Am Assessment of Checkpoint Security: Are Our Airports Keeping Passengers Safe?

3/17/2010

House Committee on Homeland Security Subcommittee on Transportation Security and Infrastructure Protection

Madam Chair and Ranking Member Dent, thank you for allowing me to share some thoughts on checkpoint security. As National President of NTEU, I represent thousands of TSOs at over 40 airports. Many of my members came to TSA when it was created, not long after 9/11. They came to TSA because they wanted to help keep this country safe. Despite the many hardships endured by TSOs – low pay, high on-the-job injury rates, terrible morale due to a culture of distrust – I think you would agree that they do an excellent job keeping us safe.

I believe that people, not technology, are our most important asset in combating terrorism. We need adequate staff and we need adequate training for that staff, and we need to treat them with dignity.

I met with my members recently, and we talked about the AIT machines that TSA is installing as a more efficient method of detecting objects hidden by terrorists. The TSA budget requests almost $530 million for FY 2011 to purchase, install and operate these machines. While we applaud the effort to upgrade technology and the increased staffing to accompany the machines, we would urge the Committee to ensure that the machines are adequately tested before 500 more are purchased. GAO has indicated that TSA has not been able to verify how effective AIT scanners will be in detecting hidden explosives, for example. If AITs are used in primary screening, and they have vulnerabilities that have not been fully investigated, we will have wasted a vast sum of money.

With the increased staffing requested in the budget, there should be a major emphasis on training. I am very concerned about the training being conducted for these machines and we have not heard from TSA about the training program they have prepared. For the machines we have now, both at the checkpoint and in baggage, training is inadequate. Most of the training is done through on-line computers. In many of the airports, the number of computers is inadequate. Sometimes they are very far away from the work area, in a location difficult to get to. There is very little hands-on training. My members tell me that they find it much more helpful to be taught by a person, so that you can ask questions and discuss methods. Computers fulfill the paper requirement for training, but it is not ideal. If TSA put as much effort into training its TSOs as it does in evaluating its TSOs, it would have a stellar training program.

TSOs have a lot of experience in checkpoint screening, but without collective bargaining, their ideas are not considered, and that is TSA’s loss. We look forward to a permanent Administrator at TSA, who will provide much needed direction and leadership.

Collective bargaining for TSOs remains NTEU’s main goal. NTEU appreciates the effort of your subcommittee in assessing checkpoint security. We know that you believe, as we do, that the people who work at TSA are its greatest asset. We are most secure when people drive technology, rather than technology driving people.