Stories from VA Workers on the COVID Crisis Frontlines

08/27/2020

For more information on holding a Labor Day action at your VA, email [email protected]

08/07/2020

Minority staffers at other VA facilities also spoke of being insulted by colleagues and patients, and facing barriers to promotion that they felt were tied to race. About 12.3 percent of white VA workers hold senior leadership roles, compared with 3.8 percent of Black workers, according to 2018 government data, the most recent figures publicly available.

More than half of the survey's respondents said they have witnessed racism against the veterans VA serves.

07/21/2020

VA leadership has allowed a culture that perpetuates racism at the agency to go unchecked. They should be ashamed of the daily reality for the majority of our union brothers and sisters, who dedicate their lives to serving our veterans.

Sign up here to join our members’ webinar on Systemic Racism at the VA tomorrow, 7/22 at 7pm ET:

Welcome! You are invited to join a webinar: Systemic Racism at the VA. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email about joining the webinar.

07/17/2020

Send Wilkie a message.

07/16/2020

SIGN THE PETITION

Demand VA Secretary Robert Wilkie listen to our concerns!

Together, we’re working to ensure the VA has adequate supplies of PPE, clear communication and guidelines with workers’ safety in mind, and a fair contract for all workers

For decades, frontline workers have warned management about issues that threatened their safety and ability to carry out the agency’s mission of serving our veterans. Yet, the agency has continued to ignore our pleas and our proposals during the collective bargaining process.

We’re done waiting for VA management to do the right thing. It’s time to take action: Send Secretary Wilkie a message demanding the VA take our concerns seriously and to come back to the bargaining table to address them.

Enter your information to get started.

Tell VA Sec. Wilkie: We won’t be ignored. VA staff need protection now.

06/25/2020

This devaluing of VA employees mirrors the Trump administration’s approach to the new collective bargaining agreement. Instead of negotiating in good faith, the VA has deliberately forced the process into an impasse by offering a number of insufficient and outright illegal proposals.

At a time of unprecedented strain on our health care system, VA workers should be treated with the dignity and respect they deserve. If only for one simple reason: because no one is expendable.

05/25/2020

05/22/2020

Call your representative today at 1-877-633-9308!

You can read more about the HEROES Act here: https://www.afge.org/publication/heroes-act-prioritizes-workers-on-front-lines-of-coronavirus-pandemic-largest-federal-union-says/

05/14/2020

The Veterans Health Administration is tracking 1,293 coronavirus cases among its employees since March, according to the department’s public data. The department has also announced a phased plan for…

05/08/2020

At least 811 veterans have died of the coronavirus, according to the Department of Veterans Affairs. More than 10,000 VA patients, including veterans and employees, have tested positive. After reports of shortages and rationing, VA says all of its employees treating patients will receive masks.