Originally Posted by
Bart
I think TSOs should wear comfortable polo-type shirts with equally comfortable slacks without any badges; perhaps a TSA logo embroidered on the shirt. I also believe there should be a physical fitness standard for TSOs not because it "looks better," but because it is the smart thing to do. Missed days due to employee illness, injury or other health-related issues have a huge adverse impact on screening operations. I believe that if TSA established a fitness standard; negotiated corporate rates with local gyms to encourage gym membership by employees; and included fitness standards in employee evaluations, then there would be a huge reduction in the number of sick days taken due to illness, injury or other similar situations. It's a smart investment.
If any employee in any job misses work it makes thing harder on others and customers. This is not a good reason to implement fitness standards. Why not make postal workers pass fitness standards. I think a lot of people who complain about TSOs being out of shape do so because they are trying to act like they are equal to being in the military. If you get rid of the intimidating uniform and condescending attitude then I don't think people will complain about out of shape TSOs.
When I was in the Army I saw a lot of idiots get ahead based on good PT test scores. That makes sense when the job is to run around killing people, but when you job is not dependent on your physical abilities the extra stress of passing a PT test will shift their focus away from keeping passengers safe. Do you want a screener that can run fast but sucks at their job or a screener that is good at their job but has a gut? Do you want a screener to go on an insane diet that potentially impairs their thought processes just so they can make height-weight standards and keep their job? There are physical jobs and technical jobs and TSO is a technical job so the workers should be held to higher mental standards.
Gym memberships and health programs are great to provide to employees and incentive programs based on physical activities can motivate employes to get off their butt. Just don't tie their job performance to a random standard that has nothing to do with their actual job performance.