AFA Statement on AFGE-TSA Contract and Collective Bargaining Rights

WASHINGTON, D.C. (March 7, 2024) — The Association of Flight Attendants-CWA President Sara Nelson, representing 55,000 Flight Attendants at 20 airlines, released the following statement:

"The decision to eliminate collective bargaining rights for TSA is terrible for aviation security and everyone who depends on safe travel. This will take us back to the days of security at the lowest price with the highest costs for our country. Our safety depends on good jobs that attract the best candidates and the ability of the people on the frontlines of aviation security to raise concerns without fear of retaliation. 

"Let’s be clear: this Administration does not care about safety, efficiency, or homeland security. This and the illegal firings of thousands of federal employees is an unprecedented attack on workers’ rights and our government as a whole.

"The position of Transportation Security Officer (TSO) is a competitive, sustainable career because of union representation. Through their union, TSA officers fought hard to slow attrition, attract people to the job, and increase the number of applicants. We have the best people taking care of security as a result. Eliminating collective bargaining rights for tens of thousands of TSA officers is an egregious attack on workers' rights that puts us all at risk. 

"This move by the White House should be viewed in the same context as massive cuts underway at the Veterans Administration, the Department of Education, and other agencies. These efforts are designed to break these agencies in order to justify privatizing their functions to send more cash to Wall Street while the rest of us pay the price. 

"We call on all unions, all airline passengers, and all Americans who care about maintaining a safe and secure air travel system to demand that the collective bargaining agreement covering TSA workers be honored by the Administration.

"Privatizing TSA would return us to the failed pre-9/11 system of for-profit security screening. That system, with underpaid and understaffed airport screeners, was a key flaw in the system that allowed the 9/11 attacks to take place. Since 9/11 we have committed to “Never Forget” and this Administration must understand just how seriously we mean it." 

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The Association of Flight Attendants is the Flight Attendant union. Focused 100 percent on Flight Attendant issues, AFA has been the leader in advancing the Flight Attendant profession for over 79 years. Serving as the voice for Flight Attendants in the workplace, in the aviation industry, in the media and on Capitol Hill, AFA has transformed the Flight Attendant profession by raising wages, benefits and working conditions. 55,000 Flight Attendants come together to form AFA, part of the 700,000-member strong Communications Workers of America (CWA), AFL-CIO. Visit us at www.afacwa.org.