The answers to your questions!

There are no dual function screeners at SFO.

There are no "Leads" in the baggage community.

Letters, We Get Letters About Life in the SPP

We've recently been contacted by some people out in federal TSA land. They are worried about their airports' showing interest to go private and they are worried about their futures. One thing they want to know is if it's true there are no shift differentials at SFO, as reported at this blog. It seems that the differentials are an important part of their overall package.

Well, they are correct to worry and to start asking questions. John Pistole has been hinting that 10% higher costs in the SPP is not cost-effective in his eyes, which might give TSOs hope that Pistole will reject SPP applications. But in Washington, Pistole will be an army of one with that kind of thinking. In Washington, 10% is within reason. He's likely to lose in the long run (as planned by Obama's good pals in labor, of course). The possible exception is small airports where the contractors can't cut essential staff and claim enough efficiencies to pocket the difference.

Our new contacts have honed in on a very important detail. Where's the differential? It must be implemented, and it must be factored in!

A Clarification is Necessary!

Re: Our previous posting!

We believe that the dollar value to provide security screening at SFO would be relatively the same, plus or minus 3%, regardless of who does the screening.

The biggest difference is, that under the TSA more of the funds that are getting siphoned off now by CAS would be channeled to the workforce through better benefits, shift differential, more paid holidays (12 versus the 10 we have now), a pension plan, a better quality uniform, shoes that we didn't get this year, sick leave, etc, etc, etc.

Why is CAS pinching pennies?

What is with this," use your sampling traps until they fall apart" horse manure? For some reason CAS wants us to think that they are in dire straits when it comes to money.

According to a reliable source, CAS received a 4 year contract valued at 404 million dollars. And, on top of that, they received a bonus of 18.2 million dollars when they won the bid.

Is CAS funding other business interest? Is the ugly head of corporate greed rising up again? CAS is already screwing us far more than they should and they still want more?

No new shoes! No laundry service! No family medical coverage! Minimal staffing levels! And, the biggest injustice of all, no shift differential!

The TSA needs to stop turning a blind eye to the daily events at SFO.

Ooh, La La! "French-blue"

More media coverage for the indefatigable Covenant Aviation marketing department.
It's in the Charlotte Observer, and a shorter version appears in the Miami Herald.

They quote Mike Bolles, Senior Vice President at Covenant. He talks about firing or disciplining people. That's the straight scoop from a big picture guy at Covenant.

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2010/11/26/1866721/airports-can-opt-out-of-tsa-but.html

Obviously, Mr. Gerald Berry of Winter Springs, Florida, was a little overexposed in recent press coverage, so they've trotted out the B-team in Mr. Bolles.

When will these journalists start asking Covenant Aviation Security how the math works? The uniforms are described as "French-blue", but shouldn't we look a little below the surface?

Frequent Flyer Doesn't See Benefit of SPP

The blogosphere has been weighing in on John Mica's privatization pitch.

Here's one that speaks from a business traveler's perspective:

http://boardingarea.com/blogs/flygracefully/2010/11/19/charlotte-wants-to-opt-out-of-tsa

Funny how the message is so clear. She doesn't have any kickbacks clouding her judgment!

Turn Your Airport Screening Into a Profit Center

Turn Your Airport Screening Into a Profit Center!

The Republicans and Gerry Berry Backed Candidates Had a Great Night!

Operators are Standing By! Got a Union? No Problem, Don't Bargain! (just like SFO?)

http://www.osaa.net/documents/boardminutes/8-3-2010.pdf

Happy Days Are Here Again!

Covenant Aviation Security Seeks Qualified Baggage Instructor

If you remember, a couple weeks ago we posted about a baggage instructor position being opened to all baggage certified people. Well, the deadline has come and gone and they have reposted the position.

One wonders why this is. Is it because, unlike TSA, this position is for no additional money? Or is it because we already have two extremely qualified people that perform these duties, once again, for no additional money? Or perhaps they didn't get the right candidate to apply?

The other odd thing about this posting is that it is opened to supervisors. The word on the street is that supervisors are apparently too expensive. So why is it opened to them? Then again, Leads were apparently too expensive to be doing recruiting and that hasn't stopped them from continuing to use Leads in that function.

But hey, if the rumors are true, none of this should be an issue at the beginning of the year when supervisors may once again be denied a raise. Don't worry, the precious management team at Covenant Aviation Security will take one for the team with the denial of a raise if it does happen.

Where should we be in pay?

We know there has been some confusion lately on some of our posts in terms of pay bands, TSA, money, etc. Let's try to clear some of this up.

