WASHINGTON – The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), the exclusive union representative of 47,000 Transportation Security Officers (TSOs) at 400 airports across the country, applauds the Tampa International Airport for deciding not to privatize its airport security screening functions under the Transportation Security Administration’s proposed Gold+ program.
“On behalf of the TSA officers we represent and the flying public they protect every day, AFGE thanks the Tampa International Airport for listening to concerns raised by employees, members of the community, and elected leaders over this privatization program and making the wise decision to stay with TSA,” AFGE National President Everett Kelley said.
“TSA Gold+ is a major departure our country’s current aviation screening security system, which has kept the flying public safe for nearly 25 years and should be applauded instead of abandoned. Tampa airport officials made the right call, and I hope other airports thinking of privatizing their security functions will follow suit and stay with TSA.”
Last month, TSA informed AFGE it planned to launch a new privatization program called TSA Gold+ at three airports next year: Tampa, Fla.; Charleston, S.C.; and Des Moines, Iowa. The new program would put private contractors in control not only of security screening functions but the screening technology itself – the very machines that detect explosives, weapons, and other prohibited items.
For the first time since Congress created TSA in the wake of the 9/11 attacks, TSA employees no longer would be directly in charge of screening passengers or carry-on items at airports that switch to Gold+. AFGE filed a lawsuit Aug. 5 to force TSA to turn over records over the new program, which the agency has been quietly developing and promoting to contractors for a year without any formal notification to employees, members of Congress, airport authorities, or the flying public.
“Ensuring the safety and security of the flying public is too important to contract out to the lowest bidder, and the Tampa airport’s decision to reject TSA Gold+ is a clear vote of confidence in the federal employes who currently perform this critical work,” AFGE District 5 National Vice President Tatishka Thomas said.