Posted on 07/23/2026 9:35:18 AM PDT by DFG
Florida's Tampa International Airport (TPA) is on track to privatize its security in a bid to reduce chaos and delays, angering federal workers and their union.
TPA's move, announced earlier this week, comes amidst a broader push by the Trump administration to privatize airports around the country.
In May, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) announced a public-private partnership model called TSA Gold+, which will allow private contractors to oversee airport security operations by hiring personnel and managing security equipment. That is the program TPA opted into.
A record-long, 43-day government shutdown late last year, as well as lengthy partial shutdowns earlier this year, caused hours-long wait times for travelers as TSA employees went unpaid and many refused to work.
The Trump administration touted privatization as a solution to that problem, as contractors would be able to continue paying security personnel during public funding disputes in Congress.
Des Moines International Airport in Iowa is also 'exploring' the TSA Gold+ program, and Charleston International Airport in South Carolina is 'formally pursuing a transition,' both airports said in public statements.
But privatization is facing pushback from the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), a union that represents the 47,000 Transportation Security Officers at 400 airports across the US.
In a news release published on Tuesday, the union claimed that privatization will reduce safety at airports and is more about profit than increasing efficiency.
'Make no mistake – this is a major departure and step backwards from the aviation screening security system that Congress created in the wake of the Sept. 11th terrorist attacks in 2001,' AFGE National President Everett Kelley said.
'Changes of this magnitude should not be made behind closed doors without the input of Congress, the flying public, the local airport authorities, and TSA employees themselves,' Kelley added.
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.com ...
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It was not created to do a job, nor do it well.
There should not be any government employee unions. Doing away with them would certainly improve life for taxpayers.
Was it Obama that let them unionize ?
The TSA was created to prevent George W Bush from being called racist. And it did not work.
“Was it Obama that let them unionize?”
Even FDR came out against unions in the federal government back in the 30’s.
the mess at the airports is so extreme that something has to be done to fix (and SIMPLIFY, expedite) it.
if I were asked, I’d suggest that the union bosses try doing this right away, putting together a revised system plan ... and proposing it for public comment and possible adoption ...
take charge of the bull before he gores ya
Those baggage checkers did their job on 911. Box cutters were allowed. I do remember democrats wanted job protection for those who allowed a plane to crash.
If Americans would grow a pair and run off all muzzie terrorists now making big bucks defrauding the government and stealing taxpayer dollars not being protected by “guard rails,” things wouldn’t be “worse off” No wonder the cry baby left is screaming for more tax dollars to buy “healthcare” for everybody on the friggin planet. They’ve given all the money they’ve already stolen from us to pay for “healtcare” for their malingering voters, to all their foreign minority butt boyz.
JFK
The fact that they’re union means I can’t support them.
“Congress created” these are terrifying words. Everything they create is garbage.
TSA should not be allowed to interact with the public without reasonable suspicion.
It happened during the 1961-1963 Kennedy administration. Both Houses of Congress had Democratic majorities and legalizing federal government unions had been a Democratic Party objective for years.
Screw the Federal workers and their useless union
Privatize now
Nationwide
Has TSA successfully thwarted any airplane terrorist threat?
Can someone wake up Sean Duffy?
It might be good for Florida tourism.
If you get here, you can get on a plane back home in time.
Tampa airport security is designed like sheet. There is not an inner ring for those that passed security, so you have to enter and come back even to catch easy connecting flights.
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