‘People are pissed’: union decries TSA’s removal of chairs for checkpoint staff
Order for workers to remain standing to ‘reinforce professionalism’ draws rebuke amid plunging morale Union officials have launched a campaign to allow airport security staff to sit once more after the Trump administration unilaterally removed all the chairs for Transportation Security Administration (TSA) staff at checkpoints. “People are pissed,” said Johnny Jones, secretary-treasurer of…
Union officials have expressed outrage over the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) removing chairs from checkpoints, citing a decline in worker morale. Johnny Jones, secretary-treasurer of American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) TSA council 100 and president of AFGE local 1040, stated that "people are pissed" after chairs were removed on September 25, 2025.
TSA officials claimed the decision reinforced professionalism and attentiveness among staff. However, Jones reported a surge in complaints from TSA workers, who were surprised to find themselves working without chairs, opting instead for mats. Hydrick Thomas, president of AFGE TSA council 100, emphasized that the policy change affected all checkpoint officers and that no one involved in screening passengers had requested it.
Jones pointed out the lack of communication and negotiation regarding the policy, which was implemented unilaterally by the agency. The union was not consulted, and workers were later required to sign a pledge supporting "the well-being and morale of our colleagues." Jones expressed concern about the eventual disposal of the removed chairs and the impact on employees with light-duty accommodations.
The policy worsens working conditions, particularly for officers who cannot rest their feet while screening passengers. Several TSA workers have already been asked to sign a morality pledge, further demoralizing them. The union has launched a letter-writing campaign urging the public to restore the chairs, criticizing the policy change and the agency's requirement to sign the pledge.
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