The Department of Veterans Affairs canceled its contracts with most unions on Wednesday, saying the unions fight against the best interests of veterans.
VA said the move follows President Donald Trump’s executive order from March to do away with public employee unions at the federal level. The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals lifted a preliminary injunction Friday that previously stopped 21 agencies from implementing the executive order.
The federal agency charged with caring for veterans said the move will make it easier for VA leaders to promote high-performing employees and hold poor performers accountable.
In April, VA stopped withholding union dues from most employees’ paychecks.
VA leaders notified the unions on Wednesday that their contracts were terminated. This includes employees who belonged to the 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).
Trump’s executive order exempted public safety employee unions, so employment contracts covering about 4,000 VA police officers, firefighters and security guards represented by unions will remain in place.
VA officials said it was good news for veterans, families, caregivers and survivors. They noted that some union employees worked on union business while on the clock, following previous federal rules.
In 2024 alone, more than 1,900 VA bargaining-unit employees worked more than 750,000 hours on taxpayer-funded union time.
“With no collective bargaining obligations, those hours can now be used to serve Veterans instead of union bosses,” the agency said.
It also frees up space. Union representatives are currently using more than 187,000 square feet of VA’s office and clinical space.
“This has cost VA millions of dollars in lost rent and expenses for union bosses’ government phones and computer equipment,” the agency said. “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.
“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. “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 are fighting against Trump’s executive order in the courts.
The American Federation of Government Employees, the largest federal employee union representing 800,000 workers, said the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruling was frustrating.
“This ruling is certainly a setback for fundamental rights in America,” AFGE National President Everett Kelley. “While we assess this order’s impact and our next steps in these preliminary injunction proceedings, we remain fully committed to fighting this case on the merits and are confident in our ability to ultimately prevail.”
