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Union Alleges Widespread Breaches of Contract and Court Orders by DFW Security Protective Force
Security officers stationed at one of the Federal Aviation Administration’s most critical facilities are calling out their federal contractor employer for repeated violations of court orders and their union’s collective bargaining agreement (CBA). Their frustration is reaching a tipping point—with the officers now prepared to strike.
The dispute involves DFW Security Protective Force, a Fort Worth-based federal contractor responsible for protecting the Mike Monroney Aeronautical Center (MMAC) in Oklahoma City. This site serves as the FAA’s national training hub for air traffic controllers, making it a vital asset for aviation safety across the United States.
Despite the facility’s importance, officers say they’ve been forced to work under unsafe conditions and with continued disregard from the company tasked with ensuring both their welfare and workplace standards.
Underpaid and Underequipped Security Officers Threaten Strike
Union representatives Randy Hampton and Diana Rattler-Bryceland—President and Vice-President of UGA Local 100—have become the public voices of the 53 officers employed at MMAC. They say DFW Security Protective Force has not only failed to uphold multiple provisions in the 2022 CBA but has also ignored court rulings directing them to repay wages owed to employees.
“It’s a facility that we take pride in,” said Rattler-Bryceland. “Everyone on that contract as a security officer holds their job to a high standard.”
Yet maintaining those high standards has become increasingly difficult. Officers report being assigned outdated patrol vehicles with more than 100,000 miles and ongoing mechanical failures—including broken brakes. In winter months, guards are left to patrol in freezing temperatures without adequate cold-weather gear or working heaters in their vehicles.
“We’ve had employees in subzero temps without subzero gear being provided to them,” said Rattler-Bryceland.
Contractual Promises Broken, Legal Orders Ignored
In 2022, DFW Security signed a binding agreement with the union. This CBA included provisions for guaranteed overtime pay, annual raises, and paid leave during snow days when the MMAC facility is closed. According to union leaders, most of those promises have not been kept.
“You can pick over half of the CBA to look at, and they would be violating it,” Rattler-Bryceland claimed. Union records suggest the total amount of underpayments since 2022 exceeds $150,000.
Dozens of payroll discrepancies were documented and submitted to DFW, but according to the officers, those forms were either ignored or dismissed without resolution.
Eventually, the union took the matter to federal court. A judge found that DFW Security had violated both the collective bargaining agreement and the Fair Labor Standards Act. An arbitrator further ordered the company to repay officers over $45,000 for snow days they had worked unpaid.
Still, union leaders say the company has not complied.
“They ignore everything,” Hampton said. “They do not respond to anything.”
“No one knows where that money is,” added Rattler-Bryceland.
Security Officers Take New Legal Action and Threaten Strike
On Friday, UGA Local 100 filed a new lawsuit asking federal courts to enforce the repayment ruling. In addition to legal action, the union has submitted a formal complaint to the U.S. Department of Labor, which has launched an investigation into the ongoing violations.
As tensions escalate, the union is preparing for a possible strike.
“We have talked about doing a strike meeting,” Rattler-Bryceland said. “We have a pay increase coming April 1st, and the guard force and some management have stated that they are worried that the company is going to ignore that part of the CBA as well.”
Despite these issues, the officers say their primary concern is not retaliation—it’s doing their job properly and protecting the FAA’s operations.
“We don’t want to put that difficulty on the FAA,” Rattler-Bryceland said. “We don’t want to put the FAA at risk.”
A Larger Issue of Accountability
The conflict between MMAC security officers and DFW Security Protective Force highlights a broader issue: how contractors employed by federal agencies are held accountable for their treatment of essential workers. In high-security environments, working conditions, fair pay, and compliance with court orders are more than labor issues—they’re also public safety concerns.
If left unresolved, these kinds of disputes can put federal operations at risk, disrupt mission-critical training programs, and lower morale among frontline security staff. For now, MMAC’s officers remain committed to their duties, but they are no longer willing to accept broken promises without a fight.
