Airport security officers who check boarding passes and IDs at the entrance to screening checkpoints will no longer be permitted to sit while on duty, according to the union that represents them. The Transportation Security Administration will remove all chairs at the travel document checker positions at the entrance to checkpoints, according to the American Federation of Government Employees TSA Council 100.
The removal of chairs has already begun in most commercial airports, and workers first started finding out about the change on a Friday afternoon. There was no formal notification to AFGE or any of its local chapters, according to one union leader. The abrupt rollout has drawn sharp criticism from labor representatives, who said the union learned of the decision through its members rather than through any official agency communication.
The union was direct in its objections to the policy. "These chairs serve as basic ergonomic and safety support for officers that stand and walk on hard surfaces all day," the AFGE Council 100 statement read. "TSA is treating this matter like it is a privilege – it is not; it is basic safety and common decency for the workforce." The statement frames the seating not as a comfort perk but as a baseline occupational health measure for employees who are on their feet throughout their shifts.
The move comes nearly two months after TSA Administrator David Cummins was confirmed to lead the agency. As TSA approaches the 25th anniversary of its founding in November, Cummins has held meetings to "rapidly advance key strategic initiatives," as part of a program dubbed Horizon 25. In a statement announcing the initiative, he said, "TSA does not have to choose between a secure checkpoint, an efficient checkpoint, and an elevated passenger experience."
The Horizon 25 program includes expanding TSA PreCheck, rolling out new technology, privatizing some checkpoints, and "improving the passenger experience." However, it is not clear if requiring officers to stand while checking documents directly relates to this overhaul. The agency has not publicly explained the rationale for eliminating the seating, and CNN reported it had reached out to TSA and the Department of Homeland Security for more information about the change.
TSA's response to the union's concerns, and whether the agency will address the lack of prior notification to labor representatives, remains outstanding.