Consider some history of attempts to unionize the TSA:
November 2001: Creation of the TSA signed into law by President George W. Bush in November 2001 under the U.S. Department of Transportation. Congress did not grant collective bargaining rights to TSA employees.
March 2003: TSA is moved under the Department of Homeland Security
November 2003: The American Federation of Government Employees, under the Presidency of George W. Bush sought a review of the TSO’s rights to collective bargaining.
December 2008: The American Federation of Government Employees “face off “ against the National Treasury Employees Union in an effort to represent the TSA workers should they be granted collective bargaining rights. TSO’s (transportation safety officers) number approximately 43,000 and that number is expected to grow.
February 18th, 2010: The American Federation of Government Employees announced “hundreds of supporters from various labor unions will gather February 23 to show support for a beleaguered TSA workforce.” Rally members include AFL-CIO Executive Secretary-Treasurer Liz Shuler , Communications Workers of America (CWA) President Larry Cohen, AFGE National President John Gage, U.S. Reps. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas) and Nita Lowey (D-N.Y.).
November 2010: The House Committee on Homeland Security issues a flurry of press releases on TSA procedures between November 2, 2010 and November 19th, 2010.
While your attention was diverted to stories of “new” enhanced pat downs” (there’s nothing “new” at all, as U.S. Congressman Ron Paul has been writing about the TSA bullies for quite some time), videos of TSA agents groping up women’s skirts, and the TSA Administrator telling us if we “