On March 7, 2025, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced it was ending collective bargaining for Transportation Security Administration (TSA) employees. This move is intended to streamline TSA operations, enhance workforce agility, boost productivity, and foster innovation within the organization. It is expected to impact about 50,000 employees.
In 2011 during the Obama administration, the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) won an election over the National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU) and the TSA administrator recognized the union. According to Reuters, the TSA secured a seven-year labor agreement with AFGE in May 2024. The Biden administration had expanded the scope of bargaining permitted for TSA workers in 2022.
Newfound Organizational Agility
The dissolution of collective bargaining agreements is presented as a means to remove bureaucratic obstacles that have hindered TSA’s core mission of safeguarding the nation’s transportation systems. By eliminating these agreements, DHS aims to enhance the ability of TSOs to adapt more rapidly to changing demands, thus bolstering workforce productivity and resilience. The policy change is also expected to stimulate innovative practices within the TSA, as employees now have the opportunity to excel based on performance rather than tenure or union membership.
Addressing Workforce Problems
According to DHS, several problems that have arisen under the current collective bargaining system.
Gaps in benefit programs, such as the non-verifiable Family and Medical Leave, are being exploited by a select few underperforming employees, putting an increased burden on TSOs at the expense of American travelers and taxpayers. One such instance involved a TSO who requested sick leave seven months in advance.
Statistics cited by the DHS reveal that a significant number of TSA employees are engaged full-time in union activities rather than screening functions. Specifically, nearly 200 TSA officers, compensated by the government, are occupied with union matters and are not certified to perform essential screening duties. Given that 86% of the nation’s airports have fewer than 200 TSOs conducting screening operations, this imbalance is seen as a critical issue affecting the efficiency and effectiveness of the TSA.
This practice is known as official time and one on which the Trump administration is cracking down. The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) just announced recently that it plans to restart publication of official time reports and has directed agencies to begin compiling the necessary data.
According to AFGE, TSOs who work on official time account for less than half a percent of all TSA work hours. The union told POLITICO it was “weighing our options and evaluating our legal strategy” in response to the announcement from DHS.
POLITICO also reported that TSA chief of staff Adam Stahl said in an email that AFGE is “no longer the exclusive representative of any personnel carrying out screening functions.” The email mentioned the suspension of processing union dues, which Stahl estimated to amount to approximately $15 million annually.
Advocating for Merit-Based Advancement
The decision to end collective bargaining is also framed as a measure to empower TSOs by aligning their career advancement opportunities with merit. DHS officials argue that the existing union framework has stifled performance-based recognition and advancement, contrary to American values of meritocracy. By dismantling this system, DHS seeks to ensure that TSOs are rewarded and advanced based on their individual contributions and performance rather than longevity or union membership.
As additional evidence for the decision to eliminate collective bargaining, DHS also cited a recent TSA employee survey which indicated that over 60% of respondents said poor performers are allowed to stay employed and to continue to underperform.
