Senator Mazie Hirono and other lawmakers have urged VA Secretary Doug Collins to exempt agency employees from a recent executive order by President Donald Trump. The order seeks to eliminate labor rights for public servants at the VA and similar agencies. The lawmakers voiced their concerns in a letter to Collins, highlighting the potential negative effects on veterans and VA employees.
"This [executive order] allows you to request an exemption for any groups within the Department that should be allowed to retain their union representation – it is imperative that you do so before more harm is done to veterans and the employees who deliver their high-quality care and benefits at VA," the lawmakers stated. They expressed opposition to efforts to undermine union protections and collective bargaining agreements.
The deadline for the VA to submit an exemption for its employees is set for April 11. Federal employee unions have also filed a lawsuit against the Trump Administration regarding the canceled bargaining agreements.
The lawmakers noted the impact on the significant number of VA employees who are union members and the potential consequences on the workforce. "Seventy-nine percent of VA employees, many of whom are veterans themselves, are represented by organized labor unions, and every one of them is key to VA’s ability to deliver on its sacred mission," they emphasized.
The letter also highlighted the crucial role of labor protections in past investigations and legislation implementations, including the PACT Act. The destruction of these protections is seen as a way to further complicate the VA’s mission by increasing costs and enabling misconduct. "The destruction of workforce protections at VA discourages employees from speaking up and pushes key information on waste, fraud, and abuse into the shadows," the lawmakers warned.
The initiative is supported by 22 senators and 106 representatives, all underscoring the potential harm of the executive order. They describe the directive as primarily retaliatory and urge Secretary Collins to take action to safeguard the interests and rights of VA employees.
The letter calls for quickly defending the VA workforce by requesting a waiver for all employees, reinforcing the union's critical role in maintaining a stable and effective federal workforce.