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Washington D.C. — The leader of the union representing more than 20,000 front-line homeland security workers at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) today welcomed action by the full Senate to put under a legislative spotlight the incentive pay system at the Transportation Security Administration (TSA).

TSA’s Performance Accountability and Standards System—a program known as PASS—was put in place in 2006. President Colleen M. Kelley of the National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU) has described it as “already in disarray.”

The Senate, during consideration of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) fiscal 2008 Appropriations bill, included an amendment advanced by Sen. Daniel Akaka (D-Hawaii) that would require TSA to report to both the House and Senate Appropriations Committees by March 1 information on the implementation of PASS. President Kelley expressed her appreciation to Sen. Akaka and Sen. Robert Byrd, chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, who accepted the amendment to funding bill. The Homeland Security spending bill passed last night.

The provision would require the agency to provide statistics on how many employees achieved each level of performance called for under PASS, including a breakdown of performance levels by managers and non-managers; along with the type and amount of all pay increases given at each level, as well as numbers on TSA attrition. On that latter point, TSA has the highest attrition by far of any unit in DHS.

President Kelley said the PASS system is “one of the largest concerns for TSA employees.” Under PASS, employees are rated at four levels, ranging from ‘role model’ to ‘did not meet expectations.’ They are eligible for merit raises if they attain ratings at the two highest levels.

At New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport, only a handful of Transportation Security Officers (TSOs) received ratings at the highest rating level. Further, it seems that only a small percentage of the total number received ratings enabling them to qualify for a merit salary increase.

“In other words,” the NTEU leader said, “it appears that the vast majority of the screener workforce at JFK may have received no merit raise in 2006.” What’s more, she added, “allegations of favoritism and cronyism surround the system because there is no meaningful way for employees to challenge their ratings.”

In communications with NTEU, TSA employees from around the country expressed their serious disappointment with the PASS system, and in particular with the way in which it is applied. Many of them have referred to the system as “unfair,” “subject to favoritism,” “arbitrary,” “impossible to achieve ‘role model’ rating,” “unrealistic” and in similar terms. One called it “a joke.” Another said it resembles “a high school popularity competition.” And another described it as ‘a game of who likes who.”

“These are neither isolated nor insignificant complaints,” President Kelley said. “They reflect deep distrust and disillusionment with a pay system impacting workers in a critical function in the effort to keep our nation safe.”

NTEU is the largest independent federal union, representing some 150,000 employees in 31 agencies and departments, including employees in DHS’s Bureau of Customs and Border Protection and TSA.