We hope that one of the things you have noticed over the last couple of months since the inception of this blog is that we almost never refer to the work force as "screeners." Did you know that it was in December of 2005 that TSA officially changed our title and the rest of our brethren that work for TSA across the country from TSS (Transportation Security Screener) to TSO (Transportation Security Officer). Sure, it's real easy to say that we're screeners, since we screen passengers and their luggage for bombs, weapons, and various other threats. But we shouldn't short change ourselves so easily.
The question to be asked is why did TSA do this? The reason is quite simple. They wanted to add more prestige to our job, and changing our title from Screener to Officer was an easy way to do it.
So why is it that we still refer to ourselves as Screeners? Why do we allow others and ourselves to demean ourselves by referring to us as Screeners. The job title of "Airport Screener" has years of negative connotations attached to it. After all, we just play in to Covenant Aviation Security's mindset that we're "just screeners." A Screener doesn't know anything, right? So it's not nearly as demeaning if management would say to you, "You're just an Officer!" Ahhh...all of a sudden that statement doesn't belittle us!
Covenant Aviation Security still lists us as TSS and DFS in all of their databases and CAS created documentation, even though those titles have not officially existed within TSA for almost five years. Hell, even our own union calls us "Screeners."
One of the ways to get respect from management is by refusing to allow them to call us "Screeners." Whenever you hear yourself, a supervisor, or a manger referring to us as a "Screener," correct them! Until we change the mindset of something relatively simple as what they call us, we'll never begin to get the respect that we deserve.
A blog dedicated to the TSOs, LTSOs, and BDOs at San Francisco International Airport that work for Covenant Aviation Security, LLC (CAS).
This is very true. The Job of these workers are very important and crucial which most passengers do not understand. As passengers they need to come to an understanding the duties that are carried out here are duties of an "OFFICER." Duties as "serve and protect." Passengers needs to know that these duties performed everyday is a life risking career. To be able to be trained and identify items objects that carry a threat not to oneself but also the surroundings of others. Of course when these "officers," are rushed, screamed at, cursed at, and etc, are not allowed to do there jobs they are blamed for bomb threats or letting terroist get in. However, the officers are not vulernable to that because a passenger already knows to show up for a flt 4 hours prior to departure so Officers of SFO those that people call a screener do your duty and do not let up to these passengers who don't know anything. I salute you officers and respect all that you do. Message for passengers let the officers do what they need to do because your life and others are in their hand. There is no room for mistakes and the Officers working all around at every country does not have time for mistakes. FYI I am not what passengers call screener and those who have respect for them I am not an officer I am a civilian who respects the officers and glad that they are sharp with there career. Thanks
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