If govenment service is like it was when I worked for Uncle Sugar in the 1970s, they don't need a union. 1 year keeping your nose clean and you got "career" status. You were darned near bulletproof. Barring some violation of law, or a massive layoff (oop, that's RIF in civil serviceese), you were untouchable. And if you belonged to a protected group (I leave it to your imagination), you were superman (or woman).

These people don't need to fear for their jobs if they act in a manner that would get any of us fired, because they already have job security that we outside of government can only dream of.

And I've watched this behaviour only in the US. Every other country that I've traveled to has screeners who behave in a professional and polite manner. What's wrong with our people? I really hate going near a commercial airport just for this very reason.