AFL-CIO condemns union-busting at Veterans Affairs

AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler issued the following statement on the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announcement it was terminating the union contracts of hundreds of thousands of VA workers, including members of AFL-CIO affiliated unions:
 
“Every American who cares about the fundamental freedoms of working people should be outraged by this attack on workers’ ability to speak out and stand up at the VA. This union-busting decision is an ambush on the people who care for our country’s veterans and their right to stand together in a union, and will without a doubt harm the lifesaving services veterans desperately need. It’s clear this is explicit retaliation against VA workers whose unions are standing up to the administration’s illegal actions in court and in the streets.
 
“The Trump administration may think they can rip up our contracts and silence anyone who pushes back against their unlawful and anti-worker actions, but we aren’t going anywhere. The labor movement will continue to fight this all-out assault on workers with everything we have—and we’re calling on Americans across this country to join us.”