FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 14, 2005
June 14, 2005
Kurt Gallagher
(202) 639-6491
(202) 639-6491
Sixty-Four Percent of Americans Say Federal Screeners Make America Safer
(WASHINGTON, DC)—A poll recently conducted by Zogby International found that nearly two-thirds of Americans say they feel safer knowing that airport passenger and baggage screening is in the hands of the federal government rather than for-profit contractors. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) was created in the wake of the Sept. 11th attacks in order to tighten airport security by replacing a patchwork of private companies with a well-trained and professional workforce of federal employees that implemented tough, nationwide security standards.
Sixty-four percent of Americans indicated they feel more safe when asked, “How much safer do you feel knowing that the federal government has a trained professional workforce protecting our airports—a lot more safe, a little more safe, a little less safe, a lot less safe, or no difference in safety?” Only seven percent indicated they felt less safe.
Additionally, the survey measured public attitude on the potential for airports to return to a private baggage screener workforce. By a margin of more than two-to-one (43 percent to 17 percent), Americans indicated they would feel less safe if private companies replaced federal screeners at U.S. airports.
“Americans don’t want to go back to the pre-9/11 airport security system of for-profit contractors, a system that obviously failed us,” said AFGE National President John Gage.
Sixty-four percent of Americans indicated they feel more safe when asked, “How much safer do you feel knowing that the federal government has a trained professional workforce protecting our airports—a lot more safe, a little more safe, a little less safe, a lot less safe, or no difference in safety?” Only seven percent indicated they felt less safe.
Additionally, the survey measured public attitude on the potential for airports to return to a private baggage screener workforce. By a margin of more than two-to-one (43 percent to 17 percent), Americans indicated they would feel less safe if private companies replaced federal screeners at U.S. airports.
“Americans don’t want to go back to the pre-9/11 airport security system of for-profit contractors, a system that obviously failed us,” said AFGE National President John Gage.
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