Thompson Excited To See Unions Coming To TSA

Bennie Thompson, the ranking Democrat on the House Homeland Security Committee, tweeted his excitement on Friday that some 50,000 TSA screeners will soon be card-carrying members of the American Federation of Government Employees, an affiliate of the AFL-CIO. AFGE won a runoff election against the National Treasury Employees Union last week.

It should also be noted that Thompson has received $20,000 from AFGE over the past three election cycles. 50,000 new dues paying members equates to more money for the union to distribute to friendly politicians.

Barack Obama’s pick to head the TSA, John Pistole, said he would support their right to bargain collectively on everything but “topics that might affect security.” That, of course, raises the question of what does the Transportation Security Administration do that doesn’t affect security.

Rep. John Mica (R-FL), Chairman of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, offered a different take than the one from Thompson. He said: “The traveling public will be absolutely delighted to learn that big labor has captured the TSA’s army of airport screeners. With the American Federation of Government Employees union selection, the nation’s largest union for government workers will collectively bargain for nearly 50,000 of America’s airport screeners…While collective bargaining for airport screeners may sound like a solution to a dysfunctional workplace, only a dramatic overhaul of TSA will provide a proper structure for improved employment conditions, employee respect, and the best possible security operations. The Obama administration today can check the box on another boost for big labor and a significant setback for the traveling public.”

This was a big win for labor, who has seen a string of administrative victories from this administration following legislative setbacks even when Democrats controlled Congress and the White House in 2009 and 2010. Previously, TSA screens had not received collective bargaining rights, a rarity for government workers.