Labor unions oppose airport security privatization

On the 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks, labor unions representing flight attendants and Transportation Security Officers (TSOs) are campaigning against efforts to privatize airport security.

Sara Nelson, president of the Association of Flight Attendants, and Everett Kelley, president of the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), have voiced opposition to the Trump administration’s proposed privatization schemes, such as TSA Gold+. Union leaders argue that the security model used prior to 2001—which relied on private contractors—was driven by cost-cutting and contributed to the vulnerabilities exploited during the 9/11 attacks.

Following the creation of the TSA in 2001, security workers became federal employees with uniform standards. However, union officials claim current administration policies align with Project 2025 mandates to dismantle unions and replace human workers with technology contracts awarded to private corporations.