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Government

TSA Chooses AFL-CIO Branch as Its Union

Jun. 23, 2011 10:43am Jonathon M. Seidl

WASHINGTON (The Blaze/AP) — Airport screeners around the county have chosen the nation’s largest federal employee union to represent them in collective bargaining talks with the government.

The American Federation of Government Employees won a runoff vote to represent 44,000 workers at the Transportation Security Administration.

Federal officials tallying the votes say AFGE received 8,903 votes, while National Treasury Employees Union got 8,447 votes. The runoff was held after neither union received more than 50 percent of votes during the first election earlier this year.

The vote came after TSA head John Pistole agreed in February to grant screeners limited collective bargaining rights for the first time since the agency was formed a decade ago.

The AFGE is a branch of the AFL-CIO.

Airport screeners had been among the few federal workers without union rights.

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Comments (140)

HorseCrazy
Posted on June 23, 2011 at 11:42am
glad the only plane I fly in is my own. get a pilots license folks for North American travel. Way to pay back those unions barry. we are all on to you

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NOBALONEY
Posted on June 23, 2011 at 11:41am
Next, the feds will arm them.

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His Lamb is Satanic
Posted on June 23, 2011 at 11:41am
Just practicing for the fair and rigged elections of 2012.

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geonj
Posted on June 23, 2011 at 11:39am
now we know why the tsa is changing the rules with regard to sexual molistation pat downs of children. the lawsuits will cost the union money.

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SamIamTwo
Posted on June 23, 2011 at 11:26am
LOL Ok now pony up the dues…In the day you could decline to join the union…wonder if that is still the fed standard.

Any fed employee can join…this is BS…and if it is required to be a member they will need to change a law…gee Team O don’t need no stinking law, he got EO…BO got EO. executive orders.

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- SamIamTwo
  Posted on June 23, 2011 at 11:47am
  http://www.lmrcouncil.gov/meetings/handouts/EngagingFederalEmployeesThroughTheirUnionRepresentativesToImproveAgencyPerformance.pdf
  
  ^ pdf file
  
  In part it states, “On January 8, 2003, the head of the TSA, Admiral Loy, issued a memorandum that showed just how far the administration was willing to pursue this new-found managerial authority to negate labor-management relations. Invoking statutory authority provided under the ATSA, Loy stated that ―I hereby determine that individuals carrying out the security screening function under section 44901 of Title 49, United State Code, in light of their critical national security responsibilities, shall not, as a term or condition of their employment, be entitled to engage in collective bargaining or be represented for the purpose of engaging in such bargaining by any representative or organization.‖
  
  The memorandum did not forbid screeners from joining unions, but unequivocally denied them the inherent rationale for unionization in the first place, i.e. collective bargaining to negotiate agreements to establish rights and protections in the workplace beyond those written into statute.”
  
  Report this comment
Johnny Appleseed
Posted on June 23, 2011 at 11:18am
Unionization of Federal employees is on its face corrupt. They are in the position to bargain for more of my money…not an individual company’s money – My money, and yours, of course.

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lynnissmart
Posted on June 23, 2011 at 11:15am
Attention Airlines!!!! I will not fly while the TSA is in charge!!!!!!

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shadowrider
Posted on June 23, 2011 at 11:14am
Who gave Pistole the “authority” to allow collective bargaining for TSA employee’s considering that the union was voted for in an earlier vote ? Seems like someone needs to tell him immediately that he has no such power to spend the TAXPAYERS $$$$ in such a way !

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libloather7
Posted on June 23, 2011 at 11:11am
Makes you want to puke!

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southernORcobra
Posted on June 23, 2011 at 11:11am
not suprised no one is willing to truly FIGHT to stop this.

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inexiletill2012
Posted on June 23, 2011 at 11:01am
this is news ?
just waiting for the democratic caucus to join the AFL-CIO

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Darla_K
Posted on June 23, 2011 at 10:59am
Here comes the trolls. Change you can believe in.

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Banshee34
Posted on June 23, 2011 at 10:59am
I am so frustrated and angry I can’t formulate a comment.

