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Washington, D.C.—Transportation Security Administration (TSA) employees at two of the country’s busiest airports will benefit from strong workplace representation as the National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU) this week charters two new chapters at Fort Lauderdale Hollywood International Airport and at Miami International Airport. The union expects to charter an additional three chapters by the end of the month bringing NTEU representation to approximately 2,000 TSA employees nationwide.

“These two new chapters will provide a voice and workplace representation to hundreds of TSA employees in south Florida who are charged with ensuring the safety of the traveling public yet receive almost no support from agency management,” NTEU President Colleen M. Kelley said. “NTEU will give these frontline employees the serious, effective and determined representation that they deserve.”

These two new chapters join a growing network of NTEU TSA chapters at some of the nation’s largest airports across the country. Last year, NTEU chartered TSA chapters at: John F. Kennedy International Airport and LaGuardia International Airport in New York and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.

NTEU also introduced and is aggressively pursuing a five-point representation plan for TSA employees nationwide. The plan—a set of concrete goals NTEU is working toward to ensure the equity, security and stability of the TSA workforce—calls for:

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Collective bargaining rights for TSA employees;

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The elimination of TSA’s unfair PASS (Performance and Accountability Standards System) and moving TSA employees onto the General Schedule (GS);

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A fair shift-scheduling system and adequate staffing;

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Revisions to the current TSA training and recertification system; and

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Whistleblower protections for TSA employees.

TSA was created in late 2001 and agency leadership was given authority to determine whether TSA employees would be granted collective bargaining rights; these rights were not granted. TSA later became part of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

“NTEU will continue its work with Congress to achieve collective bargaining rights for TSA employees through legislation and will also pursue the grant of collective bargaining rights through administration action with the new administration,” President Kelley said. “Collective bargaining will help create stability in the workplace as employees become true partners in the fight against terrorism.”

The union also is positioned with local staff attorneys to represent TSA employees at every chapter on critical workplace issues, including promotions, disciplinary actions, shift bidding, overtime, performance appraisals, leave issues and work schedules and hours, as well as alternative work schedules.

President Kelley added that the union is uniquely qualified to represent TSA employees given its long history of representing other federal employees who work in our nation’s airports and are charged with protecting our security. NTEU has represented U.S. Customs Service employees for more than 30 years and is the exclusive representative of the 21,000-employee unit of the Bureau of Customs and Border Protection.

“TSA is plagued by high turnover and low morale, stemming in large part from a pay system widely seen as confusing and subjective, as well as a workplace where their voices are not heard on such important issues as training and scheduling,” President Kelley said. “NTEU is working to change that.”

The largest independent federal union, NTEU represents some 150,000 employees in 31 agencies and departments, including more than 2,000 in TSA.