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About Northwest labor press. (Portland , Ore.) 1987-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 17, 2012)
Union reaches tentative first contract for airport screeners WASHINGTON, D.C. — In 2003, as Transportation Security Administra- tion (TSA) workers at several airports were readying to vote on unionization, the Bush Administration, citing so- called “national security” concerns, ter- minated the screeners’ collective bar- gaining rights. For nearly a decade, Congressional Republicans used veto threats, fili- busters, holds on nominations, and other maneuvers to block efforts to re- store the workers’ bargaining rights. In February 2011, some 45,000 TSA screeners finally won the right to join a union. In June, workers at more than 450 airports voted to join the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE). They reached their first-ever labor contract — with help from a federal mediator — at 3 a.m. on Aug. 2. Work- ers will vote on the contract proposal later this month. “For 10 long years, AFGE has fought hard so that transportation secu- rity officers (TSOs) would have collec- tive bargaining rights,” said retiring AFGE President John Gage. “We have often looked back and wondered why it was taking so long. Today, we begin to look forward.” Details of the contract were not re- leased, pending the ratification vote. But like other federal workers’ con- tracts, it does not cover wages and many benefits. Instead, the union bargains over working conditions and similar is- sues. Key gains were in family-friendly schedule flexibility and in a new and fair dispute resolution process that in- cludes an independent, third-party re- (Turn to Page 26) The Pacific Northwest Iron Workers District Council and Affiliated Local Unions Iron Workers Local 14, Spokane, WA. Iron Workers Local 29, Portland, OR. Iron Workers Local 86, Seattle, WA. Iron Workers Local 751, Anchorage, AK. Iron Workers Local 506, Seattle, WA. Iron Workers Local 516, Portland, OR. We Honor All the Working Men and Women on Labor Day. We wish the working families of Oregon and Washington a very special Labor Day. PAGE 10 NORTHWEST LABOR PRESS AUGUST 17, 2012
