Veterans Affairs Ends Most Union Contracts to Boost Employee Focus
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announced the termination of collective bargaining agreements with most of its unions, aiming to enhance employee focus on performance and service delivery. VA Secretary Doug Collins emphasized that unions often hinder the department’s mission by prioritizing the protection of underperforming employees over the interests of veterans. “Too often, unions that represent VA employees fight against the best interests of Veterans while protecting and rewarding bad workers,” he stated.
The decision to cut these contracts follows an executive order issued by President Donald Trump in March 2023, which sought to limit the labor relations programs of certain federal agencies. This move responds to a growing sentiment within the VA to ensure that its workforce remains dedicated to providing high-quality care to veterans.
Last year, the VA reported approximately 1,900 bargaining-unit employees who collectively devoted around 750,000 hours of taxpayer-funded labor to union-related activities. In 2016, the VA’s expenditures on union time reached an unprecedented $49 million, making it the highest spending federal agency in this regard, according to data from the U.S. Office of Personnel Management. By 2019, that figure had decreased to $21 million.
Changes in Union Negotiation Rights
Under the Federal Service Labor Management Relations Statute, federal unions are restricted from negotiating on employee benefits and salaries. However, these unions retain the ability to negotiate workplace conditions. The VA had previously stopped withholding union fees from most employees’ paychecks in April 2023, further limiting union influence within the department.
The recent terminations affect several major unions, including the American Federation of Government Employees, the National Association of Government Employees, and the National Nurses Organizing Committee/National Nurses United. Notably, the contracts for approximately 4,000 security guards, police officers, and firefighters associated with the VA remain intact. Those positions were not influenced by the president’s executive order.
The VA, which ranks as the second-largest federal agency, is now set to implement these changes in an effort to redirect resources and personnel towards fulfilling its core mission: providing exemplary care and service to veterans who have served their country. This strategic shift reflects a broader effort to streamline operations and enhance accountability within the agency, aligning employee efforts with the fundamental goals of the VA.
