U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee and Hundreds of Union Activists to Rally with AFGE on Feb. 23 in Support of TSA Bargaining Rights

News provided by

American Federation of Government Employees

Feb 18, 2010, 11:32 ET

Jackson Lee, Union presidents, TSA workers to speak at event

WASHINGTON, Feb. 18 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Hundreds of supporters from various labor unions will gather February 23 to show support for a beleaguered TSA workforce, for full collective bargaining rights at the agency, and for the work being done by the union for TSA employees—the American Federation of Government Employees.

Rally speakers will include AFGE National President John Gage, U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, AFL-CIO Executive Vice President Arlene Holt Baker, Association of Flight Attendants (AFA) International President Pat Friend, Communications Workers of America (CWA) President Larry Cohen, National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA) President Patrick Forrey and National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) Vice President George Mignosi.

Members of AFGE; AFL-CIO; AFA; CWA; NATCA; NALC; American Federation of Teachers (AFT); American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME); Laborers' International Union of America (LiUNA); Seafarers International Union; Office and Professional Employees International Union (OPEIU); and other activists will attend the rally to show support.

Unlike other federal employees, including those in the Department of Homeland Security, TSOs are denied basic workplace rights, and are subject to unfair treatment on the job. A union contract would address workplace safety issues, ensure adequate training and provide protection when workers point out potential security breaches.

An AFGE petition asking DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano to immediately grant full collective bargaining rights at TSA can be found at http://www.unionvoice.org/campaign/TSAPetition.

Who:	American Federation of Government Employees
	U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Texas
	AFL-CIO Executive Vice President Arlene Holt Baker
	Association of Flight Attendants International President Pat Friend
	Communications Workers of America President Larry Cohen
	National Air Traffic Controllers Association President Patrick Forrey
	National Association of Letter Carriers Vice President George Mignosi

What:	Will gather to show support for the TSA workforce and to call
	on DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano to immediately grant full collective bargaining rights at TSA.

Where:	AFL-CIO headquarters, 815 16th Street, NW, Washington, DC

When:	Tuesday, February 23; 11:30 a.m.

AFGE is the largest federal employee union representing 600,000 workers in the federal government and the government of the District of Columbia, including tens of thousands of DHS employees in Border Patrol, Citizenship and Immigration Services, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Federal Protective Service, FEMA, Coast Guard and TSA.

www.tsaunion.net

SOURCE American Federation of Government Employees