{"id":345572,"date":"2025-12-13T02:20:16","date_gmt":"2025-12-13T02:20:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/345572\/"},"modified":"2025-12-13T02:20:16","modified_gmt":"2025-12-13T02:20:16","slug":"dhs-moves-to-eliminate-tsa-collective-bargaining-agreement-again","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/345572\/","title":{"rendered":"DHS moves to eliminate TSA collective bargaining agreement, again"},"content":{"rendered":"

DHS moves to eliminate TSA collective bargaining agreement, again<\/p>\n

Despite an ongoing court case, DHS is making another attempt to dissolve a collective bargaining agreement with TSA airport screeners. <\/p>\n

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Justin Doubleday<\/a>@jdoubledayWFED<\/a><\/p>\n

\n December 12, 2025 5:43 pm <\/p>\n

3 min read<\/p>\n

The Department of Homeland Security is again moving to rescind a collective bargaining agreement with Transportation Security Administration employees, despite an ongoing court case over DHS\u2019 prior move to eliminate the TSA union agreement.<\/p>\n

In a Dec. 12 press release<\/a>, TSA announced that a new \u201clabor framework\u201d would be implemented starting Jan. 11, 2026. The framework rescinds the 2024 CBA between TSA and the American Federation of Government Employees, the agency said.<\/p>\n

TSA said the decision is based on a Sept. 29 determination by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, \u201cEliminating Collective Bargaining at TSA Due to its Incompatibility with TSA\u2019s National Security Mission and its Adverse Impact on Resources, Flexibility, Mission Focus, Security Effectiveness, and Traveler Experience.\u201d<\/p>\n

TSA said Noem\u2019s determination \u2014 which it did not release \u2014 \u201cestablishes that employees performing security screening functions \u2026 have a primary function of national security and shall not engage in collective bargaining or be represented for any purposes by any representative or organization.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Noem also determined that collective bargaining for TSA officers \u201cis inconsistent with efficient stewardship of taxpayer dollars and impedes the agility required to secure the traveling public,\u201d according to the agency statement.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur Transportation Security Officers (TSOs) need to be focused on their mission of keeping travelers safe not wasting countless hours on non-mission critical work,\u201d Adam Stahl, senior official performing the duties of TSA deputy administrator, said in the press release. \u201cUnder the leadership of Secretary Noem, we are ridding the agency of wasteful and time-consuming activities that distracted our officers from their crucial work.\u201d<\/p>\n

AFGE quickly criticized TSA\u2019s announcement. AFGE represents approximately 47,000 airport screeners under the CBA.<\/p>\n

\u201cMerely 30 days ago, Secretary Noem celebrated TSA officers for their dedication during the longest government shutdown in history,\u201d AFGE National President Everett Kelley said as part of a statement. \u201cToday, she\u2019s announcing a lump of coal right on time for the holidays: that she\u2019s stripping those same dedicated officers of their union rights.\u201d<\/p>\n

AFGE noted that a federal judge earlier this year blocked DHS from dissolving the collective bargaining agreement.<\/a> The union had brought the lawsuit in response to a previous determination issued by Noem that sought to dissolve the CBA.<\/a><\/p>\n

In granting the preliminary injunction in June, the judge presiding over the case wrote that Noem\u2019s previous attempt to dissolve the CBA \u201cappears to have been undertaken to punish AFGE and its members because AFGE has chosen to push back against the Trump Administration\u2019s attacks to federal employment in the courts.\u201d<\/p>\n

That ongoing case is currently scheduled<\/a> to go to trial next September.<\/p>\n

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Kelley said AFGE \u201cwill continue to challenge these illegal attacks on our members\u2019 right to belong to a union.\u201d He also urged the Senate to pass the Protect America\u2019s Workforce Act \u201cimmediately.\u201d<\/p>\n

TSA staff don\u2019t have the same statutory rights as other federal employees under Title 5 of U.S. Code. But in response to longstanding concerns about TSA attrition, then-TSA Administrator David Pekoske in 2022 issued a determination that expanded collective bargaining at the agency to mirror the bargaining rights under Title 5.<\/p>\n

TSA and AFGE then negotiated and\u00a0signed a seven-year collective bargaining agreement<\/a>\u00a0last year. The agreement established a streamlined process for grievance and arbitration, expanded official time, fewer restrictions on sick leave, increased uniform allowances and opportunities for local collective bargaining.<\/p>\n

In a statement today, AFGE Council 100 President Hydrick Thomas called the decision to revoke the CBA a \u201cslap in the face\u201d to TSA employees<\/p>\n

\u201cPrior to having a union contract, many employees endured hostile work environments and workers felt like they didn\u2019t have a voice on the job, which led to severe attrition rates and longer wait times for the traveling public,\u201d Thomas said. \u201cSince having a contract, we\u2019ve seen a more stable workforce, and there has never been another aviation-related attack on our country.\u201d<\/p>\n

In its statement, TSA said that agency policy will govern \u201cemployment matters previously addressed by the 2024 CBA, and TSA policy will provide for alternative procedures to ensure that employee voices are heard and that legitimate concerns are resolved quickly.\u201d<\/p>\n

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