Trump removes union protections for VA employees across Virginia

By Zamone Perez

President Donald Trump stripped more federal employees of their union rights this month, this time at the Department of Veterans Affairs and Environmental Protection Agency. On August 10, Trump revoked the collective bargaining rights of over 370,000 federal employees at the VA. Over 700,000 Virginians are veterans, and thousands more work at VA facilities across the Commonwealth.

“What they’re wanting to do is push the agenda to privatize the VA, and we strongly believe that as federal workers, that we are the first union to be attacked,” said Westmoreland. “But also, we believe in the VA, and we want all patients to be serviced at the VA.”

The Trump administration defends the move, saying removing unions will improve veteran care and help implement reforms to the agency.

They also point out that nearly 2,000 union employees spent around 750,000 hours on union activity during the work day while being paid with taxpayer dollars.

Employees at the EPA were also notified that their contracts were being terminated, just days after the VA announcement. Westmoreland said a lack of union protections at the federal level could make some workers too scared to come forward if a problem arises.

“Nurses and other workers will feel intimidated and possibly silenced, and not bring forth issues that could lead to patient safety issues,” said Westmoreland, “like unsafe staffing, or when they need things, or there’s something going on that they know needs to be reported – but they could be afraid because the union contracts protected people.”

The Commonwealth is home to major VA medical centers in Richmond, Hampton and Salem.

Related: Trump pushes to end union rights for many federal workers