The U.S. Department of Homeland Security announced Friday that it is ending collective bargaining for security officers at the Transportation Security Administration.

In a DHS news release, the agency stated eliminating collective bargaining would “remove bureaucratic hurdles,” “strengthen workforce agility” and lead to more innovation.

“Gaps in benefit programs, including non-verifiable Family and Medical Leave, are being exploited by a select few poor performers, placing greater burden on [transportation security officers] at the expense of American travelers and taxpayers,” the release stated. “This includes instances, where a [transportation security officers] requested sick leave seven months in advance.

The DHS stated the TSA has more people doing full-time union work than performing screening functions at 86% of U.S. airports. Of the 432 federalized airports, 374 have less than 200 TSA officers to perform screening functions.

The DHS cited a recent TSA employee survey where over 60% said poor performers were allowed to stay employed.

“By eliminating the collective bargaining agreement, Transportation Security Officers will now have opportunities based on their performance, not longevity or union membership,” the release stated.

Union Fires Back

The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) responded to the DHS announcement Friday saying that all federal employees who join unions do so voluntarily, and it is not a requirement of working at the TSA or any other federal agency.

AFGE National President Everett Kelley said in an emailed statement to AirlineGeeks that transportation security officers who volunteer as union representatives account for less than half a percent of all work hours performed at TSA. He added that there are fewer union representatives nationwide at TSA than the number of total screeners at 86% of individual federal airports.

“47,000 Transportation Security Officers show up at over 400 airports across the country every single day to make sure our skies are safe for air travel,” Kelley said. “Many of them are veterans who went from serving their country in the armed forces to wearing a second uniform protecting the homeland and ensuring another terrorist attack like Sept. 11 never happens again.

He added that Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and President Donald Trump’s administration violated “patriotic Americans’s right to join a union in an unprovoked attack.”

“They gave as a justification a completely fabricated claim about union officials – making clear this action has nothing to do with efficiency, safety, or homeland security,” Kelley continued. “This is merely a pretext for attacking the rights of regular working Americans across the country because they happen to belong to a union.”

Kelley said that the AFGE will not rest until the rights of TSA workers are acknowledged by the government once again, and he encouraged citizens to contact their elected officials on the matter.