The US Department of Veterans Affairs is making big changes to its operations. The VA is ending its union deals with a large number of federal unions, terminating all right to collective bargaining. This decision is expected to affect around 400,000 federal workers who had thus far been allowed to negotiate their own terms through union contracts. The executive order signed in March has largely been the cause of the VA’s decision against unions, sparking considerable controversy that has left many workers frustrated.
The VA is reportedly terminating contracts with five major unions, namely the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), the National Federation of Federal Employees (NFFE), the National Association of Government Employees (NAGE), the National Nurses Organizing Committee/National Nurses United (NNOC/NNU), and the Service Employees International Union (SEIU). As VA employees lose bargaining rights, the agency has explained that this move is for the benefit of its veteran compatriots.
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The VA Is Ending Union Deals Among Major Federal Forces
On August 6, the VA announced the termination of collective bargaining contracts with major federal unions, stating that this will allow staff to “spend more time with Veterans.” The VA currently has a total workforce of 483,000 employees, and the large majority of them will be affected by the change. The decision coincides with reported federal staffing reductions, with the VA planning to cut approximately 30,000 jobs by the end of fiscal year 2025.
The VA’s union decision follows a March 2025 executive order by the President that eliminated collective bargaining rights for many federal workers, citing “national security” concerns. The order targeted unions that were perceived to oppose the administration’s agenda, with the White House fact sheet claiming that certain federal unions had “declared war” on the presidential agenda.
The Department of Veterans Affairs’ union termination was enabled by a federal appeals court ruling this month, which lifted a preliminary injunction that had previously blocked federal agencies from canceling union contracts. This ruling allowed the VA to move forward despite earlier Office of Personnel Management guidance advising against making changes until the litigation challenging the order was resolved. Approximately 4,000 police officers, firefighters, and security personnel will be exempted from the effects of this executive order.
Why Are VA Employees Losing Bargaining Rights?
The VA has a couple of different reasons for ending union collective bargaining contracts apart from the executive order. The department claimed that unions were diverting resources from veteran care. It claimed that in 2024, nearly 2,000 union employees spent over 750,00 hours on “taxpayer-funded union time,” which the VA said could be redirected to aiding the veterans instead.
The VA argued that the move would allow leaders to promote high-performing employees, hold poor performers accountable, free up office space, and improve benefits and services for veterans, all of which they claimed union inefficiencies were holding up.
“Too often, unions that represent VA employees fight against the best interests of veterans while protecting and rewarding bad workers,” VA Secretary Doug Collins said in a statement. “We’re making sure VA resources and employees are singularly focused on the job we were sent here to do: providing top-notch care and service to those who wore the uniform.”
Unions Continue to Resist the Changes
As the VA ends most of its union contracts, the unions continue to fight the changes. “[The] decision to rip up the negotiated union contract for the majority of its workforce is another clear example of retaliation against AFGE members for speaking out against the illegal, anti-worker, and anti-veteran policies of this administration,” AFGE National President Everett Kelley explained in a statement.
The National Nurses United union has also spoken out against the change and reiterated that their right to collectively bargain should be constitutionally protected and “cannot be swept away through an overreach of an executive order based on spurious claims.” The AFGE is expected to continue exploring its options for challenging the VA’s decision on unions and restoring its members’ rights back to them, but it is unclear what options are available to them.
The Impact of the Department of Veterans Affairs’ Union Terminations Remains to Be Seen
Critics, including lawmakers and nursing organizations, worry that the combined impact of contract terminations and workforce reductions could compromise veteran care quality, particularly in light of staffing shortages. The decision has drawn significant ire, with unions and advocates accusing the administration of silencing workers and prioritizing political agendas over veteran welfare.
With the VA ending union deals, the change has dealt a big blow to the strength of unions across the country, throwing into doubt their own freedom to negotiate contracts with employers in the coming years.
Just this week, Boeing union employees announced a strike against their employer, and the contract negotiations have currently been halted due to Boeing’s inability to offer a deal that satisfied workers. With the federal union changes as they stand, many worry that union representation in the private sector will suffer similarly in the coming months.
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