The VA is terminating union contracts, likely the first of many departments

The Department of Veterans Affairs announced it is terminating collective bargaining agreements for most of its unionized employees. This is the first of what is expected to be many union contract terminations across the federal government, to align departments with a presidential executive order. 

The VA said the termination will help it better manage staff and make personnel decisions based on performance. 

“Too often, unions that represent VA employees fight against the best interests of Veterans while protecting and rewarding bad workers,” VA Secretary Doug Collins said in a statement. “We’re making sure VA resources and employees are singularly focused on the job we were sent here to do: providing top-notch care and service to those who wore the uniform.”

Which unions are impacted?

The impacted contracts are with the following unions: American Federation of Government Employees, AFL-CIO (AFGE); National Association of Government Employees (NAGE); National Federation of Federal Employees (NFFE); National Nurses Organizing Committee/National Nurses United (NNOC/NNU); and the Service Employees International Union (SEIU). 

The VA’s 4,000 police officers, firefighters and security guards will not be impacted. 

Labor union criticizes decision

The American Federation of Government Employees said it was outraged by Secretary Doug Collins’ decision to terminate union contracts. The AFGE was the VA’s largest union, representing 320,000 employees. It said it was assessing its options to challenge the decision. 

“Secretary Collins’ decision to rip up the negotiated union contract for majority of its workforce is another clear example of retaliation against AFGE members for speaking out against the illegal, anti-worker, and anti-veteran policies of this administration,” AFGE National President Everett Kelley said in a statement. 

The AFGE accused Collins of terminating the contract because it has fought against recommendations at the VA that it says would have led to the closure of rural VA hospitals and clinics, and cut 83,000 jobs. 

President Trump signed an executive order on March 27 that allowed federal departments and agencies with national security missions to end collective bargaining with federal unions. The list of departments that fell under the order is extensive. It includes: the VA, Departments of State, Justice, Defense and Treasury, in addition to numerous agencies within the Departments of the Interior, Homeland Security, Health and Human Services and Energy. 

The White House said that the president needs a responsive and accountable civil service to protect national security. It also said certain federal unions have “declared war” on President Trump’s agenda. 

The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled last week that 21 agencies can move forward with union contract terminations. A separate appeals court also allowed the Trump administration to move forward in May. 
The court determined at the time that unions didn’t have a legal standing to sue because the administration said it would not end any collective bargaining agreements while the case was being litigated. Those same organizations could now go back to the court and ask for an injunction to prevent further action from the Trump administration.