TSA slowdown / sickout
Jan 11, 2019 | 2:32 pm
#106
Join Date: May 2015
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From TSA spokesperson:
One thing to keep in mind is that the rates are probably not even. Cities with higher costs of living, like NYC and Miami, are probably seeing higher rates than places like Kansas and Omaha.
Michael Bilello @TSA_Bilello 6h6 hours ago
Regarding unscheduled absences: Yesterday, January 10, 2019, TSA experienced a rate of 5.1 percent compared to a 3.3 percent unscheduled absence rate one year ago on January 10, 2018.
Jan 12, 2019 | 5:23 am
#107
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Transportation Security Administration agents are quitting and calling in sick as the weeks-long government shutdown forces them to work without pay, creating long security lines and logistical troubles nationwide.
But not everywhere: Security screenings are continuing without a hitch at a handful of airports, from San Francisco and Kansas City to Bradenton, Florida. Thats because private companies provide screenings there instead of federal TSA agents. And those agents are still getting paychecks.
But not everywhere: Security screenings are continuing without a hitch at a handful of airports, from San Francisco and Kansas City to Bradenton, Florida. Thats because private companies provide screenings there instead of federal TSA agents. And those agents are still getting paychecks.
Jan 12, 2019 | 10:38 am
#108
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Another reason to return to airports/airlines having private contractors doing the standard security screening at US airports.
Federal government contractors are also impacted in part by the shutdown, but since airlines/airports have their own reason and means to remain in operation during shutdowns, the private security screening contractors would still be in business even in the off chance that an airport would be a federal operation.
Security screening personnel who find themselves in financially perilous situations due to the federal government shutdown may be more susceptible to being bribed, and that is a security risk.
Federal government contractors are also impacted in part by the shutdown, but since airlines/airports have their own reason and means to remain in operation during shutdowns, the private security screening contractors would still be in business even in the off chance that an airport would be a federal operation.
Security screening personnel who find themselves in financially perilous situations due to the federal government shutdown may be more susceptible to being bribed, and that is a security risk.
Jan 12, 2019 | 10:48 am
#109
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In places where the local economy is on screech and there is demand for people at the level of the typical TSO, it is easy enough to jump ship and given that TSA suffers from rapid turnover anyway, get a $0 paycheck may well be the tipping point.
Jan 12, 2019 | 4:23 pm
#110
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Two news items:
The New York Times:
The New York Times:
T.S.A. Agents Refuse to Work During Shutdown, Raising Fears of Airport Turmoil
CBS news:
***
At least one airport, Miami International Airport, will start closing one terminal early each day, starting on Saturday, because of a shortage of screeners employed by the Transportation Security Administration, said Greg Chin, an airport spokesman.
Mr. Chin said agents had been calling in sick at double the normal rate this week, leaving their supervisors worried that they will not have enough agents to operate all of the airports 11 security checkpoints.
***
No other major airports have announced plans to take the sort of action that Miami International has planned. Mr. Chin said that the airport would close Concourse G at 1 p.m. on Saturday through Monday and divert the flights that would normally leave from there to another concourse. He described that shift as a precaution just in case the number of call-outs increases.
***
At least one airport, Miami International Airport, will start closing one terminal early each day, starting on Saturday, because of a shortage of screeners employed by the Transportation Security Administration, said Greg Chin, an airport spokesman.
Mr. Chin said agents had been calling in sick at double the normal rate this week, leaving their supervisors worried that they will not have enough agents to operate all of the airports 11 security checkpoints.
***
No other major airports have announced plans to take the sort of action that Miami International has planned. Mr. Chin said that the airport would close Concourse G at 1 p.m. on Saturday through Monday and divert the flights that would normally leave from there to another concourse. He described that shift as a precaution just in case the number of call-outs increases.
***
TSA workers to get $500 bonuses during shutdown
TSA Administrator David Pekoske has approved a one-time $500 award for each uniformed TSA screening officer, utilizing "unique authorities provided TSA in law." The award is equivalent to about four days' pay for many officers. It's essentially a performance bonus for the holiday season.
