TSA officers begin voting on first labor contract Oct. 1

Transportation Security Administration officers will begin voting on their first-ever labor contract Oct. 1, according to the American Federation of Government Employees.

AFGE and TSA reached a tentative agreement on the contract in August. The security officers will have until Nov. 2 to cast their vote.

“This agreement will also strengthen officers’ ability to carry out TSA’s vital mission of protecting the American people by fostering a family-friendly workplace where the employees have greater job satisfaction and feel supported in performing their important security work,” AFGE noted.

The contract would end the controversial Performance Evaluation and Standards System. It would require  more communication between managers and employees to explain expectations and mandate more frequent updates on performance evaluations.

If ratified, the contract would create new awards for employees at both the national and local levels. It would reform the leave process, as well as the process for shift bidding and trading. The contract places an emphasis on seniority, giving officers who have been with the agency the longest advantages in nearly every aspect of employee competition.

The contract also would nearly double the current $232 annual uniform allowance.

Voting on the contract will be conducted on-site at large airports and by mail at other locations. Ratification requires a simple majority of officers to vote in favor of the contract. If ratified, the contract will run three years.