FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 12, 2025
December 12, 2025
Contact:
Tim Kauffman
202-374-6491
[email protected]
AFGE Blasts TSA’s Illegal Termination of Collective Bargaining Agreement Covering 47,000 Officers, Vows Legal Challenge
Categories:
TSA
Busting TSA union should concern every member of the flying public, labor leaders say
WASHINGTON — Today, the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), the exclusive union representative of 47,000 Transportation Security Officers (TSOs) at 400 airports across the country, denounced the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem’s decision to terminate the collective bargaining agreement between AFGE and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA).
This move comes less than 24 hours after the House of Representatives passed the bipartisan Protect America’s Workforce Act, which would restore collective bargaining rights for over one million federal employees, and on the 30-day mark of the end of the longest government shutdown in history.
Additionally, DHS’ decision follows a preliminary injunction issued by the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington in June that blocked Noem’s March 7 attempt to terminate the collective bargaining agreement between AFGE and TSA.
AFGE National President Everett Kelley issued the following statement:
“Merely 30 days ago, Secretary Noem celebrated TSA officers for their dedication during the longest government shutdown in history. Today, she’s announcing a lump of coal right on time for the holidays: that she’s stripping those same dedicated officers of their union rights.
“TSA officers, many of whom are veterans, are patriotic individuals who swore an oath to protect the safety of the traveling public in our airports and in our skies, ensuring that another horrific attack like Sept. 11 never happens again. Secretary Noem’s decision to rip up the union contract for 47,000 TSA officers is an illegal act of retaliatory union-busting that should cause concern for every person who steps foot in an airport.
“AFGE will continue to challenge these illegal attacks on our members’ right to belong to a union, and we urge the Senate to pass the Protect America’s Workforce Act immediately.”
AFGE Council 100 President Hydrick Thomas issued the following statement:
“Secretary Noem’s decision to revoke our union contract is a slap in the face to the dedicated workforce that shows up each and every day for the flying public.
“TSA officers take pride in the work we perform on behalf of the American people – many of us joined the agency following the Sept. 11 attacks because we wanted to serve our country and make sure that the skies are safe for air travel.
“Prior to having a union contract, many employees endured hostile work environments and workers felt like they didn’t have a voice on the job, which led to severe attrition rates and longer wait times for the traveling public. Since having a contract, we’ve seen a more stable workforce, and there has never been another aviation-related attack on our country.
“AFGE TSA Council 100 is going to keep fighting for our union rights so we can continue providing the very best services to the American people.”
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