Dozens of local union members and supporters stood across from Ann Arbor’s Veterans Administration Hospital on Wednesday. They were picketing to stop what they say are attacks on federal workers.
As vehicles passed by on Fuller Road, demonstrators waved signs protesting anti-union decisions by the Trump Administration. VA Secretary Douglas Collins recently terminated the collective bargaining agreement with the American Federation of Government Employees.
Local 2092 President Robert Malosh says Trump’s executive order stripping federal workers of their union rights needs to be overturned.
“H.R. 2550, which restores bargaining unit rights for government employees across the nation, not just VA employees but all government employees. You know, we have bipartisan support in the House, and we need them to bring that to the floor for a vote.”
Malosh says they need one more vote in the House to force a floor vote.
UPDATE - In response VA Press Secretary Peter Kasperowicz sent to WEMU the following message:
"Terminating contracts for VA unions – which have repeatedly opposed significant, bipartisan VA reforms and rewarded bad employees for misconduct – is a huge win for Veterans. Because of this decision, VA staff will spend more time with Veterans, VA facilities can focus on treating Veterans instead of catering to union bosses, and VA can manage its staff according to Veterans’ needs, not union demands. As a result of this move, nearly 1,900 union representatives, who had been collecting government salaries to do union work, have returned to full-time VA work on behalf of Veterans."
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