Airport Security Workers Leaving Jobs Due To 'Low Morale'
A new report by the US Homeland Security Department says the morale of airport security workers has reached a new low, and that increasing numbers are quitting their jobs.
The 29-page report, by Inspector General Richard Skinner, says that many of the 48,000 airport security screeners in the US are becoming increasingly disgruntled at their role due to a variety of factors including low pay and discrimination.
This poor level of motivation, the report said, could be compromising airport security.
"Given their frustration, employees may be distracted and less focused on their security and screening responsibilities", the report said.
Airport Security Employees Turnover Rate
As reported by Airport International in February, there is a high turnover of US airport security screeners - with figures showing that one-fifth of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA)'s screeners left their jobs in the 13 months to October 2007.
The report says airport security workers are leaving their jobs due to "low morale". It said this was caused by the low pay rate of security screeners' jobs, as well as discrimination, "management misconduct" and what the report said was a fear of retaliation from senior management.
The Skinner report also described that the TSA's efforts to combat these issues had been "inadequate", and that the programmes established to deal with workforce dissatisfaction may have actually had the converse effect of worsening morale.
In short, the report said, the TSA has so far not "successfully [addressed] longstanding workplace issues".
Homeland Security Skinner Report
The TSA have strongly refuted the suggestions made in Skinner's Homeland Security report.
Kip Hawley, TSA's Administrator, said the report was "biased" because its findings covered just eight of the 450 commercial airports around the US, and that those airports were selected because they were locations where security screeners had made complaints.
Deputy TSA Administrator Gale Rossides added that morale among security screeners is "very good" and employees "are very much turned on" to security. She admitted that "we have areas to improve upon", but said they have made progress. but we also have made great strides".
Source - Airport International's US Correspondent
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