Veterans’ Groups Briefed on 7422 Bill

(National Federation of Federal Employees)

Washington, D.C. - Last week, representatives from NFFE and other unions representing Department of Veterans’ Affairs (VA) workers briefed a number of Veterans’ Service Organizations (VSOs) on HR 4089 and S 2824, legislation that would restore a meaningful scope of bargaining to Title 38 VA health care providers.  The American Legion, Paralyzed Veterans of America, Disabled American Veterans, and Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America were all in attendance. 

The briefing was held to inform the VSOs of the unions’ plans to push for legislation impacting bargaining rights for VA workers.  The event gave the unions the opportunity to outline the necessity for eliminating the 7422 bargaining exceptions under Title 38 and to discuss the benefits this legislation would have on recruitment and retention of health care providers at the VA.  The veterans’ groups were given the opportunity to raise any questions or concerns they had about the pending legislation.

“The VSOs do great work for the American veteran,” said NFFE Legislative Director Randy Erwin.  “It is important for labor to keep these groups in the loop when we are advocating legislation that impacts the VA.  Ideally, we would like the VSOs to support the legislation we are pushing, but at a minimum we want to keep them informed.  Going forward, we hope to gain the support of the VSOs for HR 4089 and S 2824.”