TSA officers have never had a great reputation for friendliness. Sure, there’s been the occasional diamond in the rough who’s been helpful. But most are, at best, professional – but not exactly kind or nice. And more than a few are downright gruff.
And sure, I get it. The customer service skills they learn in “TSA officer school” are secondary to their more important job of keeping air travel safe. And TSA officers themselves will even tell you why they’re rude.
But unfortunately, even though TSA officers had reason to cheer a few years ago, and even now, with the government shutdown finally over and they’re getting steady paychecks again, we may well notice an increase in that gruffness we’ve come to know some of them to have.
Why? Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem decided to terminate the collective bargaining agreement between the TSA and AFGE.
And to add insult to injury, the move came less than 24 hours after the House of Representatives passed the bipartisan Protect America’s Workforce Act, which would restore collective bargaining rights for over one million federal employees.
The move would invalidate the seven-year collective bargaining agreement that took effect in 2024 and halt payroll deductions for union dues, returning TSA to its early-2000s model with no formal union representation for screeners.
From the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE):
Merely 30 days ago, Secretary Noem celebrated TSA officers for their dedication during the longest government shutdown in history. Today, she’s announcing a lump of coal right on time for the holidays: that she’s stripping those same dedicated officers of their union rights.
TSA officers, many of whom are veterans, are patriotic individuals who swore an oath to protect the safety of the traveling public in our airports and in our skies, ensuring that another horrific attack like Sept. 11 never happens again. Secretary Noem’s decision to rip up the union contract for 47,000 TSA officers is an illegal act of retaliatory union-busting that should cause concern for every person who steps foot in an airport.
AFGE will continue to challenge these illegal attacks on our members’ right to belong to a union, and we urge the Senate to pass the Protect America’s Workforce Act immediately.
If you’re saying, “So they won’t be unionized; big deal!”
AFGE covered that, as well. From their Council 100 President, Hydrick Thomas:
TSA officers take pride in the work we perform on behalf of the American people – many of us joined the agency following the Sept. 11 attacks because we wanted to serve our country and make sure that the skies are safe for air travel.
Prior to having a union contract, many employees endured hostile work environments and workers felt like they didn’t have a voice on the job, which led to severe attrition rates and longer wait times for the traveling public. Since having a contract, we’ve seen a more stable workforce, and there has never been another aviation-related attack on our country.
Prepare for potential backlash
Obviously, no TSA officer is going to intentionally act out because of this change. At least not at this time.
But if someone is upset about something big happening in their life, the negative emotions do sometimes leak out into their job interactions. I could imagine TSA officers being more unfriendly and inhospitable. Sullen. Maybe some of them will have less patience and understanding.
It’s one thing when the government is shut down; you know it happens sometimes, you’ve hopefully prepared for it and you know it won’t last forever.
Losing your union rights? Totally different story that could make your work life miserable from here on in. I wouldn’t blame them if their personality is a little more dark.
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