Transportation Security Administrator David Pekoske told lawmakers on Wednesday that addressing low pay for airport screeners is a top priority and that he’d soon sign a directive extending full collective bargaining rights to screeners.
“I would note that we have made attempts and we have made some progress increasing pay, but it’s not good enough,” Pekoski said at a hearing of the House Homeland Security Committee. “We spend a lot of money with people that come into TSA, and … the number one reason they leave is because of pay. It’s very expensive to recruit and retain people without an adequate pay structure.”
