that he would complete a thorough assessment of the impact collective bargaining might have on the safety and security of the traveling public. The recently completed assessment included a review of employee data, a broad range of conversations, input from employees, TSA management and from the two union presidents, as well as interviews with the present and former leaders of a variety of security and law enforcement agencies and organizations.
U.S. Rep. John L. Mica (R-FL)

Under the legislation that created TSA, Congress expressly granted the TSA Administrator sole authority to establish the terms and conditions of employment for security officers at airports. Administrator Pistole pledged during his confirmation hearings that he would complete a thorough assessment of the impact collective bargaining might have on the safety and security of the traveling public. The recently completed assessment included a review of employee data, a broad range of conversations, input from employees, TSA management and from the two union presidents, as well as interviews with the present and former leaders of a variety of security and law enforcement agencies and organizations.

These included federal, state, and local government agencies such as the NYPD and Customs and Border Protection and employers of unionized guards at a number of national security facilities such as secure nuclear weapon and Department of Defense facilities, as well as experts on labor relations in high performance organizations. Interviews were also conducted with management at two airports that are part of TSA?s Screening Partnership Program that have unionized contracted screeners. 

?This decision and the upcoming representation election at TSA will give these officers a voice in their workplace and a chance at a better future,? said National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU) President Colleen M. Kelley. ?The sooner NTEU is certified as the exclusive representative of the TSA workforce, the sooner we can begin improving the lives of employees at this key agency.? The election period has been tentatively set for March 9 through April 19. The path toward a union election and ultimately contract bargaining was cleared today by the action of TSA Administrator John Pistole in granting TSA employees workplace rights, including the all-important right to bargain collectively.  

?The administrator has studied this issue carefully and made the right decision,? Kelley said. ?While long-delayed, I am very pleased to see that TSA leadership has recognized the value to the agency and the traveling public of a union-represented workforce.? In an NTEU survey, 85 percent of TSA employees said collective bargaining rights would make TSA a more effective agency. She added: ?I am fully confident this decision will bring much-needed stability and professionalism to this critical transportation protection agency, and because of that, the public will be well-served.? TSA ranks among the lowest federal agencies in employee morale.