ATLANTA, Dec. 16 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Georgia Senator Nan Orrock, Representative Rashad Taylor and Atlanta Mayor-elect Kasim Reed will join AFL-CIO Executive Vice President Arlene Holt-Baker at an event Friday to show support for Transportation Security Officers in Atlanta, and for the work being done by the American Federation of Government Employees, the union for TSOs. A number of labor unions and Atlanta organizations also will take part in the solidarity event.

Friday's press conference is being in held in conjunction with AFGE and the AFL-CIO's National TSO Solidarity Week, with events being held in more than 30 cities nationwide. In stark contrast to other employees at the Department of Homeland Security, and most other federal employees, TSOs are denied the basic workplace rights they so rightly deserve.

"It's been a long and difficult fight, but TSOs are so close to getting the collective bargaining rights they so desperately need," AFGE National President John Gage said. "It's more important than ever that we all show support for this dedicated workforce."

AFGE Local 555 represents TSOs throughout Georgia, Tennessee, Alabama, and South Carolina. AFGE has represented the TSA workforce since the agency was created in 2001. The union currently has approximately 12,000 dues-paying TSA members at more than 100 airports in 36 union Locals nationwide.

    Who:   American Federation of Government Employees Local 555
           Arlene Holt-Baker, executive vice president, AFL-CIO
           Nan Orrock, Georgia State senator, D-36
           Rashad Taylor, Georgia State representative, D-55
           Kasim Reed, mayor-elect, City of Atlanta
           Richard Ray, president, Georgia State AFL-CIO
           Charlie Key, secretary-treasurer, Georgia State AFL-CIO
           Charlie Fleming, president, Atlanta-North Georgia Labor
            Council, AFL-CIO
           C.T. Martin, vice chair, Atlanta Transportation Committee
           Larry Pellegrini, executive director, Georgia Rural Urban Summit
           Rev. Gregory Williams, president, Atlanta's Building
            Leadership for Empowerment
           Representatives of the Association of Flight Attendants (AFA);
           American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees
           (AFSCME), Communications Workers of America (CWA),
           International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers
           (IAM), and UNITE HERE

    What:  Will show support for collective bargaining rights at the
           Transportation Security Administration, and for the efforts by the
           American Federation of Government Employees, the union for
           Transportation Security Officers across the country

    Where: Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, Conference Room 1
           (3rd floor Executive Conference Center)

    When:  Friday, Dec. 18; 10 a.m.

AFGE is the largest federal employee union representing 600,000 workers in the federal government and the government of the District of Columbia, including tens of thousands of DHS.

SOURCE American Federation of Government Employees

RELATED LINKS
http://www.afge.org