3441 Brandon Avenue, SW • Roanoke, VA 24018 • (540) 345-6301 • Email: PresidentLee@afgenvac. government workers across the United States and the world. AFGE, AFL-CIO 80 F Street, NW Washington, DC 20001 Tel: 202-639-6424 Fax: 202-379-2928 christopher. Reprimand 14 days 14 days Removal Removal 27. C. AFGE is denouncing a proposal from President Trump’s Veterans Affairs Secretary Robert Wilkie that would strip 250,000 employees in the Department of Veterans Affairs of many of the rights and protections they’ve won through collective bargaining. Legislative Resources;. By becoming an AFGE member, you’ll join the 750,000 government employees represented by AFGE who are fighting for better pay, retirement, and job security. Harris to represent them watched as she was escorted out of meetings and off the Medical Center. The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) is the largest federal employee union representing 750,000 federal and D. involving 38 U. LaborPress. Official Time: Provides union officials with representational time during which they can defend [email protected] NATIONAL VETERANS AFFAIRS COUNCIL American Federation of Government Employees AFFILIATED WITH THE AFL-CIO ALMA L. Click here to find your AFGE Local number. Seventy-eight percent of employees surveyed nationwide at the Department of Veterans Affairs this month reported that racism is a moderate to serious problem at the VA, according to data collected by the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) National VA Council. Gerry Connolly (D-Va. If. “Our union celebrates the signing of the PACT Act, as the 283,000 VA employees we represent look forward to caring for the heroes who have been left without critical medical assistance for far too long,” said Alma Lee, president of AFGE National VA Council, which represents VA workers. AFGE welcomes Phil Glover, Dan Doyle, and Gregg James as new National Vice Presidents for District 3, 4, and 8 respectively. AFGE Wins Arbitration Against VA Over Bad Faith Bargaining. The VA and AFGE executed a national collective bargaining agreement on March 15, 2011 (hereinafter “VA/AFGE Master Agreement”). Here are some frequently asked questions about paid parental leave for federal employees: 1. Health care workers continued to face a mental health crisis as they reported more days of poor mental health in 2022 than in 2018. This significant achievement showcases the relentless pursuit of a contract prioritizing VA employees and veterans. Department of Veterans Affairs Labor Management Relations | DVA /AFGE Master Agreement 3 ARTICLE 1 - RECOGNITION AND COVERAGE Section 1 - Exclusive Representative AFGE is recognized as the sole and exclusive representative for all of those previously certified nonprofessional and professional employees, full-time,March 30, 2020. Today, the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) National VA Council, AFL-CIO, the largest union representing 283,000 Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) employees, and the Veterans Healthcare Policy Institute (VHPI) are calling on VA leadership and Congress to fully fund, staff and expand VA resources after shocking. provided in Article 22 or can use USA Staffing. government employee, fill out form 277 . “We’re talking about people that were injured by being blown up by IEDs [improvised explosive devices]. AFGE’s National VA Council and the Department of Veterans Affairs have reached a tentative agreement that defends critical. Don’t be fooled by the political leadership’s propaganda about how the MISSION Act will help veterans. SECTION 2 – NOTIFICATION . • True or False VA/AFGE Master Agreement Training: General Employee Rights 26 Article 17, Section 16 Counseling The picket was to spotlight the issue. , interviews, surveys, or other data collection methods) when asking about conditions of employment of bargaining unit employees. 27. In a recent decision by an independent arbitrator, the Department of Veterans Affairs was found to be in violation of the existing Master Agreement between the VA and the. , in a recent letter to Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary Anthony J. Veterans Affairs (DVA) and the National VA Council (NVAC) of AFGE. S. AFGE’s National Veterans Affairs Council (NVAC) and the Department of Veterans Affairs are getting ready to renegotiate a new contract following a historic July 20 settlement in which the VA agreed to restore workplace rights and overturn anti-worker policies implemented by the Trump administration during the past four. Erich Wagner March 29, 2021 Today, the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), the largest union representing more than 