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- BONETRAUMA
  Posted on June 23, 2011 at 11:06am
  Well stated
  
  Report this comment
- Susan Harkins
  Posted on June 23, 2011 at 12:42pm
  Need to borrow some of my gun oil? Greasing blue steel these days is, I find, quite theraputic in these troubling times.
  
  :-)
  
  Report this comment
powhatan
Posted on June 23, 2011 at 10:57am
Everyone….get guns and ammo….just in case!

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EqualJustice
Posted on June 23, 2011 at 10:57am
OH, GREAT. Now I can have union thugs roughing me up at airports, too! Imagine how they will FEEL YOU UP now? UGH.

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powhatan
Posted on June 23, 2011 at 10:55am
My Golly we need another Reagan! I feel like the REAl American’s are screaming to deaf ears!

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LukeAppling
Posted on June 23, 2011 at 10:53am
Where are the Conservatives to stop this takeover of America by unions without votes or fair elections? How can this happen while we sit i9dle watching Obama pay off unions for his election, are we so stupid or simply lazy?

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- kickagrandma
  Posted on June 23, 2011 at 11:01am
  @LUKEAPPLING ~~~ We can’t kill them. GOD’s orders.
  
  Unless we declare war against them. THEN, we can kill them. They certainly have declared war against us, haven’t they? Am I missing something????
  
  Until then, I don’t see this evil, vile group of maggots moving away, do you?
  
  It isn’t that AMERICANS, esp. Conservatives don’t want them gone. We do. In spades. It is that Congress OUR ELECTED officials (barf!) aren’t standing up for us or representing us. So, it is left to WE THE PEOPLE. What was Patton’s declaration? “Lead, follow or get out of the way!”
  
  PRAY ON, AMERICA. And/or declare war, and let’s git `er done. We cannot wait another year. There will be no AMERICA left to defend. IMHO
  
  Report this comment
- USAMEDIC3008
  Posted on June 23, 2011 at 11:05am
  Not sure there will be
  Or if it will make any diff.
  
  Report this comment
- Lloyd Drako
  Posted on June 23, 2011 at 11:19am
  Kickagrandma:
  Declare war on the TSA so we can kill them? Do it ourselves as Americans, if Congress won’t?
  How Constitutional is that? Your language leaves me confused as to what exactly you’re suggesting here,
  
  Report this comment
- Mil-Dot
  Posted on June 23, 2011 at 11:46am
  Hey Drako
  What the he!!! do you think Grandma meant? Can’t you read English? Read it again.
  
  Report this comment
- Lloyd Drako
  Posted on June 23, 2011 at 12:35pm
  Mil-Dot:
  
  Well, her post begins with “We can’t kill them.”
  
  There is no reference, but “them” must mean either kill the TSA, or the people who work for it, or unions, or the people who belong to them.
  
  What else could she possibly mean?
  
  And since she pretty much discounts Congress, and suggests that “we the people” should do the job. . . .
  
  You tell me what you think she means, if you can cut through her somewhat disjointed verbiage and extract any meaning at all, beyond an emission of bile.
  
  Report this comment
Texas Grasshopper
Posted on June 23, 2011 at 10:48am
WTF !!!!!!!!!!!!! …National Civilian Police Force …………NCPF …..

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- NJTMATO
  Posted on June 23, 2011 at 10:56am
  I LIKE IT!!!!! I’ll join!
  
  Report this comment
- Susan Harkins
  Posted on June 23, 2011 at 12:40pm
  I’m in.
  
  Report this comment
I.Gaspar
Posted on June 23, 2011 at 10:48am
I’m sure that was an honest election that will make our country even more more secure than it isn’t now.
The drive is on, people…at every level they are taking away our freedomand liberty.
2012 can’t come soon enough.

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knockered
Posted on June 23, 2011 at 10:48am
44,000 emplyees and they only got 8,000 votes. hmmmm. The unions at work again.

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CatB
Posted on June 23, 2011 at 10:48am
Anyone need any more reason NOT to fly? This won’t change until people stand up and hurt the airline business.

TEA!

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- powhatan
  Posted on June 23, 2011 at 10:57am
  The only problem is then we will get a govt run airline bsns..Then it will be even more dangerous to fly…This is getting really scary!
  
