Airport security: so easy a caveman can do it.
Posted on 03/06/2007 10:03:56 AM PST by NormsRevenge
WASHINGTON - The Senate voted Tuesday to give 45,000 airport screeners the same union rights as border patrol, customs and immigration agents, despite a veto threat from the White House.
The 51-46 vote was on an amendment by Sen. Jim DeMint (news, bio, voting record), R-S.C., to remove the union rights from a broad anti-terrorism bill to implement recommendations of the 9/11 commission previously rejected by Congress.
The House passed a similar anti-terrorism bill with the same union provision for airport screeners in an indication of organized labor's strength with Democrats now running Congress.
Republicans vowed to strike the union provision when negotiators sit down to merge the House and Senate bills together to implement recommendations of the 9/11 commission previously rejected by Congress.
"We're not going to let big labor compromise national security," said Sen. Mitch McConnell (news, bio, voting record), R-Ky., noting there are not enough votes in either the House or Senate to override a veto by President Bush.
Screeners "deserve our respect, not our indifference," said Sen. Sherrod Brown (news, bio, voting record), D-Ohio. Brown said collective bargaining rights wouldn't allow screeners to strike, and would grant them basic protections from overwork, dangerous conditions and retaliation if they report security breaches.
"It's absolutely absurd," said Sen. Richard Burr (news, bio, voting record), R-N.C. "Terrorists don't go on strike. Terrorists don't call their union to negotiate before they attack."
White House officials released a statement last week saying President Bush's senior advisers would recommend that he veto the bill if it includes the union provision for screeners.
When Congress created the Homeland Security Department after the Sept. 11, 2001 terror attacks, it specifically ruled out collective bargaining rights for screeners, who were becoming federal employees under the new Transportation Security Administration.
There are about 53,000 Homeland Security employees who have collective bargaining rights, according to the American Federation of Government Employees.
The screeners' boss, TSA chief Kip Hawley, told a Senate panel Monday that giving airport screeners collective bargaining rights would hinder the agency's flexibility to move them around in response to terrorist threats.
"Going backwards to a system that adds bargaining, barriers and bureaucracy to an agency on whom travelers depend for their security can be characterized as many things, but it does not improve security," Hawley told a subcommittee of the Homeland Security committee.
John Gage, president of the American Federation of Government Employees, said unions represent many other federal workers who protect the public from terrorism.
"When we hear that collective bargaining rights will affect our national security, I really take offense," said Gage, whose union represents airport screeners but not for collective bargaining purposes.
A stumbling block to Senate passage was removed Thursday when the Homeland Security Department agreed to grant states an extra year and a half to comply with new driver's license standards passed in the 2005 REAL-ID Act.
The nation's governors and Congress said there wasn't enough money for states to convert their databases or enough time to develop driver's licenses that critics complain amount to a national ID card and could promote identity theft.
The Senate bill would upgrade security on passenger and freight railroads and require all cargo carried on commercial passenger aircraft to be screened for bombs.
It would provide funds for state and local emergency communications systems, expand a visa waiver benefit for favored countries and improve intelligence sharing among federal, state and local officials.
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On the Net:
Homeland Security Department: http://www.dhs.gov
I wouldn't use the word "handler" around Northwest personnel.They might handle themselves.
Off-Duty NWA Worker Charged With Assault On Flight
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1795830/posts
This is the payoff that the unions get for helping the RATS steal the election!!
Veto time!
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus
President Bush will veto this bill. But since the Democrats took over Congress, they haven't passed too many bills because the war in Iraq is distracting them.
Folks, you think you've seen long lines at the airport?? Well, you ain't seen nothing yet.
Specter is a Dem. I'm infuriated that he hasn't been completely marginalized out of relevance by now.
I saved a ton of money on my car insurance by switching to Geico!
I really did!
LOL
I don't know why Arlene doesn't just switch parties - he's a dem in all but name.
Lovely!
More incompetent people that want way to much money and you can't fire them.
VETO IT, BUSH!
This could have all been avoided if we were not idiots and federalized airport security in the first place.
Airport security: so easy a caveman can do it.
Oh Gee. What a tragedy if they went on strike! How could we survive without them hassling us and groping our women?
Great. Now they an be even more lazy, malicious and incompetent.
"The Senate voted Tuesday to give 45,000 airport screeners the same union rights as border patrol, customs and immigration agents, despite a veto threat from the White House."
Oh-oh! The TSA guys better not shoot an escaping terrorist.
Better that it all comes out at once.
So "we the taxpayer" take it right in the shorts.
Thnakx Dhims.
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