Senators Durbin & Duckworth signed a letter to President Trump today calling on him to rescind anti-union executive orders aimed at federal employees. They wrote:

“It’s time to stop the attacks on our federal workers. These are also attacks on our veterans, who make up roughly one-third of the federal workforce. We need to keep the politics out of civil service…”

Additionally, SEIU has filed a lawsuit to stop Trump’s new anti-union rules.

Click here to read the full letter.

(From left: Carmen Jones from Hines VA, and Susan Latson from Jesse Brown VA, brief Senators Durbin and Duckworth’s staff on the vital importance of protecting “official time” for government employees; June 20th, 2018).

BACKGROUND: President Donald Trump recently issued executive orders to undermine the rights of federal employees and place severe limits on our “official time” that allows our stewards to represent fellow employees and enforce our contracts without fear of retaliation.

Trump’s order will make it harder for our stewards to resolve workplace disputes, report on and address problems, offer comprehensive solutions and hold managers and leaders accountable.

The ability of our stewards to utilize “official time” dramatically improves quality patient care for veterans and families. It strengthens staff morale and allows good ideas and innovation to be adopted throughout the system.

Without “official time” to address problems on a timely basis, grievances, contract disputes, medical errors, short staffing, and mismanagement will only rise and hurt the overall effectiveness of the VA.

(Reggie Wells, EVS worker at jesse Brown VA for 14 years and veteran who served in the Coast Guard, speaks out against President Trump’s “Mission Act” to privatize the VA; May 25, 2018).

That’s why we’re calling on ALL SEIU HCII hospital workers at the VA to join us for our important upcoming meetings and be a part of our “FIGHT BACK CAMPAIGN!”

HINES VA SEIU HCII MEMBERSHIP MEETING

• WHEN: Tuesday, July 10th, 4pm-5pm
• WHERE: Building 1, Room E-471
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  JESSE BROWN VA SEIU HCII MEMBERSHIP MEETING

• WHEN: Thursday, July 12th, 4pm-5pm
• WHERE: Vision Room, 2nd Floor Damen Building