  Report this comment
- CatB
  Posted on June 23, 2011 at 11:18am
  What? They going to “force” us to fly? Most business can be done with virtual meetings .. saving the business not only time but money .. you want to go on vacation either pick a place near you or take an extra day or two .. a family would save money either way. Other than medical emergencies (sick relative) or funeral .. do you really “have” to fly?
  
  TEA!
  
  Report this comment
- Mil-Dot
  Posted on June 23, 2011 at 11:41am
  CATB
  I agree with you. But the problem is that there are millions of weak-kneed, govt loving, prog creeps that have zero problem with going through the TSA garbage. They actually think “If you don’t like it drive instead.” Like it is their airline and if you complain, you are not a good German, er, I mean American.
  
  Report this comment
- Texas Grasshopper
  Posted on June 23, 2011 at 12:03pm
  you will not need to fly ….gee in Indiana they can walk into your house also …
  
  http://beforeitsnews.com/story/738/124/Surprise_TSA_Is_Searching_Your_Car,_Subway,_Ferry,_Bus,_AND_Plane.html
  
  Report this comment
- Texas Grasshopper
  Posted on June 23, 2011 at 12:07pm
  @ mil-dot
  
  driving wont be the answer for long …check this out …..the only thing that can come out this is checkpoints , ” zones ” , ” authorization papers for travel , …can you tell me agian what country I woke up in this morning ?
  
  Report this comment
- momprayn
  Posted on June 23, 2011 at 12:18pm
  How true but also true is the sad fact about human nature. There’s always just a “remnant” that actually do the “right thing” – that take the time and effort, inconvenience, etc. Most will cave or justify it, believing the lie that it has to be done for our security – and bc it’s just easier not to fight it. I, for one refuse to fly anymore and proved it by driving to Ohio from Texas for our vacation and I’m sticking to it, even if it does “no good”. Fortunately, we live in a state that has actually had the guts to put forth a bill – an anti-TSA pat down bill on the agenda for the special session of the Texas Legislature at the urging of Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst and Texas tea party activists. http://news.yahoo.com/s/ac/20110621/us_ac/8675589_bill_prohibiting_tsa_enhanced_pat_downs_back_on_the_texas_legislative_agenda
  Just after this, TSA came out saying “no more baby pat downs” — so they’re sensitive to what actions we take. Spread the word to get active and contact your Reps. to do the same.,…and pray for the Divine intervention we need to get this done.
  
  Report this comment
plumberswife
Posted on June 23, 2011 at 10:47am
Well now we’ll have the thugs at the gate to let the barbarians in…

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MidWestMom
Posted on June 23, 2011 at 10:47am
No big surprise.

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hauschild
Posted on June 23, 2011 at 10:46am
Hopefully, a new POTUS spells the end of another failed government program, the TSA.

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- randy
  Posted on June 23, 2011 at 10:56am
  I’ll vote for anyone who runs on abolishing the TSA, Securing our borders, is in favor of drilling oil, and is a union buster
  
  Report this comment
- Texas Grasshopper
  Posted on June 23, 2011 at 11:29am
  @ randy ..I second that
  
  Report this comment
- Mil-Dot
  Posted on June 23, 2011 at 11:36am
  Something tells me that no matter who we put into the office of POTUS, the TSA, EPA, Dept of Education will NEVER be eliminated. Once they get into office, it is business as usual. They all sell us out once they get in. I hope I am wrong.
  
  Report this comment
TexasCommonSense
Posted on June 23, 2011 at 10:46am
Workers of the World Unite, against non-union workers.

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- tower7femacamp
  Posted on June 23, 2011 at 10:50am
  911 911 911 , popular mechanics , CIA, Mossad, fiat money,control, NWO
  MIND CONTROL and LIES
  now it’s time for the FEMA camps to become mobile
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vshXO0OS6L0&feature=related
  
  Report this comment
- YEAHYOURIGHT
  Posted on June 23, 2011 at 10:53am
  God help us. 2012 can’t get here fast enough.
  
  Report this comment
- lovenfl3
  Posted on June 23, 2011 at 10:54am
  Who thinks this will work out good? The unions are destroying jobs in this country at an alarming rate.
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NNaZeZBGD2c
  
  Report this comment
- booger71
  Posted on June 23, 2011 at 10:56am
  Am proud to say I never paid a penny to AFGE in dues in the 21 years I worked for the Feds.
  