TSA has a system called PASS (Performance Accountability and Standards System). This system is basically an incentive system. TSOs, LTSOs, and STSOs are graded on various metrics. Some of those include how well you scored on PSEs, IMAs, OMAs, OLC completion rate, quarterly reviews (yeah, when was the last time we had one of those?), et. al. How you score and are graded on those things determine your bonus and raise.

You can also get bigger raises by taking on additional duties, called collateral duties. Those duties can include being an OJT monitor, an instructor, being responsible for calibrating and general maintenance of various equipment.

There is some controversy within the TSA work force over PASS. People feel it can be unfair to have your raise determined by how well you do on a PSE. How many of us have had brain farts on it and failed? If you have a brain fart at that crucial moment, your raise can be lower. Hence, the reason many within TSA are arguing to become unionized. Many feel that the PASS system is an unfair system.

Keep in mind, TSA at the minimum, receives their COLA (Cost of Living Adjustment) regardless. Most of the time that COLA is 3.9%. What has our raises been???

Ok, so let's get into numbers. A TSO starts at Pay Band D. The minimum that a starting TSO will make is $25,518 plus 35.15% locality rate for the Bay Area. That comes out to $34,487.58 as a minimum. A TSO at the D Band will max out at $38,277 with the locality pay of $51,731.37.  These are the base rates. They do not include the various incentives one can receive within TSA.

The above rates work out to approximately $16.58 per hour up to $24.87 an hour. These are for TSOs at the D band. LTSOs will generally start out at F band and STSOs will start out at G band. If you want to check out these numbers, go to TSA's page listing all the pay rates for the various pay bands. And remember when you are factoring the hourly rates for the various bands, to add the 35.15% locality pay.

Now there are some caveats. TSA rarely hires full time employees off the street. You will generally have to put in some time, as much as two years before you can even go full time.

Speaking of two years, their probation period lasts for two years. Unlike our four month probation period, they have a much longer time on probation. However, they don't enforce their attendance policies with the same vengeance that Covenant Aviation Security does. To be fair, the Federal Government gives Covenant Aviation Security more money if attendance is high. So it's in Covenant Aviation Security's financial interest to ensure we all show up to work.

TSA also has to pay for a certain percentage of their health and dental coverage. Unlike us, where we get free Kaiser (and a damn good Kaiser plan) for ourselves and a partner, they have to pay. This is not unlike most companies. We admittedly do have it good in terms of our benefits. Except for the fact that TSA has their Federal pension plans. When is ours kicking in?

Now you all have a general idea of what is what. The GAO (Government Accounting Office) concluded that SPP airports such as SFO cost 17.4% more than their federal counterparts. That GAO report is very interesting and worth giving a read.

Under our CBA, the workers that benefit the most from it are new people. They would make less under TSA. For those of us that have put in three, four, five, or more years, we're losing out. Plain and simple. So why is this? Who exactly does this CBA benefit? SEIU, Covenant Aviation Security, TSA, or us?

According to the ATSA (Aviation Transportation Security Act), we're supposed to be paid the same or more than our federal counterparts.  So why aren't we? Well, it could very well be because of our CBA. A legal loophole for Covenant Aviation Security not to pay us the equivalent.

It's time to decide guys. Which way are you going to vote in terms of our representation? What exactly do we get for the $500,000 approximately a year that goes to SEIU?

Open letter to Restructuring Associates

Sorry to interrupt your regularly scheduled blog, but I've taken the opportunity to use this space to write an open letter to Restructuring Associates.

Attn. Restructuring Associates:

It's come to my attention through the Washington Post that you've been hired by the Transportation Security Administration to assess the feasibility of allowing Transportation Security Officers to engage in collective bargaining. That is, negotiating with the agency through a designated representative of their choosing.

I've reviewed some of your work, and it seems to be, frankly, without peer.

I know its imposing but since you've been hired by the Transportation Security Administration, I feel that you are working first and foremost for the people - after all, who is the TSA but the people themselves in response to that fateful day in 2001?

So as you review the data, meet the people, mull over the pros and cons (before recommending yes), I feel that there are a few things you should know:

Number one, your website uses the word "stakeholder". If you use that word at a place like SFO, the TSO will hear "everybody but you".

Number two, your decision has the potential to affect not just the TSO's directly employed by the TSA, but also those that are in the employ of private companies in the Screening Partnership Program.

