Minnesota VA Workers Decry Loss of Bargaining Rights

(Adobe Stock via Minnesota News Connection)

(By Mike Moen. Minnesota News Connection – Workers from several federal agencies are seeing their collective bargaining rights terminated, with new action this month by the Trump administration.

The Department of Veterans Affairs is part of the mix, and VA hospital staff in Minnesota call it a “betrayal.” The Department of Health and Human Services said it was following up on an executive order by no longer recognizing union activity and contracts. A similar move was announced by the VA in early August.

Jake Romans, registered nurse at the Minneapolis VA Medical Center, said at an AFL-CIO rally this week the White House is turning its back on those who served by diminishing the quality of care.

“This isn’t about helping veterans; it’s about abandoning them,” Romans contended. “It’s about starving the VA of the resources it needs.”