***
One TSA official compared the agency's efforts to find any available means to push payments out to officers to looking for loose change under cushions. There is a clear sense of frustration at TSA headquarters over the situation, given that the shutdown substantially limits the options to pay essential staff who are working.
***
While screening times have stayed relatively consistent nationally, sick calls climbed higher on Saturday -- up 70 percent from the same day a year ago. Still, more than 94 percent of staff reported as scheduled.
***
***
One TSA official compared the agency's efforts to find any available means to push payments out to officers to looking for loose change under cushions. There is a clear sense of frustration at TSA headquarters over the situation, given that the shutdown substantially limits the options to pay essential staff who are working.
***
While screening times have stayed relatively consistent nationally, sick calls climbed higher on Saturday -- up 70 percent from the same day a year ago. Still, more than 94 percent of staff reported as scheduled.
***
Jan 12, 2019 | 8:10 pm
#111
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TSA Administrator David Pekoske has approved a one-time $500 award for each uniformed TSA screening officer, utilizing "unique authorities provided TSA in law."
Jan 12, 2019 | 8:48 pm
#112
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Do you understand what living paycheck to paycheck means? Clearly, many posters here do not understand how a majority of the country lives.
Joe TSA makes $16 an hour. Joe was expecting a $1,200 check today. He was going to use that check to pay his car payment, buy gas, pay the heating bill, make the minimum on the credit card, and go grocery shopping.
Joe got a $0 check. Most of those bills cannot be deferred.
Joe was smart. He took off TSA work Monday and Wednesday to do 12 hour Uber shifts.
Uber sent Joe a check for $270 and now he can pay off some of those bills.
Be like Joe. Be smart.
Joe TSA makes $16 an hour. Joe was expecting a $1,200 check today. He was going to use that check to pay his car payment, buy gas, pay the heating bill, make the minimum on the credit card, and go grocery shopping.
Joe got a $0 check. Most of those bills cannot be deferred.
Joe was smart. He took off TSA work Monday and Wednesday to do 12 hour Uber shifts.
Uber sent Joe a check for $270 and now he can pay off some of those bills.
Be like Joe. Be smart.
EDIT: I just saw that [MENTION=7202]GUWonder[/MENTION] mentioned the same thing a few posts above. However, if missing only one paycheck makes a person susceptible to bribery, then they were already susceptible to bribery.
Jan 12, 2019 | 9:56 pm
#113
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Question: Why are we entrusting airline security to people so financially vulnerable that bribery probably wouldn't be too difficult?
EDIT: I just saw that [MENTION=7202]GUWonder[/MENTION] mentioned the same thing a few posts above. However, if missing only one paycheck makes a person susceptible to bribery, then they were already susceptible to bribery.
EDIT: I just saw that [MENTION=7202]GUWonder[/MENTION] mentioned the same thing a few posts above. However, if missing only one paycheck makes a person susceptible to bribery, then they were already susceptible to bribery.
TSA and other government employees have an obligation to to show up for work when they are suppose too. I know that not getting a paycheck is a big issue but for those employees who call out I think that alone should be reason to terminate those employees.
For the record I work in an organization that provides financial service to some federal LEO's, who are in the same boat as TSA employees. In fact a couple of them work for TSA, just not as security screeners. To my knowledge all of these people are still showing up for their shifts.
Jan 12, 2019 | 10:12 pm
#114
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But they won't be, because of their union which, obviously, did a piss-poor job of preparing its members for this eventuality.
Jan 13, 2019 | 8:02 am
#115
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He's lying. Every federal agency can award spot bonuses. I would certainly challenge his authority to simply throw money at his clerks. OPM regulations require that each cash award be individually justified. So, each clerk has to have a citation signed by the proper supervisors and by the CFO identifying the fund cite (pot of money) from where the bonus is taken. Of course, each clerk will be required to pay appropriate federal, state and local income taxes. And, too bad for his clerks who don't wear the spiffy blue uniforms.
As an aside, OPM rules do permit spot awards to described "groups" and do not require a specific citation for each Officer. E.g., the Administrator could describe a group as being "all Officers who worked X hours across the holiday period and therefore contributed to...."
