Eight airport screeners to be laid-off

The number of federal baggage screeners at the

Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport will be reduced by 4%, federal

officials announced this week.

The layoffs are part of a plan by the Transportation Security

Administration to cut a total of 6,000 screeners nationwide by Sept.

1. Eight local screeners will be laid off, reducing the number at the

airport from 194 to 186, according to TSA documents. Airport

officials said they were not concerned about the cuts impacting

security.

A smaller percentage of screeners are being laid off from Burbank

Airport than from any other airport in the Los Angeles area. Los

Angeles International Airport will have its force reduced by 5%,

while Long Beach Airport will be hardest hit, with a 55% reduction in

screeners.

Ben Godar