‘They’re selling the safety of the traveling public’: TSA workers decry Trump privatization push
Union exploring options to oppose program that would put US airport screening into hands of private contractors The labor union representing workers at the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is raising alarms over a new program that will expand privatizing security checkpoints at three airports. The agency informed the union last month of plans to enact the TSA Gold+ program, which…
TSA workers are expressing deep concerns over a new program that would transfer airport screening responsibilities to private contractors, a move that union leaders say undermines the safety of travelers. The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) is reviewing legal options to challenge the Trump administration's privatization push, which targets three airports - Tampa, Charleston, and Des Moines.
The AFGE's national president, Everett Kelley, lamented that the changes are "a major departure and step backwards" from the aviation screening system established post-9/11 terrorist attacks. Workers at the Florida airport where a private contractor took over previously reported a cut in pay and concerns over security. The new program, called TSA Gold+, would shift security and control of screening technology to private contractors, potentially eliminating around 4,500 positions and allowing for the use of artificial intelligence in some roles.
The TSA maintains that the changes will enhance service, efficiency, and the overall airport experience, but union leaders argue that the ultimate goal is to privatize all aviation security screening functions.
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