AFGE Urges Congress to Avoid Government Shutdown
September 18, 2023
AFGE is urging members of Congress not to repeat the same mistakes they made a few years ago.
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Most Vacancies Are for Doctors and Nurses, Say VA Employees
November 16, 2017
Doctors, nurses, physician assistants, and other healthcare professionals continue to demand Congress fully fund the Department of Veterans Affairs and fill the 49,000 vacancies at VA hospitals nationwide. Understaffing these facilities denies veterans the critical care they deserve and were promised when they signed up to serve our country.
On Nov. 15, a group of AFGE members held signs in front of the Bath VA hospital in New York saying: “No Vet Should Wait in Line,” “Don’t Dismantle My VA,” and “49,000 Vacancies Is a Disgrace.”
"How do we properly care for our veterans?" asked Richard Howard, a veteran and president of AFGE Local 491. "They talk about timely care. They're setting us up for failure and it's not against the local leadership at this VA. They're very good, but their hands are tied. They're tied by Congress and the administration."
Similar demonstrations were held across the country including at the VA hospital in Austin, Texas, on Nov. 14. AFGE Local 1745 President Terry Lendo said most of the 49,000 unfilled jobs are for doctors, nurses, and other healthcare professionals.
“We want Congress to staff the VA properly,” Lendo said. “We all feel that if the VA is staffed properly it will succeed, thus negating the (need) of privatization.”
VA employees in Temple, Texas, and Winston-Salem, Virginia, also held rallies last week.
Recent AFGE News:
Veteran Employee Appreciation Week Brings Together Labor and Management in Detroit, Serves as Model for Nation
September 18, 2023
A week of Veteran Employee Recognition activities is held at the John D. Dingell VA Medical Center.
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The Activist: Juan Ibarra, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
September 18, 2023
The seventh episode of AFGE’s new series, The Activist, highlighting our union members who have stepped up to help make a difference in the lives of their colleagues and our government.
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