Contact:
Tim Kauffman
202-639-6405/202-374-6491
[email protected]
WASHINGTON – Today, American Federation of Government Employees National President J. David Cox Sr. issued the following statement in response to the introduction of a bill that would extend Title 5 rights to Transportation Security Officers (TSOs) at the Transportation Security Administration:
“Our brave TSA officers took an oath to serve our country and keep the flying public safe. After showing up to work without pay for 35 days during the longest government shutdown in history earlier this year, no one can ever question their devotion and commitment to the job.
“But despite their dedication, TSOs are treated differently than other federal employees and lack many of the same basic workplace protections afforded to employees at other agencies. To put it simply: Our TSOs deserve better. It’s past time for Congress to act and extend full workplace rights to TSOs.
“This bill, if passed, would show our nation’s appreciation for the work our TSA officers perform every day to keep us safe by extending Title 5 rights to TSOs, giving them full collective bargaining rights to negotiate for better working conditions, putting them on the General Schedule pay scale, and providing much needed statutory worker protections against unfair labor practices.
“We thank Sen. Brian Schatz for introducing this legislation in the Senate, as well as Reps. Bennie Thompson and Nita Lowey, who introduced similar legislation in the House earlier this year. We look forward to this bill becoming law so that TSOs can finally enjoy the workplace rights they are due.”
Learn more at www.afge.org/Title5.
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