291,000 Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) employees, and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) reached a tentative agreement (TA) that modernizes VA hiring procedures and rolls over the remainder of the union’s 2011 master collective bargaining agreement for the next three years. Oscar L. Per unit, not per person. the Department will not oppose any AFGE petition to represent employees who are assigned to that CBOC . In situations when counseling is involved, oral counseling must be private so no union representation is allowed. According to the VA’s 2023 first quarter vacancy report, VA turnover has been increasing in recent quarters and is now at nearly 10%, compared with 6. “VA employees across the country are speaking out against these corrupt business interests with a clear message: it’s time to put people ahead of profits,” said National President J. If you are a D. Together, we work to build a government that. The Department of Veterans Affairs is no longer using a Trump-era policy that would allow it to more easily fire officials. It took more than five years. AFGE is a democratic organization in which the members of each Local decide the Local's dues structure. If an unrepresented CBOC (or similar entity) is staffed by new employees, and is under the administrative control of a facility entirely represented by AFGE, the Department will not oppose any AFGE election petition toThe Benefits of Joining AFGE. A: In order to end your government dues deduction and sign up via AFGE E-Dues, you need to drop your current payroll deduction first. , expressed outrage after VCL management denied. AFGE Veterans Affairs Local 2280 President Benjamin Balkum has spoken out against poor practices at the Iron Mountain VA hospital that hurt quality of care for veterans. Williams said other VA offices have noted the results and wanted to add more remote workers, too. senate committee on veterans’ affairs hearing on “the va workforce: assessing ways to bolster recruitment and retention” may 3, 2022 american federation of government employees, afl-cio 80 f street, n. Union Plus Life Insurance includes a valuable feature that waives premiums for three months if a union member is out of work due to a union-sanctioned strike, layoff or lockout lasting 30 days or more. C. , serves as our Second Executive Vice President of AFGE National VA Council, and also the 7th District Representative for Council #59. AFGE Local 14 is the union’s new at-large chapter in Europe and welcomed a handful of initial members in recent months before officially announcing its activation Thursday. C. Chief negotiators from both sides signed the tentative agreement on April 6, 2023, the date that will kick-start the 60-day ratification process. org. 31, 2020. The Federal Salary Council comprises three presidential appointees and. S. VA/AFGE Master Agreement Training: Hours of Work and Compensation 17 Valid Operational Needs Group Discussion Group Discussion VA/AFGE Master Agreement Training: Hours of Work and Compensation 18 Article 35, Section 2 Annual Leave • J. S. “In order to have the best health care system for all the veterans, then you have to treat your employees right,” he said. Private hospital executives are plotting to take over veterans' heath care. VA/AFGE Master Agreement: Grievances, Arbitration and Bargaining Grievance, Arbitration and BargainingApril 29, 2019. AFGE, Local 3937, 66 FLRA 393. It is the most effective form of pre-decisional involvement that there can be. m. August 14, 2023. October 16, 2023. They recommend closing 160+ VA medical centers, 1,000+ VA community health clinics, and forcing the VA’s 6. Department of Veterans Affairs and the American Federation of Government Employees (2011) dated March 15, 2011 ("2011 Agreement") and national Memoranda of Understanding. Employees must be scheduled to work. Coronavirus. 1% governmentwide. government workers nationwide and overseas. S. S. You’ll be happy to learn that overwhelmingly the best part of their jobs is to help others and make a difference. The Trump administration was delivered another blow against its attempts to undo our apolitical civil service system and dismantle unions across the country. A: Contact Membership & Organization at (202) 639-6410 or email modquestions@afge. He pointed out in the May 18, 2021 letter that vaccination rates and immunity levels had increased greatly throughout the country and also pointed to various examples of languishing services being provided to taxpayers due to federal employees being absent from their offices, such as the IRS saying that it was struggling to provide adequate. The Department of Veterans