TSA workers granted right to unionize

“Protecting the rights and working conditions of Transportation Security Officers will improve their ability to do their jobs — which protects our national security,” Trumka said.

The labor leader credited the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), an AFL-CIO member, for working to secure bargaining rights for TSA employees. AFGE is one of two labor groups likely to compete in any union election, along with the National Treasury Employees Union. 

Republicans have traditionally opposed giving collective bargaining rights to TSA workers. Prominent GOP lawmakers criticized the announcement Friday. 

House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman John Mica (R-Fla.) said that TSA workers being granted collective bargaining rights was President Obama’s “biggest gift to organized labor.”

“This turnover of airport screening to the administration’s union cronies comes on the heels of last week’s decision to kill the successful TSA contract screening program, all bad news for the traveler, the taxpayer and aviation security,” Mica said.