News from Congresswoman Jane Harman

Congresswoman Jane harman - Press Release

March 26, 2002

HARMAN BRINGS TRANSPORTATION SECURITY ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL TO LOS ANGELES TO UPDATE LAX SCREENERS, SEIU AND LAANE ON FEDERAL JOBS

-- Internet Access and Hiring Preference Will be Key to the Application Process --

LOS ANGELES - Congresswoman Harman brought Pamela Pearson, Human Resources Director of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), from Washington, DC to Los Angeles to explain to affected airport screeners the timing, process and procedures that have been put in place for creating the TSA, which now supervises the security workforce at our nation's airports.

Though LAX has yet to begin its transition from a private to a federal workforce, the screeners here are anxious and want to be ready and informed so that they are able to re-apply for their positions.

In November of this year, as a result of the Airport Security Act passed by Congress, hundreds of private security screener jobs will be terminated at LAX. Today, candidates for new federal screener positions that are being created by the TSA, received an update on how to compete for the positions.

In particular, screeners were briefed on the hiring preference for laid-off workers that Congresswoman Harman fought to have included in the regulations for these federal jobs.

"The screeners at LAX are central to our economy and play a major role in our safety," Harman stated. "They are on the front lines in helping to secure one of the busiest airports in the country against further terrorist attacks."

Applications for federal screener positions, once available, will be administered on the Internet.

SEIU, which represents most of the privately employed LAX airport screeners, will offer computer training and Internet access to its workers. It has been working with LAANE, a grassroots economic development organization, and Congresswoman Harman to monitor the federalizing of screener positions mandated by Congress last Fall.

Currently, roughly one-third of screeners at LAX are not US citizens, precluding them from the new federal positions.

Many of the non-citizen screeners at LAX have applications pending with the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) and INS staff attended the forum at Congresswoman Harman's request to answer questions and update citizenship candidates on the status of their cases.

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