Affairs announced Nov. must be allowed to telework until the coronavirus crisis ends. Harnage, Sr. Lee, President, AFGE/NVAC William Wetmore, Chairperson, Grievance and Arbitration Committee, AFGE/NVAC Ibidun Roberts,. L. A Strong Voice for America's Veterans. VA more than $3 million, BOP more than $200 million, Immigration and. Members Services, which pays bills, has also gone remote as well. Dep’t of Veterans Affairs Med. 6682), sponsored by Representatives Connor Lamb (PA-17) and Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-1) to protect VA workers from being. Dep’t of Veterans Affairs, No. Last updated June 16, 2023. AFGE, which represents nearly 70 percent of the VA workforce, has been a leading voice and expert in the fight to protect veterans’ health care from wholesale privatization for. The AFGE’s deputy counsel, Rushab Sanghvi, ahead of the ruling, stated in an email that the dues increase did not pass muster after finding that the president at the time, Gloria Dunham-Anderson, had not first put the dues to increase to a secret-ballot vote of the local’s members. VISN 7. From the most membership net growth in seven years to a new law granting full retirement benefits to first responders and law enforcement officers injured on the job, 2022 has been nothing short of a great year for AFGE members. The VA and AFGE have a semi-annual labor-management forum scheduled for next month, at which Dargon said the demand to replace the chief negotiator will be “at the top of the agenda. Considering that one third of federal civil servants are veterans, AFGE has the capacity to influence Congress, but only if union veterans are effectively organized and mobilized. Fredna was the first woman to serve as president of AFGE Local 1822 in Waco, Texas, and was an active retiree member of the AFGE National VA Council. Although VA reports a net hiring of 7,364 employees. involving 38 U. We routinely hear from our members who wish to make disclosures about problemsA Strong Voice for America's Veterans. Don Beyer, D-Va. Terms. American Federation of Government Employees National President Everett Kelley issued the following statement prior to the anticipated public release of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) recommendations that, if accepted, would shutter large segments of the VA health care system, deny veterans their preferred choice in. AFGE is generally pleased with the budget request. Toll-free Benefits Line: (888) 844-2343. AFGE says ‘abusive practices’ by contractors have ‘directly harmed veterans’ WASHINGTON – Yesterday the nation’s largest federal union, the American Federation of Government Employees, sent a letter to the House and Senate Veterans’ Affairs leadership calling for an investigation into the two main contractors running the controversial Choice. In order to prevent adverse impact on the federal workforce, AFGE is asking the Trump administration to allow federal workers to decide whether they want to participate in the administration’s plan to defer payroll tax between now and the end of the year -- a scam that will leave workers with a huge tax bill just after the holidays, saddling them. U. Do this by contacting your local union representative to submit your Agency Dues Cancellation Form (SF-1188 or, if you work in TSA, Form SF-1158). Every day, these workers strive to make sure our veterans have access to the best healthcare and benefits possible. With the support of our members and AFGE VA Locals, NVAC has been fighting hard to protect the rights of VA employees and the dedicated union officials who represent them. J. A few weeks ago, she was not feeling well and was experiencing a shortness of breath. The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) is the largest federal employee union representing 700,000 federal and D. It remains the for unions in the Federal Sector. S. Politics Biden administration The 202s Polling. So far, VA employees and veterans have organized 38 rallies in 19 states: Alabama, Alaska, California. Williams said other VA offices have noted the results and wanted to add more remote workers, too. 6 million patients to seek medical assistance using a voucher system – essentially a health care coupon. Section 4: EPA shall post a current list of AFGE Council 238 national bargaining units as certified by the FLRA on the Agency’s intranet site. AFGE B. In a major victory for AFGE National VA Council, an arbitrator recently ruled that the Department of Veterans Affairs has engaged in bad faith bargaining and ordered the agency to cease and desist its pattern of unlawful conduct and go back to the bargaining table to negotiate in good faith with the. A. S. Disputed