Unions: healthcare for veterans suffering from White House labor action

Unions representing government workers say chronic understaffing, job cuts and what they call union-busting by the White House are hindering services for the 60,000 veterans in Connecticut, and millions more around the country, who get their healthcare through the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).

“Longer wait times, harder to get in touch with people,” says Navy veteran Tim McLaughlin, national representative for American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) Region 2, listing some of the problems.
“When they go to the private community for care the VA is sending them to, they’re getting bills… and when they call to get those bills taken care of, there’s nobody to help them.”

Army veteran Sherri Vogt says the VA set up her mammogram with an outside doctor, but, “Somehow, some billing mistake was made, and I received the bill. And if I don’t pay it, I’m going end up with that going to collections. Talk about stress.”

In addition to plans to cut 30,000 jobs at the VA this year, the White House recently cancelled collective bargaining agreements with agency workers, stripping 400 thousand VA employees, many of them veterans themselves, of their union negotiating rights.

“You’re telling me that it’s ok that they (veterans) can go and possibly die for our country,” asks McLaughlin, “but can’t form a union in their workplace?”

In wiping out those union contracts, Trump-appointed Secretary Doug Collins made the contested claim that the VA is a national security agency, not a healthcare agency, and is therefore not subject to federal labor law.

“The only reason for this action is vengeance, retribution, retaliation,” says Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), who joined union members at the VA here, “for speaking the truth. This union (AFGE) speaks truth to power.”

Rep. John Larson (D-CT), who was also here, says the agency has been targeted for cuts to an unfair extreme by the Trump Adminstration as it ventures to seek out “waste, fraud and abuse.”

“How could you possibly label the veterans of this nation as fraud, abuse and waste?” asked Larson. “Does any American feel that a veteran and his service are fraudulent?”

The unions claim the White House has a wider goal than simple cost-slashing and union-busting. They say the administration wants to ultimately privatize the VA, something the agency denies.

“It’s a farce. It’s all a muse to bust the union,” says the union rep, McLaughlin. “Because the union is the only thing in the way of him (Trump) and his people making tons of money off of these facilities and privatizing these services.”