Transportation Security Administration workers who check passengers’ identification and boarding passes before they enter security checkpoints will no longer be allowed to sit while on the job.
CNN reported that all chairs are being removed from the podiums where travelers first enter the security checkpoints.
The agency said the move was to allow for a better experience for the public.
“This welcome change reinforces both our security posture and our commitment to hospitality by having these officers on their feet and alert,” the TSA said in a statement to ABC News. “All officers must meet fitness for duty requirements to be capable of performing their vital national security function while simultaneously creating a welcoming and professional environment for travelers.”
However, the move is not welcomed by the American Federation of Government Employees TSA Council 100, which called the policy a “disregard for workers rights and safety,” CNN reported.
“These chairs serve as basic ergonomic and safety support for officers that stand and walk on hard surfaces all day. TSA is treating this matter like it is a privilege – it is not; it is basic safety and common decency for the workforce,” the group said in a statement posted on Facebook.
The union said chairs were already being removed at most airports and that the union’s local chapters received no formal notification from the TSA about the policy, CNN reported.
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