AFGE TSO Union and TSA HQs Hold Historic Labor-Management Meeting

Washington, D.C., July 23, 2009 – The American Federation of Government Employees and the Transportation Security Administration met today in a historic, first-ever formal labor-management meeting to discuss a number of workplace issues in an effort to jump-start a new working relationship between the agency and the largest TSA union.

 

Nine AFGE Transportation Security Officer activists and Local Union leaders took center stage in the meeting with acting TSA Administrator Gale Rossides, Chief of Staff Art Macias and other TSA management officials. AFGE President John Gage led the AFGE delegation, which – in addition to TSO activists – included Staff Counsel Chad Harris, Legislative Representative Charity Wilson and National Organizer Peter Winch.

 

"The past eight years with the Bush administration have been an uphill battle and we are finally beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel," Gage said. "With this meeting, TSA has acknowledged that AFGE is an integral piece of the agency's relationship with its employees, and that – in short – AFGE is here to stay."

 

Issues of discussion included testing, the Performance Accountability and Standards System; leave policies, disciplinary actions and field management culture; local organizing environment and next steps at the national level. AFGE also pushed for TSO collective bargaining rights.

 

"Our TSOs were the stars of this meeting," Gage said. "They shared the real-life experiences of what it means to work on the front line for airport security. They used their collective voices to tell the stories of their TSO co-workers. It was a privilege to be part of such a courageous and powerful group of union leaders."

 

These TSO Local Union leaders are from airports in New York and New Jersey Local 2222 Treasurer Bob Marchetta; Massachusetts & New Hampshire Local 2617 President AJ Castilla; Pittsburgh Local 332 President Kimberly Kraynak; Chicago Local 777 Ricky McCoy; Dallas/Fort Worth interim Local 1040 President Justin McCary; Albuquerque Local 1046 Melissa Sandoval; San Diego Local 1234 President Cris Soulia; Miami Local 558 Chief Steward Bridgett Knighton; and; Orlando Local 556 Don Thomas.  

 

Thursday's meeting came about from an earlier discussion, in which Gage asked Rossides specifically for a labor-management sit down. AFGE is very pleased that TSA took the union's request seriously. It's also pleased to be taking this step toward a real labor-management relationship between TSA and the union.

AFGE is the largest TSA union with approximately 11,000 dues-paying TSA members in 32 Locals nationwide. AFGE has represented the TSA workforce since the agency was created in 2001.