cost estimates. This significant. On March 14, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) submitted a devastating set of recommendations to the Asset Infrastructure Review (AIR) Commission, that would result in a vast privatization of Veterans’ healthcare by closing hundreds of clinics, at least three entire medical centers and adversely affect hundreds of other. government workers represented by AFGE District 14 and asked them about their jobs, what people get wrong, what they wish people knew, and what they love most about their jobs. Government Employees, AFL-CIO (AFGE) through its agent, Council 171, and its affiliated locals 054, 201, 294, 400, 1148, 1411, 1986, 2302, 2324 and 3283, hereinafter. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), the Federal Adjustment of Income Rates or FAIR Act (H. The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) (collectively, the Parties) hereby agree to settle all disputes arising out of AFGE’s National GrievanceHere are 7 things you may not know about the VA and its workforce: 1. On behalf of the American Federation of Government Employees, AFL-CIO (AFGE), which represents more than 700,000 federal and District of Columbia government employees in more than 70 federal agencies, I write to share our position on the following amendments to H. In a major victory for AFGE and employees at the VA, the Federal Labor Relations Authority (FLRA) rejected the VA’s latest appeal. 16 that they are inviting AFGE locals back. The Veterans Affairs Department is restoring its previous contract with AFGE, which allows access to official time and union office space in department facilities. E. , who urged the Trump administration to allow federal workers to opt out of the tax deferral plan that defers payroll taxes between Sept. November 20, 2023. M. Congratulations to two more AFGE members who won election on Nov. VA and the American Federation of Government Employees leaders signed a master collective bargaining agreement Tuesday, updating the terms of their labor contract for the first time in more than a decade. Our union applauds a bipartisan group of 43 House lawmakers led by Rep. October 10, 2023. miller@afge. A grievance concerning an RN’s annual proficiency rating is a matter or question concerning or arising out of professional conduct or competence within the meaning of 38 U. Veterans. • Hearing a Veteran’s name being called out for an appointment or when the Veteran is being transported/escorted to and from an appointment. C. Holding signs that read “Dignity, Fairness, Respect”, a group of workers Nov. zatratz@afge. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has been dragging its feet and failed to reach a single agreement with AFGE after 14 weeks of contract negotiations. On Tuesday, negotiations over a new collective bargaining agreement began between the American Federation of Government Employees’ National VA Council (AFGE NVAC), the largest union representing over 283,000 VA workers, and the Veterans Affairs (VA) Department. September 06, 2022. Rally to call for an 8. Department of Veterans Affairs for failing to produce the comple te results of the 2020 All Employee Survey (AES) to AFGE Locals. AFGE welcomes the GAO’s investigation. WASHINGTON—The top federal workers union, the Government Employees (AFGE), formally charged the Veterans Affairs Department and the Bureau of Prisons, with endangering the health and. AFGE-VA Settlement Agreement . Protect the integrity of the competitive civil service by preventing any future administration from reviving the Trump-era Schedule F, which could be used to arbitrarily. In October 2017 – months before President Trump issued an executive order evicting unions from federal facilities – Local 2779 moved itself out of the Veterans Affairs hospital in Gainesville, Florida. org. “The. In a. Toll-free Benefits Line: (888) 844-2343. AFGE represents more than 700,000 federal and District of Columbia government employees, 260,000 of whom are dedicated Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) employees. “In order to. that the alleged mismanagement at Detroit ’s John D. 1279 – Veterans Health Administration Reform Act of 2017Here are the 5 challenges facing the new VA secretary: 1. the Department will not oppose any AFGE petition to represent employees who are assigned to that CBOC . • **L. In a memo to AFGE Local 12 members first acquired by Bloomberg BNA, Cox imposed a trusteeship on the local, removing its officers and placing AFGE National Representative Nate Nelson at the helm. Lee, President, AFGE/NVAC William Wetmore, Chairperson, Grievance and Arbitration Committee, AFGE/NVAC Thomas Dargon, Jr.