FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 05, 2013
June 05, 2013
AFGE Commends Decision to Keep Airplane Knife Ban in Place
WASHINGTON – The American Federation of Government Employees applauds the Obama administration’s decision today to rescind a policy change that would have allowed knives on airplanes for the first time since 9/11.
“This decision is the right one for the safety and security of every Transportation Security Officer, airline passenger and aviation employee,” AFGE National President J. David Cox Sr. said.
AFGE is the exclusive representative for the more than 45,000 Transportation Security Officers who screen all commercial airline passengers, baggage and cargo.
“In addition to the lessons learned on 9/11 about the threat of terrorists armed with knives, our concern is for our members who are assaulted far too often by irate passengers. Keeping the knife ban will help keep those confrontations from escalating,” Cox said.
On May 6, AFGE was one of nine organizations representing over 400,000 aviation professionals, passengers and law enforcement officers that filed a legal petition with Transportation Security Administrator John Pistole and Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano, urging them to rescind the policy change and keep the knife ban in place.
“I commend Secretary Napolitano and Administrator Pistole for listening to our concerns and having the wisdom to withdraw this proposal in light of the grave safety and security risks to our members at TSA, to the flying public and aviation employees,” Cox said.
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