- The new approach eliminates waste, saves crucial time and refocuses employees
WASHINGTON, USA – The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has announced that a new labor framework will be implemented starting January 11, 2026, rescinding the 2024 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) and other determinations. The new framework will return the agency back into a security-focused framework that prioritises workforce readiness, resource allocation, and mission focus with an effective stewardship of taxpayer dollars.
The new framework is based on a determination made by Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem on September 29, 2025, entitled “Eliminating collective bargaining at TSA due to its incompatibility with TSA’s National Security Mission and its adverse impact on resources, flexibility, mission focus, security effectiveness, and traveller experience.”
Secretary Noem’s determination establishes that employees performing security screening functions under 49 U.S.C. § 44901 have a primary function of national security and shall not engage in collective bargaining or be represented for any purposes by any representative or organisation. In addition, secretary Noem found that collective bargaining and exclusive representation for screening officers is inconsistent with efficient stewardship of taxpayer dollars and impedes the agility required to secure the travelling public.
“Our Transportation Security Officers (TSOs) need to be focused on their mission of keeping travellers safe, not wasting countless hours on non-mission critical work,” said Adam Stahl, senior official performing the duties of TSA deputy administrator. “Under the leadership of Secretary Noem, we are ridding the agency of wasteful and time-consuming activities that distracted our officers from their crucial work.”
In addition, TSA will no longer use its payroll system for collecting union dues from TSOs’ paychecks, Stahl said. TSA policy will govern for employment matters previously addressed by the 2024 CBA, and TSA policy will provide for alternative procedures to ensure that employee voices are heard and that legitimate concerns are resolved quickly.
