The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has announced plans to cancel the collective bargaining agreement covering tens of thousands of Transportation Security Administration officers, escalating a dispute with the largest federal employee union and setting the stage for another legal showdown.
In a statement released December 12, DHS said it intends to terminate the labor contract that applies to roughly 47,000 TSA security screeners nationwide. Agency officials cited a determination by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, arguing that union representation for frontline screeners conflicts with the agency’s national security responsibilities and limits its ability to respond quickly to threats.
According to DHS, the change would usher in a new internal labor framework and end the automatic deduction of union dues from employees’ pay beginning January 11, 2026. The department maintains that removing collective bargaining will streamline operations and allow officers to focus more fully on aviation security.
Secretary Noem’s determination states that TSA employees who conduct security screening perform a core national security function and therefore should not be represented by a labor organization. DHS leaders contend that the current bargaining structure creates administrative burdens and slows decision-making at an agency responsible for protecting millions of travelers each day.
Senior TSA leadership echoed that view, saying the move is intended to eliminate what they describe as unnecessary processes that divert attention from security duties. The agency insists that alternative mechanisms will be put in place to gather employee feedback and address workplace concerns without a formal union contract.
The American Federation of Government Employees, which represents TSA officers under the existing agreement, sharply criticized the announcement and said it will challenge the decision in court. Union officials called the action unlawful and retaliatory, arguing that DHS is attempting to dismantle worker protections that were only recently negotiated.
AFGE leaders also pointed to the timing of the announcement, noting that TSA officers continued working during a recent prolonged government shutdown that disrupted federal operations. The union said the department’s decision undermines public praise and financial awards that TSA employees received for maintaining security during that period.
The dispute unfolds against the backdrop of an ongoing federal lawsuit. Earlier this year, DHS attempted to cancel the same labor agreement, a move that was temporarily blocked by a federal judge. In June, U.S. District Judge Marsha Pechman issued a preliminary injunction halting the earlier termination effort, finding that the union had raised serious legal questions about whether the action constituted retaliation and violated administrative law standards.
That case remains active, with a trial currently scheduled for September 2026. Legal experts say the department’s latest announcement could complicate the proceedings, as it appears to pursue a similar outcome while the court challenge is unresolved.
The contract at the center of the dispute was finalized in May 2024 and was designed to run for seven years. It introduced changes to grievance handling, adjusted sick leave policies, increased uniform allowances, and expanded opportunities for local-level negotiations. The agreement also formalized union “official time,” allowing representatives to handle labor matters during work hours.
Historically, TSA employees have operated under a different legal framework than most federal workers and did not enjoy the same collective bargaining rights outlined in Title 5 of U.S. law. Those rights were broadened in 2022, giving screeners a greater voice in workplace conditions and leading to the negotiation of the current contract.
Meanwhile, the political context continues to shift. The announcement came just one day after the U.S. House of Representatives voted to restore collective bargaining rights to a broad group of federal employees, including TSA officers, by seeking to overturn a March 2025 executive order issued by President Donald Trump. The legislation faces an uncertain path forward.
President Trump removed then–TSA Administrator David Pekoske shortly after taking office in January 2025, and a permanent successor has not yet been named. Until that leadership question is resolved, the future of labor relations at TSA remains unclear.
For now, TSA officers, union leaders, and federal courts are preparing for another chapter in a dispute that could reshape how the nation’s airport security workforce is managed.
