VA terminates union contracts for most bargaining-unit employees

The move will ensure VA stays focused on Veterans instead of spending millions of taxpayer dollars and approximately 750,000 hours per year on union activities

News Release from Department of Veterans Affairs, August 6, 2025

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs today announced the termination of collective bargaining agreements for most VA bargaining-unit employees, a move that will make it easier for VA leaders to promote high-performing employees, hold poor performers accountable, and improve benefits and services to America’s Veterans.

The announcement comes in response to President Trump’s executive order that excludes certain federal agencies from labor-management relations programs. In accordance with the same EO, VA on April 25 stopped withholding union dues from most employees’ paychecks.

VA today notified the following unions that, effective immediately, pursuant to the EO their contracts with VA have been terminated for most bargaining-unit employees: American Federation of Government Employees, AFL-CIO (AFGE); National Association of Government Employees (NAGE); National Federation of Federal Employees (NFFE); National Nurses Organizing Committee/National Nurses United (NNOC/NNU); and the Service Employees International Union (SEIU).

Contracts covering the roughly 4,000 VA police officers, firefighters or security guards represented by these unions will remain in place, as those occupations are exempt from the EO.

This decision is good news for Veterans, families, caregivers and survivors for several reasons:

• VA staff will spend more time with Veterans: In 2024 alone, over 1,900 VA bargaining-unit employees spent more than 750,000 hours of work on taxpayer funded union time – including some who are paid more than $200,000 a year. With no collective bargaining obligations, those hours can now be used to serve Veterans instead of union bosses.
• VA facilities can focus on treating Veterans instead of hosting unions: More than 187,000 square feet of VA’s office and clinical space is currently being used by union representatives, free of charge. This has cost VA millions of dollars in lost rent and expenses for union bosses’ government phones and computer equipment. Today’s decision will ensure VA facilities are fully focused on helping Veterans get the care and benefits they’ve earned, instead of serving as free regional offices for unions that oppose our efforts to improve VA.
• VA can manage its staff according to Veterans’ needs, not union demands: Labor contracts have restricted managers’ ability to hire, promote and reward high-performing employees, hold poor performers accountable and implement reforms to better serve Veterans. Today’s decision frees VA managers to act in the best interests of Veterans rather than union bosses.

“Too often, unions that represent VA employees fight against the best interests of Veterans while protecting and rewarding bad workers,” said VA Secretary Doug Collins. “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.”

Background
VA-employee unions have repeatedly opposed significant, bipartisan VA reforms and rewarded bad employees for misconduct. Examples include:
• AFGE, NFFE and NNOC/NNU opposed the MISSION Act, a law that makes it easier for Veterans to get health care.
• NFFE supports rescinding the VA Accountability and Whistleblower Protection Act, a law designed to protect whistleblowers and hold employees accountable for misconduct.
• AFGE worked hand-in-hand with the Biden Administration to reinstate more than 100 former employees fired for misconduct during the first Trump Administration and pay nearly $134 million to some 1,700 former VA employees who were fired for misconduct during President Trump’s first term.

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COVERAGE:

NPR March, 2025: Trump moves to end union rights for federal employees : NPR

FC May, 2025: Court allows Trump to strip union rights for federal workers - Fast Company

NYT: Trump administration strips federal workers of union rights | Honolulu Star-Advertiser

NW: VA terminates federal union contracts: What to know

GE: VA terminates most of its union contracts, appearing to disregard OPM guidance - Government Executive

MT: VA severs ties with most federal unions, terminating worker contracts

SAS: VA ends contracts for most of its unionized employees | Stars and Stripes