  Report this comment
- SpankDaMonkey
  Posted on June 23, 2011 at 11:05am
  .
  TSA Chooses AFL-CIO Another Fluctuant Looser – Clueless Idiot Organs….
  
  Ok I had a hard time with CIO
  
  Report this comment
- TomFerrari
  Posted on June 23, 2011 at 11:05am
  I said it last week, the treasury union was only speaking up for tsa to try to become their union.
  They failed, but I was right about their motive!
  At the time, I didn’t even know it was even POSSIBLE for tsa to be in a TREASURY union, but, everything pointed to that as being the motive.
  Not even Glenn said what I was saying.
  
  Sucks being right so often!
  
  Unions are desperate now. Gasping for their last breath before passing into history.
  Who is there left to unionize? They have artificially manipulated manufacturing costs so high, almost nobody can manufacture here and compete on price. The only things that cannot be outsourced to slave nations is service industries – even those are partly outsourced (ever call for computer help?)
  
  When we regain our God-given, Constitutional rights, we need to eliminate tsa.
  
  A headline yesterday suggested the post office can no longer afford to pay into its employees retirements. I’ll go read the full story later.
  
  Govt should NEVER be in competition with pvt sector – to do so means the private sector must suffer for govt to succeed (direct competition). This is a conflict of interests. The govt exists to PROTECT our rights, not to compete. To PROMOTE general welfare, NOT to PROVIDE welfare checks. Our framers chose their words carefully.
  
  Report this comment
- Dustyluv
  Posted on June 23, 2011 at 11:22am
  The world id a no fly zone for me now. I refuse to let a Union thug pervert examine my junk.
  
  Report this comment
- cessna152
  Posted on June 23, 2011 at 11:25am
  Unions are so efficient… when people can’t get fired and get paid double their private counterpart I am sure they will work to please us. Flying will be like going to the DMV or Post office. You have a complaint, too bad. Your are unhappy… too bad. Yes, customer service at its best!
  
  Report this comment
- Texas Grasshopper
  Posted on June 23, 2011 at 11:27am
  @ tower …wow thats unreal ..what about a tea party response to that next time ? We are already marked because of church rolls , clubs , polictical org et al . so what doe it matter if they record a peacefull gathering now ? ..just an idea ..
  
  Report this comment
- Chad79
  Posted on June 23, 2011 at 11:31am
  @ Tower7 We already have these in our town. Have for a few years now. They are all over the mall parking lot.
  
  Report this comment
- Sound The Trumpet In Zion
  Posted on June 23, 2011 at 11:32am
  What’s the difference? Deciding to joing the union mobster thugs or the union mobster thugs? Well, I’m sure that the union mobster thugs have plenty of sexual perverts in their midst so the TSA workers will fit right in.
  
  Report this comment
- V-MAN MACE
  Posted on June 23, 2011 at 11:34am
  Your “friendly neighborhood Nazis” are consolidating!
  
  Don’t you think it’s time to consolidate? To stand in solidarity?
  
  RESIST THE NAZI POLICE STATE!
  
  V FOR VICTORY AGAINST THE NAZI POLICE STATE!
  
  ABOLISH THE TSA!
  
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CBVVfed4cpA
  
  Report this comment
- Mike Westfall No Hiding
  Posted on June 23, 2011 at 11:52am
  @DustyLuv
  
  Just got back from a family vacation to the Dominican Republic. The security at the DR aiport coming back was just like pre 9/11. The DBag TSA agents going and returning were flat out rude and hostile not only to Americans but to other travelers who clearly had been to America multiple times.
  
  I seriously worry about this direction we are taking. Guess what, Americans and others have already figured out how to stop flying planes into buildings… The solution? It’s as simple as “Let’s Roll” or kick the living crap like the Dutchman did to the Christmas Day bomber.
  
  We, and I have started to, have to demand respect from these TSA agents. I firmly but politely ask them to explain theirs actions and question any redundant procedures. If enough people do this, they will be forced to be polite back because they don’t want to be shamed in front of hundreds of other citizens.
  
