News & Updates
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Contract wins, member updates, and the announcements that affect your job at VA Central Office in Washington, D.C. Updated as it happens.
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You Earned the Rating. But Will You Get It? AFGE Sues Over OPM's Forced Distribution
OPM's new rating system can cap how many employees receive the top ratings, and it applies to this year's reviews. AFGE is fighting it in court, and Local 17 is helping you prepare.
7 Proven Ways to Write a Strong Federal Employee Self-Assessment
Your self-assessment may be your best chance to influence the rating you receive. Local 17 President Doug Massey walks through how to write one that makes the case for the rating you earned.
Enough Is Enough, Mr. Secretary: Local 17 Draws a Line
A supervisor stood over a VA employee, shook his fist toward her face, and shouted "You work for me." She has been medically unable to work since, and she is the one paying for it. Local 17 put Secretary Collins on notice.
Telework Heads to Arbitration: What the Evidence Actually Shows
The official case against telework says it costs productivity and accountability. A November arbitration hearing will test that at VA, and the evidence coming in from federal employees points the other way.
Board Attorney Quotas Go National: What 311 Attorneys Told Us
Management raised attorney quotas without bargaining, then refused to grieve it, and the path to arbitration was blocked. So Local 17 asked 311 Board attorneys what the new standards were doing to their work, then took the answers to the press.
VA Master Agreement Survives: 2 Key Wins for Members
A federal judge blocked the VA from cancelling the Master Agreement with one day to spare. In the same week, Local 17 stewards got a member's proposed 10-day suspension rescinded in full.
Saving a Member's Career: A Proposed Removal, Reversed
A VBA employee was facing removal after a Performance Improvement Plan. He was outside our bargaining unit, and Local 17 represented him anyway. He still has his job, and we are not finished.
The Doug Collins TikTok Stunt: 5 Signs the VA Lost Its Focus
The VA set official footage of Secretary Doug Collins to mid-2000s club hits. Some employees say it put its leader ahead of the Veterans it serves.
5 Brazen Ways VA Is Defying Collective Bargaining Rights
VA collective bargaining rights are under attack despite a federal court order. Here are 5 brazen ways VA leadership is still defying Judge DuBose's ruling.
VA Telework Accommodation Crackdown: 4 Illegal Tactics Exposed
VA management is using illegal tactics to strip approved telework accommodations from disabled employees. Here is what the Rehabilitation Act actually requires — and what to do if it happens to you.
We Haven't Forgotten that You're Lawyers
Board management is spreading misinformation about Judge DuBose's order to reinstate the Master Agreement. Here's the truth — and how affected attorneys can reach Local 17.
Culture Matters: 3 Urgent Warnings About the Heartbreaking Decline of Morale
Culture Matters at the VA. Read our open letter to Secretary Doug Collins regarding leadership, declining morale, and the future of Veteran services.