Weekly Federal Labor Roundup — VA & AFGE News (August 7–13, 2026)

This week brought a real win in court for Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) employees, and fresh pressure on civil service protections across the rest of the federal government. Here is what stood out and what it means for us at Hampton VA Medical Center.

VA & Veterans

• A federal judge rejected the VA’s third attempt to cancel union contracts. Government Executive reports the court again found the department’s move to void its collective bargaining agreements unlawful, which means your contract rights stay in place while the case moves forward. Read more
• The union’s National VA Council welcomed the ruling as a win for every VA employee. The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) says the decision protects the grievance rights, seniority, and workplace protections spelled out in the national contract. Read more
• The VA’s benefits system overhaul is running into familiar problems. Government Executive reports the modernization effort is behind schedule, with the same oversight and program management gaps the VA Office of Inspector General (OIG) has flagged before — delays that usually land as extra workload on claims staff. Read more
• The VA is asking to extend its Oracle electronic health record contract through 2031. Nextgov reports the department wants more runway on the troubled records system that clinical staff use every shift. Read more
• The VA launched a psilocybin trial for veterans with treatment-resistant depression. Slashdot’s science desk, citing the department’s announcement, reports the study is part of a broader push to find options for veterans who have not responded to standard mental health treatment. Read more
• A new lawsuit asks the courts to enforce a 2025 Supreme Court ruling on pay for federal employees called to active duty. Government Executive reports the suit seeks the differential pay owed to federal workers serving in the National Guard and Reserve — money that matters to a lot of people on our rolls. Read more

Threats to Federal Workers’ Protections

• The State Department is expanding its push to reclassify employees as at-will workers. Government Executive reports the agency wants to move more positions out of competitive civil service protections, which would let management fire staff without the due process federal employees have had for decades — and what one agency tries, others tend to copy. Read more
• A new analysis lays out how Schedule Policy/Career reclassifications undermine independence and transparency. The Partnership for Public Service walks through what happens to career positions when they are reclassified, and why it weakens the nonpartisan civil service. Read more
• A plain-English refresher on what the Merit Systems Protection Board can do for you. The Partnership for Public Service explains the conditions under which a federal employee can be removed and the retaliation protections the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB) is supposed to enforce — worth a read before you need it. Read more

Union Wins & the Bigger Picture

• AFGE is suing the Transportation Security Administration over a secret airport screening privatization program. The union says the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) quietly moved screening work to private contractors, and it is asking a court to stop it. Read more
• AFGE won workers’ compensation coverage for a member facing mounting medical bills. A reminder from the union’s own case files of what representation does day to day: one member, one claim, bills covered. Read more
• Another federal union has set a deadline for members to resume paying dues directly. Government Executive reports the National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU) is asking members to restart dues after payroll deduction was cut off — the same pressure federal unions across government are working through. Read more
• The Senate confirmed several oversight and federal workforce nominees. Government Executive reports the confirmations fill seats on the bodies that hear federal employee appeals and referee labor disputes, which affects how quickly cases like ours get decided. Read more

Have a question about your rights, your contract, or something happening on your unit? Reach out to your steward or contact the local — that is what we are here for.

In solidarity,
AFGE Local 2328 — Representing the employees of Hampton VA Medical Center