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🚨 VA Shreds Union Contracts—Defying Federal Guidance
On Wednesday, the Department of Veterans Affairs terminated most of its collective bargaining agreements with employee unions—making it the first agency to fully implement Trump’s executive order stripping two-thirds of federal workers of union rights .
Who’s affected:
- AFGE
- National Association of Government Employees
- National Federation of Federal Employees
- National Nurses United
- Service Employees International Union
Who’s spared:
- ~4,000 VA police, firefighters, and security guards (EO law enforcement carveout)
- Eight smaller unions—all of which have avoided recent legal or grievance challenges against the administration
Why this is alarming:
- The move ignores April OPM guidance (and DOJ assurances to federal judges) instructing agencies to wait until litigation concludes.
- It’s widely viewed as retaliation for unions’ successful legal fights against illegal firings, job cuts, and VA privatization plans.
- AFGE warns this is about clearing the path to privatize care, move billions to for-profit contractors, and silence the VA workforce.
AFGE National President Everett Kelley:
“The real reason Collins wants AFGE out of the VA is because we have successfully fought… plans to dismantle veteran health care through cutting 83,000 jobs.”
National Nurses United:
“This is class warfare… marching toward the privatization of veteran care.”
đź“Ž Full GovExec article
VA terminates most of its union contracts, appearing to disregard OPM guidance – Government Executive
The move runs against the Trump administration’s claims to federal jurists that agencies would wait until the conclusion of litigation challenging the p…
