The Transportation Security Administration has fired eight security screeners working at Newark Liberty International Airport, accusing them of sleeping while on the job and other violations. The workers were nabbed as part of an ongoing investigation of security operations at the airport.

Investigators aren’t too happy about photographs that appear to show screening supervisors taking a snooze in front of monitors used for detecting bombs and other threats in checked bags, reports The Star-Ledger.

“TSA holds all of its employees to the highest professional and ethical standards and has a zero tolerance for misconduct in the workplace,” TSA spokeswoman Lisa Farbstein said in a statement. “The decision to take disciplinary action, including the proposed immediate removal of eight individuals from the TSA reaffirms our strong commitment to ensure the safety of the traveling public.”

The eight officers who were fired were videotaped by surveillance cameras either sleeping or violating other screen standards in a bag room in Terminal B last December, said the TSA.

A national organizer for the union the workers belong to said all eight will appeal the terminations.

*Thanks for the tip as always, Harper!

8 Newark airport screeners fired by TSA for sleeping on duty, other violations [The Star-Ledger]