Cooking the Books

Those that know, and that would include you dear readers, know that Covenant Aviation Security is not a typical for-profit business. A typical for-profit business would attempt to be lean, mean, and green. We all know that that is not Covenant's modus operandi. We need not look further to prove that than the constant crazy movements that we all have been a part of.

One of the ways that CAS maximizes their profits is by taking advantage of the government contractor relationship. That is accomplished any number of ways. But let's discuss one of those as well as how local TSA is complicit in that.

CAS regularly uses certified TSOs, LTSOs, or STSOs for administrative work that should be coming out of their own separate budget. That is, until they get busted for doing it via a TSA audit.

Why does it take an audit? Well, local TSA doesn't officially know about it until they do an audit per TSA HQ. I suppose the bigger question that should be asked is why does local TSA allow CAS to get away with it? Simply put, it's in their best interest for CAS to succeed. If CAS were to get booted out of here, then all of those TSA suits would actually have to do some work other than their occasional audit. But let's not get too side tracked and detail some of these fudging of numbers.

Not long ago CAS had certified LTSOs running the EAC. They still have some certified STSOs working in scheduling. They have certified TSOs performing IT duties, getting paid acting lead wages.

According to the books, CAS has 24 trainers. At last count, it was more like 7 that actually work there; unless you want to count the uselessness of the Assistant Training Managers as part of that number.

And a little over a year ago, CAS was forced to get rid of their made up positions of "Certified Assistant Manager" for the less flashy title of Floor Supervisor. Remember, those "CAM"s were listed on the books as STSOs.

One of the things we need to realize about this scam job is that all of those certified Officers they pull to do that work are fewer Officers we have to help the rest of us doing the work at the checkpoints and bag rooms. And just to make it clear: our beef is not with those people performing those duties listed above. Many of them are absolutely wonderful people just looking to survive by getting off the floor. Our beef is with the unscrupulous activities of Covenant management and the bilking of our tax dollars to serve their greater good.

Folks, it's time we all stop sitting idly by and not calling them on this. Not long ago Gerry Berry begged Covenant employees to contact their elected representatives in supporting Senator Roy Blunt's proposed legislation in keeping SPP going. Here at Security First @ SFO think it's time to let our elected representatives know that SPP is not the way to keep going. It's not the best thing for our national budget and it's not the best thing for security.