UNION REPRESENTING TSA SCREENERS URGES CONGRESS/BUSH ADMINISTRATION TO MAINTAIN FEDERAL WORKFORCE FOR AIRPORT SECURITY

WASHINGTON, D.C.—AFGE, the union which represents Transportation Security Administration (TSA) passenger and baggage screeners, will join a broad group of organizations at a news conference Monday, October 27, at 9:30 a.m. to call on the Bush Administration and Congress to maintain a federal workforce for airport security. The news conference marks the one-year anniversary of the transfer of airport security to the TSA at some 440 commercial airports in the United States.

Survey data on passengers’ feelings about airline safety will also be released at the news conference.

When: 9:30 a.m., Monday, October 27, 2003

Where: National Press Club, Holeman Lounge
529 14th Street, NW (13th Floor)

Participants: John Gage, national president AFGE; TSA Screeners (members of AFGE Local 1); Association of Flight Attendants; International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers; Communications Workers of America; Consumers Union; National Air Traffic Controllers Association; Professional Airways Systems Specialists; Paul Hudson, executive director, Aviation Consumer Action Project; AFL-CIO Transportation Trades Department (invited); the Air Line Pilots Association (invited); and Public Citizen (invited).

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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.