AFL-CIO Slams Trump Admin for Another Illegal Union-Busting Attack on TSA Workers Just Before the Holidays

AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler issued the following statement on the Department of Homeland Security (DHS)’s announcement that it will cancel Transportation Safety Administration (TSA) officers’ union contract effective January 11, 2026:

Today, DHS is once again attempting to rip up the contract of 47,000 transportation safety officers in an outrageous attack on workers’ rights that puts all of us at risk. 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 TSA in explicit retaliation for members standing up for their rights, and comes as their union, 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.

Contact: Mia Jacobs, 202-637-5018