I know I am in the minority on this board on this one, but federalizing these workers is the only way, private industry under federal control is what we have had and look what its gotten? People fresh off the boat making $6 an hour can't speak english doing security! Profit motive for private industry in this matter will never allow adequate security, ever... because the private companies won't pay or train enough because the airports and airlines won't pay or train enough.
It was a fools errand for the Republicans to take this stand, they could not win the fight, and they knew it... this whole stand was token on this from the get go, putting on show for their hard core constituents who just will not accept federal control of anything, or government run anything even if it is the only practical way to achieve what is neccessary.
I ain't crazy about another federal union, but I sure as hell feel better about it being this way than some pakistani fresh off the boat working for some proxy company being responsible for airliner security.
Do you really think the Dems are going to fire the current low income workers who are doing security at the airports. No way. They will just raise their pay, label them federal law enforcement officers, make sure the union dues are collected for the Union buddies and look the other way. If citizenship is a problem, they will run them through a crash program with the INS like Clinton did in 96.
If I can't drive to get there I don't go.
I don't worry about security checks any more.
BTW remember what old patches you know who I am Kennedy did to that guard that tried to stop him from going thru the check point.
No think about it that checker was a federal employ.
BTW I am going to one of the first people to sign up for that new job.
Why shouldn't I suck at the teat the fedgov is going to provide for me?
Then it will take four years to fire me.
You are in the minority, but you are not alone. I've been making similar points for the last two months.
There are federalized workforces that that work well. The current incarnation of air traffic controllers is my favorite example. They are federal, they have a union, and when one of them screws up, they go, and they go quickly. I understand why FReepers are against the federal unions in general, but so much of why they do and do not work has to do with how they are structured and put together in the first place. The FAA has a pretty good track record in this regard.
We wasted a lot of time fighting against federalized airport security, which was an inevitable conclusion. We should have been spending those resources making sure that these workforces were set up with the type of accountability that they need to be successful, and to avoid them becoming just another plodding bureaucracy.
I just hope it isn't too late.
Let me try this at my own job. I think I'll come in late, screw up at work, insult customers, and generally act like a moron. When the boss confronts me, I'll say, if you only PAID me more, I'd do my job correctly. How many seconds do you think it would take for him to throw me out on my ass?
Since Republicans "love" these boat people as a source of cheap labor, what do you propose we do with them...They all can't be nannies and maids for rich Republicans...
One option would be to adapt regulations (oh no...not regulations) that would require employess to be high school grads, US English speaking citizens...Drug screening, background checks, etc...This could keep the employees off the taxpayer's back...Pay them enough to want to keep the job...