TSA workers face verbal abuse from travelers

msnbc ^ | 11/22/10 | Harriet Baskas

[EBH]

Airline passengers aren’t the only ones complaining about the Transportation Security Administration’s new enhanced security procedures. Many TSA employees aren’t too happy, either.

The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), the union that represents TSA workers, is urging the TSA to do more to protect its employees from abuse from airline passengers angry over the new security methods. The union reports that some members “have reported instances in which passengers have become angry, belligerent and even physical with TSOs (transportation security officers). In Indianapolis, for example, a TSO was punched by a passenger who didn’t like the new screening process,” the union said in a Nov. 17 statement posted on its website.

“This absence of information has resulted in a backlash against the character and professionalism of TSOs,” said Gage in a statement. “TSA must act now — before the Thanksgiving rush — to ensure that TSOs are not being left to fend for themselves.”

“Our concern is that the public not confuse the people implementing the policies with the people who developed the policies,” said Sharon Pinnock, the union's director of membership and organization.

[driftdiver]

The food bill may be one of those things.

[lovesdogs]

“TSOs are trained security professionals,” Pinnock said. “Despite this call for chaos and disruption, it’s our belief that our members and people we represent will respond as the security professionals that they are.”

Has Pinnock (boy does that name beg for a TSA joke) taken a look at his workforce? And seriously when a person causes another person to become soaked in urine and does not even apologize, you want to tell me that person is a professional anything??? That person is hostile!

And we are stuck. It is either don't fly or get groped because the testing on those machines is not public information in any meaningful way and even if it was, many cancers would not emerge for many years. I read a post from a doctor on site I cannot recall and he said that x-ray in any form should never be done to the head/eye area and it certainly makes sense.

[AGreatPer]

"They are going to ruin the airline industry"

That is Obama's objective then he can nationalize the airline industry.

[School of Rational Thought]

Hate the crime not the criminal?

[pallis]

Free people should make sure they endure a constant barrage of insults.

[Old_Grouch]

And we are stuck. It is either don't fly or get groped because the testing on those machines is not public information in any meaningful way and even if it was, many cancers would not emerge for many years. I read a post from a doctor on site I cannot recall and he said that x-ray in any form should never be done to the head/eye area and it certainly makes sense.

Yes. I opt not to fly. Luckily I don't have to fly for my job. If I did, I would be in a very difficult position. I will not submit to this Nazi-like humiliation unless absolutely forced to.

[unixfox]

Next step, place military at the checkpoints to protect the TSO.

Next step, we start shooting back.

[Ol' Dan Tucker]

Bush didn’t come up with these pat downs. But perhaps you are choosing to give bammy a pass on this issue.

Actually, contrary to your assertion, it was Bush's TSA that came up with the pat-downs.

Safety & Privacy Concerns Regarding the Millimeter Wave Whole Body Imager

I direct your attention to the following sign and the date of the blog entry (04/08/2080) and remind you that Bush was still in office at the time.

And, I quote, "If you are directed to a Whole Body Imager but do not wish to be scanned by the Whoe Body Imager notify the Transportation Security Officer and you will continue screening with alternative procedures such as a pat-down."

[driftdiver]

2080?

Those pat downs are not the same pat downs (aka grope) being used today.

[sergeantdave]

“Our concern is that the public not confuse the people implementing the policies with the people who developed the policies”

Yep, we shouldn’t confuse the Einsatzgruppen killing the Jews with Heinrich Himmler who ordered that the Jews be killed.

Ve were just vollowing orders, herr prosecutor.

[rambo316]

I am convinced that this whole TSA story is a diversion from what is really going on in Washington D.C. and the joker in the white house. Think about it, the web is consumed with it, cable is consumed with it and all the air waves are consumed with it and everyody is just eating it up. Back in 2007, I flew into SFO from Upstate, NY. When I flew back home, I was told that I was going to be searched and that I had to go into that glass “wind” box; nothing different from today and nobody was making a complaint. Now all of a sudden everybody is talking about something that has been going of for a long time. because of Political Correctness, we have to go through these BS scans an searches and what do they get from it. Rush made a great point today regarding this. All these harsh searches, how many Terrorists have the TSA caught. America is being duped by these anti Americans that are in our Gov’t.

[MsLady]

Oh I see, it’s ok for them to molest away. We are suppose to stand meekly by while they break the law and abuse us? We can’t say, HEY THIS IS AGAINST THE LAW FOR ANYONE TO DO THIS TO ME INCLUDING THE GOVERNMENT? This is going to cause physiological problems for everyone involved.

[Ol' Dan Tucker]

Those pat downs are not the same pat downs (aka grope) being used today.

LOL!

[HKMk23]

“We don’t see why the American people should be mad at us; we’re a crack security team,” said TSA Agent Pat McGroin. His sentiments were echoed by a co-worker, Ophelia Staph, “People should feel we’re handling things well rather than being upset with us.”

[EBH]

We should be contacting the Union. We pay their wages...right?

[EBH]

American Federation of Government Employees, AFL-CIO
80 F Street, NW
Washington, DC 20001
(202) 737-8700
comments@afge.org

[rahbert]

You mean gropedowns, right?

[chessplayer]

“In Indianapolis, for example, a TSO was punched by a passenger who didn’t like the new screening process,” the union said in a Nov. 17 statement posted on its website.”

The TSO`s are`nt making the regulations. If I was a TSO and a passenger punched me for doing my job, I would have cold cocked the passenger.