The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), which represents some 47,000 Transportation Security Administration officers, has kicked off a national campaign demanding the reinstatement of chairs at Travel Document Checker (TDC) podiums. The union alleges that TSA’s September 25 directive to remove stools forces staff to stand for up to eight hours, exacerbating musculoskeletal injuries and driving attrition at a time when the agency is already short-staffed. In an interview with FlyMag, AFGE National President Everett Kelley said TSA failed to follow the notice-and-bargain provisions in its 2024 collective-bargaining agreement, rendering the change a potential unfair labor practice. The union has filed a grievance and is urging members to document any medical issues stemming from the policy. From a traveler’s standpoint, the dispute could affect checkpoint throughput as fatigued officers rotate off position more frequently or call in sick. Airports in Atlanta, Dallas and Denver—already operating near pre-pandemic passenger volumes—could see longer queues during peak morning banks. Corporate travel managers may need to build extra buffer time into itineraries until the issue is resolved. TSA maintains that standing improves situational awareness and aligns with best practices adopted at overseas hubs such as London-Heathrow. Yet several European airports provide anti-fatigue mats or height-adjustable perch seats, options AFGE says were never evaluated in the U.S. rollout. The standoff comes as TSA prepares for the Thanksgiving travel surge and expands the PreCheck program to mobile digital IDs. A protracted labor fight could complicate those modernization efforts and put additional pressure on overtime budgets.
Source: FlyMag