To wit, from a collective bargaining agreement at SFO (Section 9.6, in part):

...In addition, the Employer agrees to reopen negotiations over possible changes to wages and retirement benefits if the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) agree upon the terms of a Collective Bargaining Agreement with its employees, and if the documented cost of the TSA economic package for the San Francisco area is within five percent (5%) of the total economic package under this agreement. (end)

Now, you and I both know that the federal government, with few exceptions, does not bargain over wages. Why any wage and retirement reopener is contingent upon the TSA negotiating over terms of employment is beyond me. But I felt it should be brought to your attention. Do they think that the contract will have charts detailing wages in San Francisco?Ha, ha. So, please, keep your audience in mind when you write this report. They may be in the midst of a lot of misinformation.

Here's what I would like to see while this Screening Partnership Program continues its stepchild to the stepchildren act: equivalent wages and benefits as mandated by the Aviation Transportation Security Act. That means an opportunity for bonuses (one of the major complaints of TSOs relates to fairness in the PASS bonus systemthere are no PASS bonuses at SFO), and wages and benefits including retirement that are 100% equal on an individual basis with a similarly situated employee of the TSA.

Thank you for your consideration.

Kamikaze Kid

Follow -up to the pay scale info

Now that you have a reference point it will be far easier for you to figure out what your pay scale should be.

This info is from 2006

TSA Expands Career Opportunities for Transportation Security Officers

Press Release

July 17, 2006
(571) 227-2829
WASHINGTON, D.C. - The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) today introduced a Career Progression Program for its frontline workforce of 43,000 Transportation Security Officers (TSOs). Included are merit-based promotions for experienced TSOs and specialized technical career tracks, which include functions such as Behavior Detection Officers and Bomb Appraisal Officers.
"Since its inception, TSA has recognized that our most valuable asset is our people, and to stay ahead of emerging threats, we must cultivate ways to strengthen our skilled, knowledgeable, ready and willing workforce," said TSA Assistant Secretary Kip Hawley. "Offering our high-performing TSOs a better career path will not only improve employee retention but enhance security for the traveling public."
Currently, the TSO career path progresses on a management track to Lead TSO and Supervisory TSO, which jumps from the starting D Band to the F and G Bands. Under the new Career Progression Program, TSOs with two years' experience and favorable performance reviews are eligible for a higher pay grade, the newly established full performance E Band. The E Band also will recognize the new, specialized position of TSO Equipment Technician, which rewards the skills of employees responsible for the maintenance of security equipment. Internal studies conducted over the past three years have concluded that TSO performance improves with experience, underlining the need to retain employees for security reasons.
The new path also creates a technical track of Master TSO and Expert TSO, recognizing TSOs whose experience and knowledge enable them to independently complete work and perform specialized functions. Master and Expert TSOs will be in the F and G Bands, respectively, further expanding the advancement potential of TSOs not on the management track. Master or Expert TSOs have the opportunity to serve as:

• 
  
  Behavior Detection Officers who execute TSA's Screening Passengers by Observation Technique (SPOT) program, identifying potentially high-risk individuals based on involuntary physical and psychological reactions. TSA anticipates expanding the original SPOT pilot program by training more than 500 Behavior Detection Officers by the end of fiscal year 2008.
• 
  
  Bomb Appraisal Officers who provide the workforce with ongoing training regarding improvised explosive devices as well as serve as on-site experts to resolve alarms that can disrupt airport operations. TSA expects to hire approximately 300 Bomb Appraisal Officers by the end of fiscal year 2008.
• 
  
  TSA-Approved Instructors who provide basic and recurrent training in passenger and baggage screening and equal employment opportunity training, and may also provide on-the-job, refresher, cross-over and other advanced training.

The Career Progression Program is supported by TSO and Assistant Federal Security Director-Screening Advisory Councils, making a "strong business case of improved performance, retention and recruiting success," said Hawley.
# # #

TSA Pay Scales-Where should we be? Part one of two

Pay Scales at TSA (2010)

TSA Careers

We are unique among our fellow Federal employees because we do not use the standard GS grading system you may be familiar with. We use an "SV" grading system, which is a system of discrete grades with pay ranges that differ from GS pay ranges. These discrete grades, which are identified by letters rather than numbers, have minimum and maximum rates.
In the table below, we show the ranges for each pay band.

Pay Band	Minimum	Maximum
A	$17,083	$24,977
B	$19,570	$28,546
C	$22,167	$33,303
D	$25,518	$38,277
E	$29,302	$44,007
F	$33,627	$50,494
G	$39,358	$60,982
H	$48,007	$74,390
I	$58,495	$90,717
J	$71,364	$110,612
K	$85,311	$132,237
L	$101,962	$155,500
M	$120,236	$155,500

The above rates are basic pay rates and do not include locality pay. 2010 basic pay rates are limited to $155,500. 2010 adjusted pay rates (base pay plus locality) are limited to $172,550.


Please note that these numbers do not include a locality pay differential of 35.15%