(WASHINGTON, D.C.) - The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), which represents 47,000 Transportation Security Officers (TSOs) at 400 airports across the country, has denounced U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem’s decision to terminate the Collective Bargaining Agreement between AFGE and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA).

This move came less than 24 hours after the House of Representatives passed the bipartisan Protect America’s Workforce Act, which would restore Collective Bargaining Rights for more than one million Federal Employees.

Additionally, DHS’ decision follows a preliminary injunction issued by the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington in June that blocked Noem’s March 7th attempt to terminate the Collective Bargaining Agreement between the AFGE and TSA.

The AFGE is the largest Federal Employee Union, representing 820,000 Workers in the Federal Government and the government of the District of Columbia.

AFGE National President Everett Kelley issued the following statement:

Merely 30 days ago, Secretary Noem celebrated TSA Officers for their dedication during the longest Government shutdown in history. Today, she’s announcing a lump of coal right on time for the holidays: That she’s stripping those same dedicated Officers of their Union Rights. TSA Officers, many of whom are Veterans, are patriotic individuals who swore an oath to protect the safety of the traveling public in our airports and in our skies, ensuring that another horrific attack like September 11th never happens again. Secretary Noem’s decision to rip up the Union contract for 47,000 TSA Officers is an illegal act of retaliatory Union-Busting that should cause concern for every person who steps foot in an airport. AFGE will continue to challenge these illegal attacks on our Members’ right to belong to a Union and we urge the Senate to pass the Protect America’s Workforce Act immediately.

National AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler issued the following statement:

TSA Officers organized for years to secure this Collective Bargaining Agreement to ensure they have a voice on the job and keep our Nation’s air travel safe. Their dedication is unquestionable: They just worked for six weeks without pay during the Government shutdown. Now they will have to manage the holiday rush and keep millions of Americans safe at airports across the country, not knowing what their jobs will look like next year. This is DHS’ second attempt to Union-Bust the TSA in explicit retaliation for Members standing up for their rights and comes as their Union, the AFGE, is still fighting for justice in Court. A Union contract ensures TSA Officers can speak up about dangerous working conditions, shift scheduling and more. Without those protections, we are all less safe. It’s no coincidence that this escalation, pulled from the pages of Project 2025, is coming just one day after a bipartisan majority in the House of Representatives voted to overturn Trump’s Executive Order ripping away Union Rights from Federal Workers. We must pass the bipartisan Rights for the TSA Workforce Act (H.R. 2086) and the Protect America’s Workforce Act in the Senate to ensure that every Federal Worker, including TSA Officers, are able to have a voice on the job. This fight has never been more urgent.

To Directly Access This Labor News Story, Go To: AFGE | AFGE Blasts TSA’s Illegal Termination of Collective Bargaining Agreement Covering 47,000 Officers, Vows Legal Challenge