The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM Union) called on March 22 for immediate payment to Transportation Security Administration (TSA) workers, amid reports of long security delays at U.S. airports. The union was joined by the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, Association of Professional Flight Attendants, and International Brotherhood of Teamsters Local 135 in issuing a joint statement.
The unions say that paying TSA officers is essential to maintaining safety and order at airports, especially during a partial government shutdown. They argue that existing discretionary funds within the Department of Homeland Security could be used for this purpose.
“Transportation Security Administration (TSA) workers must be paid now,” the statement said. “The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has billions of dollars in discretionary funding that could be used to pay TSOs during this partial shutdown, just like they have chosen to continue paying ICE and Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) agents, as well as active duty members of the U.S. Coast Guard. Instead of paying TSOs, they have chosen to create havoc in our airports.”
The unions criticized recent suggestions that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents could replace TSA officers at airport checkpoints. “This latest threat of ICE invasion at the airports is another distraction from solutions that protect Americans,” they said. The statement explained that TSA officers undergo six months of specialized training not easily replicated by other federal agents: “TSOs can’t simply be replaced… This is expertise and training that ICE agents simply do not have, and cannot learn quickly.”
Concerns were also raised about conflicting priorities if ICE agents were assigned airport duties: “Furthermore, the introduction of ICE agents into airports creates contradictory missions, as attempts to question passengers about immigration status may distract them from ensuring airport security.”
With heightened global tensions mentioned in their remarks—”especially as the war with Iran increases the desire to strike against Americans”—the unions urged swift action: “There’s one solution that immediately solves the problem at our airports. Pay the people who are already trained to protect us from terror attacks today… Pay TSA Workers now.”
