Statement by AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka on Transportation Security Officers' Vote for AFGE

[ProSense]

Statement by AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka on Transportation Security Officers' Vote for AFGE

After a painfully long process and more than a decade without a voice on the job, more than 40,000 Transportation Security Officers working at airports nationwide have achieved the ability to improve their own lives, as well as the services they provide to others, by voting for workplace representation by the American Federation of Government Employees, AFL-CIO. Transportation Security Officers join the ranks of firefighters, police and emergency responders, who have a say through collective bargaining to protect the public's safety and make their jobs more efficient and productive.

In April, more than 80 percent of the TSOs voting in a first election chose to have a union. Now a majority of those voting in the run-off election have chosen to be a part of the larger labor family in the AFL-CIO, and the 12 million working men and women in the AFL-CIO are proud to welcome them.

Today's victory affirms the deep-seated desire of working people across the country for a voice on the job and a seat at the table in solving workplace problems when given a free choice.

Background: Historic union vote for airport officers begins

At a time when basic public employee union activities in state governments are under attack, Uncle Sam is staging what labor leaders say is the largest federal union organizing effort in history.

In contrast to Wisconsin and Ohio, where conservative politicians want to strip labor organizations of certain collective bargaining rights, 44,000 federal transportation security officers will be able to vote to choose a union, or no union, during a six-week period beginning Wednesday.

"It certainly is a contrast, and I'm very proud of the Obama administration for standing up and granting collective bargaining rights to TSOs, especially in the face of this outrageous attack on public employees that's going on in Wisconsin and Ohio," said John Gage, president of the American Federation of Government Employees. He spoke by phone from the Minneapolis airport, where he met with potential union members. "I just wish the American public would sit in some of the discussions we're having with TSOs and hear their frustrations and how they feel unions will make their working life better and contribute to the security of the airports."

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[ProSense]

1. A Great Big Win for Labor and (Real) National Security: 40,000 TSA Screeners Go Union

John Nichols: A Great Big Win for Labor and (Real) National Security: 40,000 TSA Screeners Go Union

[SoapBox]

2. Yay!

[ProSense]

3. This

certainly is an unpopular post.