More union rules. Fewer screeners. Longer lines.
AFFT applauds DHS Secretary Kristi Noem for issuing a new, comprehensive determination ending collective bargaining and exclusive union representation for TSA screening officers. This decision is thorough, data-driven, and legally sound. It confirms what travelers have experienced for years: union mandates reduce staffing flexibility, close security lanes, and lengthen wait times at airports nationwide.
“This moment has been a long time coming,” said Chip Rogers, CEO of AFFT. “Years ago, AFFT filed a FOIA request simply asking what legal analysis TSA conducted before unionizing screeners. The answer, proven through litigation, was none. That failure set the stage for years of operational harm and diminished service for the traveling public.”
The facts are clear:
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Millions of taxpayer dollars diverted to union business
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Rising absenteeism leading to lane closures and longer wait times
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Reduced operational flexibility for a mission-critical workforce
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Hundreds of grievances and arbitration cases
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Measurable improvements at major airports once union rules were rolled back
AFFT supported this effort from the very beginning, exposing the lack of legal justification for unionization and advocating for reforms that put TSA employees and travelers first.
AFGE, the taxpayer-funded union representing TSA screeners, has a well-documented record of criminal convictions among its leadership and widespread mismanagement across federal agencies. TSA is not an outlier, it is the latest example.
“This determination restores accountability, strengthens security, and frees 47,000 TSA screeners to focus on their mission, not union mandates,” Rogers added. “Policy should be guided by law, data, and the needs of the public, not union pressure.”
“This determination restores accountability, strengthens security, and frees 47,000 TSA screeners to focus on their mission, not union mandates,” Rogers added. “Policy should be guided by law, data, and the needs of the public, not union pressure.”