Pure BS - just because the screeners are unionized does NOT mean that they will be better screeners. In fact, it will be even harder to get rid of the bad ones. David R > Group wants airport screeners unionized > > WASHINGTON (AP) ? A federal employees' union said Monday it will ask > Homeland Security Director Tom Ridge to let them represent airport security > screeners. The American Federation of Government Employees plans to send a > letter to Ridge this week, asking him to overrule a January decision by > Transportation Security Administration head James Loy. "When 9-11 happened, > we didn't say, 'Wait a minute, our collective bargaining agreement says we > have to do this,'" said Bobby L. Harnage, president of the American > Federation of Government Employees. ``We did what was necessary. This has > nothing to do with national security." > > Harnage said Ridge has the opportunity to prove that the Bush > administration was not targeting unions when it successfully argued for > removing civil service protections from Homeland Security Department > workers. The administration said at the time that it needed flexibility to > change assignments to respond to terror threats. A phone call to the > Homeland Security Department was not immediately returned Monday. Loy said > in January that the security screeners couldn't form a union to bargain for > working conditions because it would prevent the Transportation Security > Administration from making sudden changes in shift assignments to respond > to emergencies. "Admiral Loy stands behind that decision," TSA spokesman > Robert Johnson said. `"He is on the record as stating that in order to > remain responsible to the ongoing terrorist threat, we need a work force > that is flexible and can be deployed immediately without first having to > check with a union shop steward." > > About 6,000 of the roughly 50,000 screeners have signed petitions > requesting AFGE to represent them, and some have become members of the > union, with dues deducted from their pay checks, Harnage said. But the > union cannot negotiate for working conditions or salaries. Screeners say > organizing a union shop would boost security as well protect as their > rights. At John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York, for example, > screeners were pressured to quickly clear passengers so planes could leave > on time, said one employee, Cynthia Cavalie. "Sometimes it feels more like > we're charged with doing customer service work for the airlines than > providing security for the traveling public," she said. Johnson > acknowledged some "isolated incidents," and said the agency was working to > correct any problems. "Things will settle down this year and we will show > our work force that for those who are committed to this kind of work and > dedicated to protecting the American public, this will be a model work > place," he said. "While the union was having its news conference, our > screeners were doing their jobs. They were making sure that travelers got > on planes safely." > > *************************************************** > The owner of Roger's Trinbago Site/TnTisland.com > Roj (Roger James) > > escape email mailto:ejames@xxxxxxxxx > Trinbago site: www.tntisland.com > Carib Brass Ctn site www.tntisland.com/caribbeanbrassconnection/ > Steel Expressions www.mts.net/~ejames/se/ > Mas Site: www.tntisland.com/tntrecords/mas2003/ > Site of the Week: http://www.natalielaughlin.com/ > TnT Webdirectory: http://search.co.tt > *********************************************************