Those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it. Six years ago TSA was embroiled in controversy over pat-down procedures and now history is repeating itself as a pilot with the backing of a right wing front group, The Rutherford Institute, started a new uproar with his refusal to follow security procedures. As the piling on commenced with wall to wall coverage some decried the voluntary lack of privacy while others decried the existence of the Agency itself. Of course no coalition has arisen calling for unscreened flights.

 

Who bears the brunt of the controversy? Not the passengers, crew, contractors or managers but the officers. Transportation Security Officers (TSO’s) have nowhere to hide while they search passengers and property to ensure that danger isn’t hidden in their midst. The creation of a professional Agency after 9/11, while considered by some as mere window-dressing, brought out thousands of dedicated Americans to serve during a time of war. What those Americans found was a new Agency with old, pre-New Deal workplace rules. The result is record attrition, record injuries, record low morale and two years into a new Administration a continued record of indifference about modernizing the TSA workplace.

 

Six years ago I published an op-ed piece in The Washington Post responding to the pat-down controversy of that day. In it I called for more training. For that call I was terminated by the Agency. I was the founding President of the national American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) Local and considered it my duty to the Agency’s mission to speak out. Last year Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC) held up confirmation of a new TSA Administrator to prevent collective bargaining rights for TSO’s. He even suggested that a union card was a security risk; disrespecting those union members protecting him and his staff today as well as those union members running into the Twin Towers on 9/11. I challenged DeMint to a debate and Grover Norquist, reportedly at the request of DeMint’s staff, took me up on the offer. What happened next is not a profile in courage as Sharon Pinnock, the head of the TSA campaign at AFGE asked me in writing to ‘feign illness’ and withdraw my challenge. It was the opinion of the union staff that standing up for TSO’s in such a public way was too controversial. Eventually the debate was cancelled.

 

So what does this have to do with today’s controversy? Simply put The Rutherford Institute is supported by anti-union benefactors who believe that TSA should be privatized or better put profitized. Supporters include the Orville D. and Ruth A. Merillat Foundation which is a major funder of the National ‘Right to Work’ Legal Defense Foundation, a leading worker’s rights opponent and the Richard and Helen DeVos Foundation Richard DeVos's son is Dick DeVos who later became president of Amway and who is married to Betsy DeVos. Betsy is the sister of Erik Prince who is the founder of private military corporation Blackwater USA

 

Grover Norquist, leader of another corporate front group, who has anti-TSA propaganda hanging on his office wall, is paid to restore government back into the hands of the profiteers even during wartime. He is doing his job well as more and more speak out about a procedure while he is lobbying the new Congress to hand this national security agency to those who serve only their shareholders.

 

TSO’s serve only the taxpayers and deserve better. President Obama promised in writing that he would grant collective bargaining rights to TSO’s. That was over two years ago. The silence is deafening, but when even the union refuses to speak out why should he bother? Rather than have a workforce of thousands of experienced TSO’s who are now managing the Agency, TSA chose to create a workplace culture that discouraged collaboration with its most essential partners, TSO’s. While TSA managers flee to lucrative careers with TSA contractors, TSO’s continue to serve.

 

 I heard today from another TSO who recently quit. I eventually won my case and was restored to service after a year that caused the loss of my marriage and home. Of course, I published a follow-up op-ed to demonstrate to my members that I didn’t agree to be silent in exchange for my job. That led to a second termination threat. After the third, I resigned. Now three years later I am unemployed and spent a part of last month living on the street. Its time to tell the mainstream media to investigate those behind this imbroglio and their motives. Its time for President Obama to keep his promise even if AFGE would rather ‘feign illness’ than fight. Some things are simply a matter of right and wrong and when it comes to preventing another 9/11 no group of Americans is more dedicated to that mission than those who serve in the military, law enforcement and yes, those who wear the TSA uniform.