FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 07, 2025
July 07, 2025
Contact:
Brittany Holder
(202) 737-8700
[email protected]
AFGE Celebrates Veterans Affairs Decision to Abolish Plans for Mass Layoffs
Categories:
VA, Veterans, AFGE National President
AFGE President Everett Kelley urges other federal agencies to abandon misguided, Musk-driven reduction-in-force plans
WASHINGTON – Following the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) decision to reverse course on its mass reorganization plans, which included layoffs of more than 80,000 employees through a reduction-in-force (RIF), American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) National President Everett Kelley issued the following statement:
“From the beginning, AFGE has made it clear: we would not stand by while the Department of Veterans Affairs attempted to dismantle the workforce our nation’s veterans rely on. The original plan was to eliminate more than 80,000 jobs—15% of the VA’s workforce—under Elon Musk’s DOGE initiative. But because AFGE members across the country raised our voices, built coalitions, and took action, that plan was stopped in its tracks.
“This is a major victory for federal workers, for veterans, and for the American people. We pushed back because we knew the ability of veterans to get the care and benefits they’ve earned was at stake.
“But let’s be clear: we’re not out of the woods yet. While the VA has walked back the worst of its proposed cuts, the agency has still reduced staffing by nearly 17,000 positions so far this year and plans to eliminate thousands more through September. We will be watching closely to ensure the department follows the law and honors our union contracts. We’ll also be paying close attention to the impact these smaller cuts may still have on care delivery for our veterans.
“What we’ve learned through this fight is that organizing works. When federal workers and veterans’ advocates speak out with one voice, we can stop even the most extreme proposals. And if this administration continues down the path of privatization, mass layoffs, and unlawful reorganizations, they will hear from us again.
“Finally, I urge other agencies still pursuing Elon Musk-driven RIFs to follow Secretary Collins’ lead and abandon these misguided plans. Right now, 61,000 employees at the Department of Defense, 10,000 at Health and Human Services, 7,000 at the Social Security Administration, and half of the staff at the Department of Education — among many, many others are moving forward with these flawed plans. The federal government cannot function without a strong, stable, and supported federal workforce—and we will continue fighting to ensure that’s what every agency delivers.”
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