With the horrific images seared into our forever memories, either through watching repeated video footage on television, the Internet, or by those who were present at any one of the various crash sites across the eastern part of the United States: New York, New York; Shanksville, Pennsylvania; or Arlington, Virginia, we have endured one of the darkest chapters in our nation’s history by committing ourselves to the most humble of all government positions: Transportation Security Officer. For years, each of you have committed yourselves to the rigorous day-to-day of public service in a manner that even the public did not often see as necessary for its own sake.
Yet, with smiles on your face, determination in your heart, and resolution to never allow another attack to commence in the United States, you took your Constitutional oath to the next level, by literally forsaking monetary gain in the name of pride and love for country. As admirable as this was, it was not easy; struggling with paying bills, rent, utilities, car payments, and gas to get to work. Simple pleasures like having lunch from the fast-food counter, buying an extra Christmas gift, or purchasing that guilty-pleasure Frappuccino because you deserved it, became a monumental task. And if you were a single or a barely making it co-parent, well . . . Good luck!
Life as a TSO has not been an easy one, as we have seen ourselves in skits on Saturday Night Live, the butt of joking memes online, as political pawns in games of chicken with our paychecks, receiving unwarranted scrutiny from some in management, tolerating mistreatment from some in the public, and of course, there were those times when we faced real threats as government employees, just as LAX TSOs Gerardo I. Hernandez, James Speer, and Tony Grigsby did on that fateful day on November 1, 2013.
Amidst all, however, it has also been rewarding to us who have made positive connections with our coworkers, stakeholders, and the American public. We have made lifelong friends, loves, and forged relationships that will be with us throughout our lives—impacting who we are as people. At some point, some, or all of us have stated that we were only here until something better came along, or for “X” number of years, or whatever the reasons you have stated or heard stated; some of us don’t even remember applying for the job—but they called, and we answered. Yet here we all are—at TSA—finding that despite all its flaws, fate has put us here, and we chose to stay.
As intended in the poem, “The Road Not Taken,” by Robert Frost, this road we’ve taken, which was less traveled by, has made all the difference.
With the passage of the Omnibus Spending Bill of 2023, Council 100 rejoices, celebrates, and thanks you for your commitment of showing up when we have asked, knocking on the doors of Congress, calling, and sending letters to your local representatives and Senators, and rolling up your sleeves and fighting with us in this 20-year battle. It is because of your hard work on the checkpoints, in baggage, in training rooms, and with your everyday focus on preventing terrorism from infiltrating and destroying our freedoms, that we have come to this point at all.
To be sure, this was a collective effort, led by you, the frontline workforce and member, AFGE Locals and Council 100, AFGE National, including many talented and persevering staff members, Congressional giants and our staunchest supporters, such as Representative Bennie Thompson (MS-2) and Senator Brian Schatz (HI), and many others in Congress who no longer serve in those capacities, President Biden, DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, and TSA Administrator David Pekoske.
Though our work is far from over, we will wallow in this victory, succumbing to its sweet feeling of gratitude, humbleness, and brief respite, before we hit the ground running—as if we never stopped—because we have not, and we will not. This budget has brought us one step closer to where we need to be, but it was a major step, one in which we have no intention of backstepping from—no matter the battle before us, since we know our capabilities. The time for second-class citizenry in the federal government is past, as are the days of lamenting for who we are not; now we only have the wind behind us, propelling us, to be better today than yesterday.
With Sincere Gratitude,
Hydrick Thomas, President | Mac Johnson, Council Executive Vice President | Johnny Jones, Council Secretary-Treasurer | Thomas Schoregge, Region 1 V.P. | John Hubert, Region 2 V.P. | Janis Casey, Region 3 V.P. | Becky Mancha, Region 4 V.P. | Greg Biel, Region 5 V.P. | Bobby Orozco Jr., Region 6 V.P. | Joe Shuker, Region 7 V.P. | Victor Payes Martinez, Fair Practices Coordinator | Concetta Fialkowski, Women’s Coordinator | Christopher Blessing, AFGE Council 100 Attorney