Originally Posted by
zerolife
The policies and procedure a TSO has to know and apply is a lot more complex than what a cleaner needs to know. A TSO is also frequently required to make decisions balancing security with customer service/business continuity. Common sense is a key skill for the job and not easy to find. Their are great TSOs with common sense but they often end up going to better paid jobs (like a friend of mine did). Getting an average of 35k in NYC is not a great pay.
I disagree with most of your post.
A TSO does NOT need to know the policies and procedures that apply to pax. Screeners are free to exercise their personal discretion on whether or not to confiscate an item that the website clearly states is permitted or to karate chop a pax's groin to see if s/he flinches.
TSOs do not have to make decisions balancing security with customer service. If a TSO is doing so, he's using his discretion to decide he can ignore what the big boss says. Neffenger has been very clear: security and efficiency are incompatible and his focus is entirely on security, regardless of how long the lines are or how invasive the procedures are.
Plenty of people making it in NYC on a LOT less than $35K + very generous uniform allowances + federal benefits + opportunities for promotion.