It is close to a 100% guarantee that the Administrator has clearance from both his Secretary and OPM to do this and that OPM consulted with his White House liaison.
Jan 13, 2019 | 10:08 am
#116
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I don't think that there are any uniformed clerks. Those are Officers.
As an aside, OPM rules do permit spot awards to described "groups" and do not require a specific citation for each Officer. E.g., the Administrator could describe a group as being "all Officers who worked X hours across the holiday period and therefore contributed to...."
It is close to a 100% guarantee that the Administrator has clearance from both his Secretary and OPM to do this and that OPM consulted with his White House liaison.
As an aside, OPM rules do permit spot awards to described "groups" and do not require a specific citation for each Officer. E.g., the Administrator could describe a group as being "all Officers who worked X hours across the holiday period and therefore contributed to...."
It is close to a 100% guarantee that the Administrator has clearance from both his Secretary and OPM to do this and that OPM consulted with his White House liaison.
Jan 13, 2019 | 6:31 pm
#117
Join Date: Sep 2016
Posts: 278
Looks like we can maybe add IAH to the list of airports with terminal closures?
EDIT/UPDATE: The terminal isn't closed, but you need to clear security in adjoining terminals. I guess there are no airlines that have ticket counters only in Terminal B.
EDIT/UPDATE: The terminal isn't closed, but you need to clear security in adjoining terminals. I guess there are no airlines that have ticket counters only in Terminal B.
Last edited by mauve; Jan 13, 2019 at 6:37 pm
Jan 13, 2019 | 6:52 pm
#118
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<redacted>
Seems there are people standing in line ready to replace disgruntled screeners. Don't think I'd be burning bridges if I worked for TSA!
Despite shutdown, almost 200 attend TSA Tennessee jobs event
Seems there are people standing in line ready to replace disgruntled screeners. Don't think I'd be burning bridges if I worked for TSA!
Despite shutdown, almost 200 attend TSA Tennessee jobs event
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — A day after its officers went without a paycheck for the first time during the government shutdown, the Transportation Security Administration drew in almost 200 people still interested in the airport security job during a fast-track hiring event Saturday in Tennessee.
Last edited by TWA884; Jan 13, 2019 at 10:00 pm Reason: Quote of and response to deleted post
Jan 13, 2019 | 6:54 pm
#119
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I don't think that there are any uniformed clerks. Those are Officers.
As an aside, OPM rules do permit spot awards to described "groups" and do not require a specific citation for each Officer. E.g., the Administrator could describe a group as being "all Officers who worked X hours across the holiday period and therefore contributed to...."
It is close to a 100% guarantee that the Administrator has clearance from both his Secretary and OPM to do this and that OPM consulted with his White House liaison.
As an aside, OPM rules do permit spot awards to described "groups" and do not require a specific citation for each Officer. E.g., the Administrator could describe a group as being "all Officers who worked X hours across the holiday period and therefore contributed to...."
It is close to a 100% guarantee that the Administrator has clearance from both his Secretary and OPM to do this and that OPM consulted with his White House liaison.
Jan 13, 2019 | 10:10 pm
#120
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Moderator's Note: Keep Politics out of the Travel Safety/Security Forums
Folks,
There is a very fine line between what is appropriate for the Checkpoints and Borders Policy Debate forum and what belongs in OMNI/PR, and it has just been crossed.
Please confine your future comments to the TSA slowdown / sickout and travel security. Discussion of the reasons for the US government partial shutdown and the politics behind it belong in Omniland.
Future posts of a political nature will be summarily deleted. Repeat offenders will be subject to discipline without further notice.
Thank you for understanding,
TWA884
Travel Safety/Security co-moderator
There is a very fine line between what is appropriate for the Checkpoints and Borders Policy Debate forum and what belongs in OMNI/PR, and it has just been crossed.
Please confine your future comments to the TSA slowdown / sickout and travel security. Discussion of the reasons for the US government partial shutdown and the politics behind it belong in Omniland.
Future posts of a political nature will be summarily deleted. Repeat offenders will be subject to discipline without further notice.
Thank you for understanding,
TWA884
Travel Safety/Security co-moderator