"Airport Security Cutbacks Costing Safety?"

Thursday, June 19, 2003

Airport Cutbacks Costing Safety?
KDKA-TV 2 CBS Pittsburgh, PA


Pittsburgh (KDKA) By the fall, federal officials expect to lay off
nearly 6,000 security screeners at the nation's airports. Of those, 200
jobs could be cut at Pittsburgh International -- on top of the 30
screeners who have already lost their jobs.

The cutbacks are causing concerns that they may be coming at the expense
of passenger safety.

With the number of screeners at Pittsburgh International set to drop to
340 from 570, some airport screeners say the layoffs guarantee security
lapses.

Compared to other US airports, Pittsburgh International is suffering.
While other airports will shave an average of 13-percent of their
screeners, our airport will cut 40-percent of its jobs.

Screeners in Pittsburgh call the cuts unacceptable; and the former
Marine colonel who's now running the Pittsburgh operation isn't happy
either. "I would not like to be in this situation but we are," says
Blose.

"Everybody has their opinion, and you know, I can't regulate that for
some folks. I mean, I have my opinions -- and they're strong." -- Robert
Blose, Airport Security Director

The screeners are calling on the public to push the government to stop
the cuts. "I think that they probably want somebody to look into their
job situation," Blose adds.

So why is the government looking to lay off security screeners at a time
of increased fears of terrorism? 

The feds recently reported that -- at times -- screeners were processing
less than three passengers per hour. The report also claimed that there
are millions of dollars of waste within the Transportation Safety
Administration.

The screeners, however, told KDKA that there's no waste here in
Pittsburgh -- that each and every job is necessary. 


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