AFGE Local 1040 BLOG Spot

AFGE will have five to ten TSOs plus alternates as part of the AFGE contract negotiations team along with AFGE President John Gage, National Vice President for District 4 Joe Flynn, and AFGE staff. We recently sent a letter to our Local leaders soliciting recommendations of TSOs to be part of the bargaining team.

Besides the bargaining team, AFGE has plans to create a Bargaining Congress – a large body of two to four representatives from each of the AFGE TSA Locals across the country. Because the success of all contract negotiations depends on the size of the membership and the level of articipation by that membership, the overall purpose of the Bargaining Congress is to interface with the TSOs in the airports about the contract negotiations, provide updates on proposals, recruit new members to support our position, and provide the bargaining team with information on any workplace issues that are being discussed in negotiations.

The Bargaining Congress would be convened two times – once at the beginning of the negotiations in September and once at the end. We would keep the group updated on a regular basis during the negotiations. When the contract negotiations are completed, AFGE will bring the Bargaining Congress back together to go over the details. The members of the Bargaining Congress would then return to their Locals and airports to educate the employees in preparation for the ratification process.

AFGE started the preparations for the contract by asking TSOs to fill out contract surveys during the election. We have used these surveys to create a larger survey that will be distributed in airports and electronically in August. When you receive the survey, please take the time to fill it out as we want and need your input. Your experiences will not only help frame all the problems but also are important evidence to be used in the process of educating management to the realities of your real working conditions.

Tell us what you would like to have included on the negotiating table for your first contract!

They are at it again. Word is STSO & TSMs are confronting TSOs/BDOs who are wearing Bates style boots and stating they are not in-compliance with the Uniform Appearance Management Directive MD No. 1100.73.2. From reading the directive, there appears to be nothing that would make these boots non-compliant. To the contrary, these boots cover the entire foot and are black in color with no adornments and have a plain toe style and are polished, heels are no more than two inches. By NO means are these boots sneakers or tennis shoes.

So what’s the Issue: Officers I talked to have worn these boots for a long time, most since roll out! I personally have worn BATES boots since I was hired by TSA and NO one has ever said anything about the style of my footwear. Why now the “heightened” scrutiny?

Our management is making a questionable call on this boot issue, unless they have a local policy in which they are now enforcing. Discussing this issue with other TSOs and AFGE Local members at other airports, it does appear only DFW management has an issue with BATES style boots.

If you have been confronted by your STSO or TSM concerning your footwear not being in-compliance in accordance with MD 1100.73.2, tells us about the incident, and what type of shoes/boots were you wearing?