Well we now know who you work for. The FAA.

You're a highly paid "government" employee who has gone through EXTENSIVE training to complete your job tasks or there is a serious problem.

The TSA are not extensively trained. They can have a GED and get hired. They don't have to have any skills other than breathing to do their job.

You can't compare your unionized workforce with the potential unionized TSA workforce.

I'll give you that one, since I don't know what TSA employees go through to be "certified" to do their job. In mine, about 2 to 3 percent actually certify. There's probably a difference there. We fire a LOT of people or send them to low-level facilities.

However, that doesn't change the union's job. They protect the workers, but they also insure good relations with the customer. The unions today try to paint themselves as the customer's friend, vs. the big bad employer, to gain sentiment. It's a tactic that works well and also really benefits the customer.

Our union is independent, as I recall.

SR

This is simply not true. Unions do NOTHING to benefit consumers regardless of their propaganda.

Editorial Against Unionization of TSA
 

My guess is that, as federal employees, TSA personnel lack the right to strike. Wonder if the union reminded them of a certain entity *cough* PATCO *cough* and how quickly their members found themselves having to seek employment when they tried to throw their weight around...

I hope they didn't. Let them strike. ;)

It sure will be fun if a union gets voted in. Every time a TSA employee tries to say the Nude-O-Scopes are safe, I can state that the union that they pay dues to doesn't think so, right on the front page of their website.

Then there's this from the NTEU:

Among the problems are <> the potential for excessive radiation exposure, the nation’s largest independent union of federal employees testified at a hearing of the House Oversight and Government Reform Subcommittee on the Federal Workforce.

These results were shown in two studies by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), which issued a number of recommendations for improvements, including better training on radiation issues and proper work practices and improved equipment maintenance.

“Despite these NIOSH recommendations,” NTEU said, “our members have not seen any personal radiation testing done

:D^

Welcome to FlyerTalk! :)

TSA union vote set for March (things about to get worse!)
 

This spring, airport screeners may get another layer of protection beyond their shiny badges: a union card.

That may be good for the Transportation Security Administration's 48,000 employees -- but it's trouble on wings for millions of American travelers.

TSA workers are set to vote in March on whether to organize, a choice opposed by all earlier TSA administrators.

And for good reason.

If you want to guarantee that airport screening becomes an unaccountable, hyper-expensive bureaucracy, presto.

If you're interested in real security, you're taking a back seat on this flight.

For all its faults, the agency is still the last line of defense against terrorists.

Trouble is, the Obama administration sees the TSA as just another fountain of dues for its labor-union pals.

But that's playing with fire. New threats constantly emerge -- from liquid explosives to underwear bombs -- so a nimble security apparatus is key.

As Sen. Jim DeMint has warned, giving TSA employees bargaining rights would force the agency to haggle with labor reps over work rules before instituting innovative security measures.

Not that TSA agents have much to complain about to begin with. No other federal security agency has collective-bargaining rights -- not the FBI, CIA or Secret Service.

Giving unions any kind of veto on national security is madness. But may be coming soon to an airport near you

I'll bite -- How will a union make the TSA any less effective in their anti-terrorism role? I can understand a union making the agency more expensive...but less effective? To be less effective, they have to demonstrate some level of effectiveness today. And I don't think they can.

If they go on strike, guess the airports will have to shut down, unless whom ever is President pulls a Ronald Reagan.

Canadian airports are unionized. The union doesn't deal with the rules that are in place, such as the liquids rule. The union is there to fight for wages, and ensure discipline is dealt with in an appropriate manner.

SFO is proof that private screeners are no better, and sometimes far worse, that gov't employed screeners.

For one thing the TSO's have to spend their day working next to machines with unknown radiation risks -- and they're not even allowed to wear dosimeters! Meanwhile, pilots and flight attendants (who are unionized) have gotten exempted, even though their exposure is far lower.

BOO HOO HOO

I entered the radiology profession with the full knowledge of the "dangers" of my profession.

OUR GOVERNMENT decided to roll out the x-ray backscatter units across this country when there is a viable alternative (MMW) which is also implemented in some airports. And if OUR GOVERNMENT didn't give the TSA proper protection then I guess they really don't care about those employees now do they?

They can always find employment elsewhere. Oh wait there aren't any jobs in this country.

As reported by "eyecue" some screeners are making $67,000.00 yearly and as Marshal Lucky said that price is just "to damn high".