  Right now we are a bunch of sheeple who let ourselves be shamed by a few, now unionized, thugs.
  
  If we all stop flying, good hard working Americans will lose their jobs. We will take our country back by behaving like Americans inch by inch.
  
  Report this comment
- welovetheUSA
  Posted on June 23, 2011 at 11:56am
  80% are Non-UNION…………hows that work for ya……
  
  Report this comment
- Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
  Posted on June 23, 2011 at 12:02pm
  Okay, so another communist organization allied with the POTUS will gain control of the folks allegedly responsible for the safety of American transportation system? Sounds like a series of large bribes have passed hands via the union and POTUS…also once again we have been sold up the river by the administration to a communist system taking over another part of the government.
  
  Report this comment
- NOTAMUSHROOM
  Posted on June 23, 2011 at 12:09pm
  Oh goody. I guess the TSA will be knee-capping travelers as well as molesting them now.
  
  Report this comment
- fastfacts
  Posted on June 23, 2011 at 12:14pm
  AFL-CIO IS COMPLETELY CORRUPT. I WORK UNDER THEM AND YOU SHOULD HEAR HOW THEY LAUNDER MONEY… AMAZING.
  
  The TSA is going to need a union after all the lawsuits that are coming through over the pat-down. It will be the union that will keep those worker’s jobs. It is almost impossible to get fired by the union, though if they knew I was writing this they would get rid of me.
  
  Did you see Rand Paul go after the TSA in Congress: http://tiny.cc/5dlwk . Now the TSA has changed it’s rules on child pat-downs.
  
  Report this comment
- rellekcnav
  Posted on June 23, 2011 at 12:16pm
  No federal employee should be able to join a union, they are paid by the people and should not dictate pay, benefits, working conditions. I’m tired of paying for there healthcare and retirement,
  
  Report this comment
- Susan Harkins
  Posted on June 23, 2011 at 12:21pm
  Well, with the U.S. on the eclipse of a Multidecade Depression, at least the TSA is well on its way to “Collective Fondling Rights”.
  
  Report this comment
- the hawk
  Posted on June 23, 2011 at 2:38pm
  No afl-cio thugs will toucn myself or my family ! Ever ! I would’nt let my mother thouch me as a TSA worker at an airport! guess i’ll be ridin with biden ! better yet drivin!
  
  Report this comment
- Eric_The_Red_State
  Posted on June 23, 2011 at 3:25pm
  Always
  Find
  Lazy
  Corrupt
  Individuals
  Organizing
  
  Report this comment
- BGECc
  Posted on June 23, 2011 at 5:27pm
  I worked in a union for 10 years. The only thing they did for us was to take our money each week. Contract time they never asked us what we wanted they only told us that they knew what we wanted. We only got to vote to accept what they had to offer. Always a yes or no vote no other choices. UNIONS = COMMUNISTS
  
  Report this comment
- avenger
  Posted on June 23, 2011 at 6:27pm
  aha…the civilian army owe bummer was talking about….time to wake up people,this could be the beginning of the end…
  
  Report this comment
- the hawk
  Posted on June 23, 2011 at 6:57pm
  And C.A.I.R. FOR LEGAL DEPT !!
  
  Report this comment
- smithclar3nc3
  Posted on June 24, 2011 at 7:31am
  After 2012 we’ll be abolishing all the federal employee unions.
  
  Report this comment
- leary1
  Posted on June 24, 2011 at 4:23pm
  People of the world DESTROY all unions before they destroy us
  
  Report this comment
- Texas Grasshopper
  Posted on June 24, 2011 at 5:55pm
  check out this link ….Goverment sponsers racisism ..connect the dots ….Federal laws that faciliitate guns ….palin alaska and the @end Admendment …changing the way to change the way police do business ….
  
  not good
  
  Report this comment
- Libby Tarian
  Posted on June 26, 2011 at 2:12pm
  http://www.newsherald.com/news/mother-94767-search-adult.html
  
  TSA strip searches a 95 y/o woman in a wheel chair with terminal cancer.
  
  I have not nor will I fly until this is stopped and we start strip searching Muslims.
  
  Report this comment

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