Federal Judge Blocks Termination of TSA Workers’ Union Agreement
SEATTLE (AP) — In a key ruling on Monday, U.S. District Judge Marsha Pechman issued a preliminary injunction preventing Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem from terminating the collective bargaining agreement for Transportation Security Administration (TSA) employees. The decision seeks to safeguard the rights and benefits that TSA workers have enjoyed while represented by the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE).
Judge Pechman found that Noem’s directive amounted to retaliation against the union for resisting the prior administration’s approach to federal labor relations and likely violated due process. The AFGE had recently entered a new seven-year agreement but alleged that Noem abruptly rescinded it as part of an ongoing conflict with labor groups opposing administration policies.
AFGE National President Everett Kelley hailed the ruling as a crucial win for federal employees and a defense of constitutional rights. Pechman expressed concern over the administration’s actions, emphasizing a pattern of targeting dissenting unions while allowing others to operate freely.
The judge concluded that TSA workers would face "irreparable harm" without the injunction, losing essential employment protections and collective negotiation rights.
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