National Nurses United: Demand Congress restore the union rights of VA nurses and demand a vote on the Protect America’s Workforce Act! On August 6th, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) terminated our union contract, along with the contracts of our union siblings. This is an attack on those who dedicate their lives to the service of others! The VA claims this move is to comply with an executive order signed on March 27th. Additionally, they say this is good news for Veterans and caregivers. But VA nurses know this to be false! This will make it harder – or even impossible – for us and other federal workers to do our jobs safely, and it will negatively affect veteran care.
You can use NNU’s letter template form, but I believe it’s more impactful if you write your own individual letters to your rep in congress and senators directly in their contact forms.
My letter to reps:
The illegal executive order revoking federal workers’ right to unionize and collectively bargain is unacceptable. We have unions for a reason, it’s because they are needed, especially in government work, to protect patient safety and government overreach. Terminating the contracts of VA nurses and other workers cannot stand. Brian Fitzpatrick, Republican representing PA-1 recognizes that bargaining rights support “morale, accountability, and effective governance” and introduced The Protect America’s Workforce Act (H.R. 2550) which must go to the House floor for a vote for the sake of VA workers and patients.
Please feel free to copy or repurpose for your own letters to reps.
Fitzpatrick, Golden Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Restore Collective Bargaining Rights for Federal Workers April 1, 2025 (Brian Fitzpatrick press release) The Protect America’s Workforce Act restores a balanced, targeted approach—protecting bargaining rights where they pose no threat to national security and reinforcing their proven role in supporting morale, accountability, and effective governance. We can defend our national security without silencing those who serve it. Efficiency and fairness are not mutually exclusive—and this legislation ensures we uphold both,” said Rep. Fitzpatrick. “In his order, President Trump said that federal workers’ rights are incompatible with national security. He is wrong. Union workers make America stronger every single day, including more than 6,000 federal workers in Maine,” said Rep. Golden. “Throughout our history, unions have ensured workers got their fair share of this nation’s prosperity. Unions built our middle class, and are key to strengthening its future. We cannot have a government that undermines workers’ rights.”