AFGE PRESIDENT JOHN GAGE QUESTIONS TSA'S STANCE AS DHS PERSONNEL NEGOTIATIONS PROCEED IN WASHINGTON, D.C.

WASHINGTON, D.C.-The president of AFGE, the nation's largest union of federal workers, today called on the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to adhere to the same personnel process as the other agencies within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). John Gage said that TSA has been under more criticism because of its personnel operations than all of the other agencies currently under DHS combined.

Gage, as well as representatives from the DHS and the Office of Personnel Management and other union leaders, are part of a senior review committee meeting this week (October 20 - October 22) in Washington, D.C., at the Almas Temple. Gage said he is pleased that Admiral James Loy, who heads the Transportation Security Administration, is part of the review committee.

"I believe that Governor Ridge and Director James sold Congress on the creation of a new personnel system that would put all 22 entities within a coherent program. No one told Congress that 25 percent of the employees were to be exempt from the new system. I suspect a great number of Senators and Representatives will be extremely concerned to find out they were misled," said Gage.

"I, therefore, take Admiral Loy's participation on this committee as a pledge that, in fact, TSA will be covered by the new personnel policies we are considering," said Gage.

Presently TSA is exempt from the personnel system under consideration. AFGE represents some 1,000 TSA screeners with 9,500 who have expressed interest in joining the union.

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The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) is the largest federal employee union, representing 600,000 workers in the federal government and the government of the District of Columbia.