The Trump administration's decision to strip chairs from TSA checkpoints isn't about security — it's about control. And the workers are fighting back.
Union officials with the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) TSA Council 100 have launched a campaign demanding the agency restore seating for officers who screen millions of travelers daily. The chairs were unilaterally removed on September 25, with TSA officials claiming that "maintaining a standing posture helps reinforce professionalism, attentiveness and active engagement with passengers".
The union isn't buying it.
"People are pissed," said Johnny Jones, secretary-treasurer of AFGE TSA Council 100 and president of AFGE Local 1040, which represents TSA workers in Dallas-Fort Worth.
Jones described how members were flooded with calls and messages as chairs disappeared mid-shift. "People are calling, members are mad, employees are upset because they literally started their day, everything was normal, and by halfway through their shift, they're taking all the chairs out and replacing them with inadequate mats," he said.
The call volume, Jones noted, was comparable to what the union experiences during government shutdowns.
A Blatant Disregard for Workers' Rights
The union has characterized the policy change as a "disregard for workers' rights and safety". The chairs, AFGE Council 100 emphasized, "serve as basic ergonomic and safety support for officers that stand and walk on hard surfaces all day".
This isn't a minor inconvenience. It's a health and safety issue.
The National Institutes of Health has reported that occupational standing is associated with a two-fold risk of incident heart disease compared with workers who sit. Prolonged standing also increases the risk of back pain and leg fatigue. Experts have warned that swapping sitting for standing can cause strain on feet, ankles, and knees.
"The hard floors they are standing on do not offer any support, which can cause foot and back issues," said Daniel Bubb, an aviation expert.
Standing Isn't Necessary for Security
Here's what the agency won't admit: TSA officers perform their jobs just as effectively sitting as standing.
"Our officers screen millions of people a day and they do it right, sitting or standing," said Hydrick Thomas, president of AFGE TSA Council 100. "Nobody who works a checkpoint asked for this. Nobody who flies asked for this."
The evidence supports this. Border patrol officers and customs officers continue to use chairs while screening travel documents, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection confirmed it has not adopted the standing policy. TSA itself acknowledges that chairs were not removed from x-ray machines because manufacturers recommend sitting while operating the equipment.
If sitting is acceptable — even recommended — for x-ray operators and other security personnel, why is it suddenly a threat to security when TSA officers do it?
A Pattern of Undermining Workers
The chair removal is part of a broader pattern of attacks on TSA workers' rights. The Trump administration has sought to strip TSA employees of their collective bargaining rights, though a federal judge blocked its most recent effort in January.
The union was not informed of the policy change, and it was not negotiated. Rather, it was unilaterally implemented by the agency. It remains unclear where this leaves TSA employees who require light-duty accommodations for medical conditions.
Adding insult to injury, following the policy change, TSA workers were required to sign a pledge promising to support "the well-being and morale of our colleagues," according to the union.
"They didn't notify the union at all, obviously, nor the employees," Jones said. "They decided it would be a great idea to make their employees upset".
The Campaign to Restore Dignity
AFGE, the largest union representing federal workers, has launched a letter-writing campaign calling on the public to tell TSA to "restore the chairs".
"A lot of people don't have adequate footwear to need to stand up for that long," Jones noted. "The agency didn't allow us to bargain any of these changes. They just implemented them. It's very demoralizing, upsetting that the agency would do this to transportation security officers".
This isn't just about comfort. It's about basic dignity and respect for workers who put their health on the line every day to keep travelers safe. The policy change worsens working conditions for TSA officers who no longer have the option of taking time off their feet — an option that costs the agency nothing but means everything to the people doing the work.
The question isn't whether TSA officers can do their jobs standing up. They can. The question is why anyone would force them to when there's no legitimate security justification for doing so.
Standing doesn't make anyone safer. It just makes the job harder than it needs to be. TSA officers deserve better — and they deserve a seat.