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Washington, D.C.— The leader of the National Treasury Employee Union (NTEU) and a delegation of its Transportation Security Administration (TSA) union leaders will meet again next week with senior TSA management to continue identifying workplace issues and solutions that NTEU believes would improve many problems have consistently plague this critical security agency.

“This meeting will be another opportunity to engage in a frank dialogue about important issues affecting both TSA and its employees,” said NTEU President Colleen M. Kelley. “TSA employees want and deserve a meaningful voice impacting the decisions that will affect their everyday work lives. These meetings help give them that voice.”

The October 22 meeting will be the second between NTEU and TSA leadership. The initial meeting occurred on July 28 at TSA headquarters near Washington, D.C. As was the case over the summer, President Kelley will be joined at the meeting by NTEU-represented frontline employees from eight different airports across the country who will relate their first-hand knowledge and concerns about issues affecting the TSA workforce.

Those in attendance are expected to discuss a variety of topics, including agency leave policies, the ongoing use of split shifts and employee access to information about them in TSA’s personnel data systems. First-hand testimony from NTEU leaders at the July meeting has already produced concrete results as several airports nationwide have changed local guidelines to conform to national TSA policy.

In one example, local management at Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD) and the Greater Rockford International Airport (RFD) in Illinois has rescinded two directives concerning employee seniority and promotional opportunities that contradicted national policy.

President Kelley added that TSA leadership also has responded to NTEU requests for specific information about agency PASS results, training and certification standards and various other TSA directives and policies.

While Kelley acknowledged the agency’s response, she noted that ongoing discussions with TSA do not replace the inherent advantages offered by full collective bargaining rights. NTEU is pursuing legislation to secure those rights for TSA employees nationwide.

“Full collective bargaining rights would help to alleviate many of the current TSA workplace issues, including disciplinary rules, the agency’s much-maligned grievance procedure and unfair shifts and schedules,” she said.

On Capitol Hill, senators have begun confirmation hearings for President Obama’s nominee as Administrator of TSA. NTEU expects Erroll Southers will grant long-overdue collective bargaining rights to TSA employees, as promised by President Obama.

NTEU continues to vigorously pursue implementation of a five-point program for TSA employees, centering on securing collective bargaining rights and ending the agency’s current pay system, as well as pushing for adequate staffing and fair scheduling, improved training and revised recertification procedures, as well as the grant of full whistleblower rights for employees.

As the largest independent federal union, NTEU represents 150,000 employees in 31 agencies and departments. The union also is engaged in an aggressive organizing campaign and already represents thousands of TSA employees at airports nationwide.