Weekly Federal Labor Roundup — VA & AFGE News (June 12–18, 2026)

A quick rundown of the federal-labor news that hit our members hardest this week. As always, this covers VA and federal-worker developments first. Questions or something you want us to dig into? Reach out — that’s what we’re here for.

VA & Veterans

• AFGE slams VA over diversity and representation rollbacks. AFGE, the largest VA union, criticized the agency for “turning its back” on diversity, inclusion, and equal representation for all veterans. Read more
• GOP VA overhaul bill would narrow employee rights and push privatization. According to Government Executive, the union warns the bill strips some VA employees’ workplace protections and opens the door to privatizing VA services. Read more
• AFGE: bill billed as veteran aid instead “betrays” military heroes and federal caregivers. AFGE argues the legislation undercuts the very caregivers and federal workers veterans rely on. Read more
• VA’s AI chatbots not flagged as “high-impact” despite clinical use. A federal watchdog found the VA has not designated its AI chatbots as high-impact systems even though they’re used in clinical settings — raising oversight questions, per Nextgov. Read more

Threats to Federal Workers’ Protections

• “Schedule Policy/Career” reaches beyond policy roles, stripping job protections. Analysis from the Partnership for Public Service finds the reclassification extends well past true policy positions, exposing career employees in legal, budget, HR, and other independent personnel roles to loss of civil-service protections. Read more
• AFGE calls for withdrawal of Trump’s FLRA general counsel nominee. Following a NOTUS report on the nominee’s past conduct, AFGE’s president is urging the nomination be pulled. The FLRA general counsel role directly affects how federal-sector labor disputes are handled. Read more
• NSF accused of using HQ move to revoke telework for disabled workers. Employees say the National Science Foundation is using its headquarters relocation as cover to pull telework accommodations from workers with disabilities, Government Executive reports. Read more
• Full appeals court will hear challenge to “Article II” firings. In a rare move, the full appeals court agreed to hear the case challenging the administration’s expanded authority to fire federal employees — a case with major implications for job security across government. Read more
• Sen. Warner probes whether CISA staff cuts weakened regional cyber support. Sen. Mark Warner is examining whether workforce reductions at the cybersecurity agency degraded the regional support federal and local partners depend on. Read more

Union Wins & the Bigger Picture

• SSA union leader warns “interconnected crises” are undermining the agency. A Social Security Administration union leader describes compounding staffing and service pressures threatening the agency’s ability to serve the public. Read more
• NDAA provisions would restore DoD collective bargaining and keep the A-76 ban. Proposed defense-bill language would restore collective bargaining rights for Defense Department workers and retain the prohibition on A-76 contracting-out studies. Read more
• Unions vow to “remember in November” on more ICE funding. Labor groups say they’ll hold lawmakers accountable at the ballot box over expanded immigration-enforcement spending, per People’s World. Read more

Have a question about how any of this affects you or your job? Reach out to the Local — we’re here to help.

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