DHS Seeks to Terminate TSA Union Pact, Citing Security Conflicts

The US Department of Homeland Security announced plans to terminate the collective bargaining agreement covering more than 47,000 Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers, signaling a renewed effort to remove union representation for federal airport screeners. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem stated that the 2024 labor agreement conflicts with the agency’s national security mission. The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), which represents TSA officers, pledged to challenge the decision in court.

Effective Jan. 11, TSA will end the seven-year agreement and cease payroll deduction of union dues. DHS cited a determination that TSA screeners’ national security responsibilities make collective bargaining “incompatible with efficient stewardship of taxpayer dollars and the agility required to protect the traveling public.

“This action will return the agency back into a security-focused framework that prioritizes workforce readiness, resource allocation and mission focus with an effective stewardship of taxpayer dollars,” TSA said.

The move follows a previous DHS attempt in March to void the agreement, blocked by Senior US District Judge Marsha Pechman in June through a preliminary injunction. The lawsuit argued the administration’s actions were retaliatory and aimed at weakening union influence over federal workforce policies.

DHS did not appeal the injunction but issued a new determination on Sept. 29, reaffirming that union representation should end.

AFGE National President Everett Kelley condemned the decision, calling it “an illegal act of retaliatory union-busting.” He criticized the timing, noting that Secretary Noem had recently praised TSA officers for their dedication during the government shutdown.