National VA Council
@afgenvac.bsky.social
Official Bluesky account for AFGE National VA Council. We are a union representing over 300,000 employees of VA Medical Centers and National Cemeteries nationwide. We PROUDLY serve those who served!
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National VA Council
@afgenvac.bsky.social
· Nov 19
Congratulations to our new NVAC Officers.
President, MJ Burke
1st Executive Vice President, Barbara Whitson-Casanova
2nd Executive Vice President, Tinita Cole
3rd Executive Vice President, William Wetmore
Treasurer, Monica Fultz
President, MJ Burke
1st Executive Vice President, Barbara Whitson-Casanova
2nd Executive Vice President, Tinita Cole
3rd Executive Vice President, William Wetmore
Treasurer, Monica Fultz
Secretary Collins at The House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
Watch LIVE: www.youtube.com/live/ssj2bJH...
Watch LIVE: www.youtube.com/live/ssj2bJH...
Full Committee Oversight Hearing
YouTube video by House Committee On Veterans' Affairs
www.youtube.com
February 11, 2026 at 3:31 PM
Secretary Collins at The House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
Watch LIVE: www.youtube.com/live/ssj2bJH...
Watch LIVE: www.youtube.com/live/ssj2bJH...
Read the article: www.govexec.com/pay-benefits...
February 11, 2026 at 2:15 PM
Read the article: www.govexec.com/pay-benefits...
Reposted by National VA Council
Feb 1st vigil for Alex Pretti outside the VA were he worked.
February 2, 2026 at 8:43 PM
Feb 1st vigil for Alex Pretti outside the VA were he worked.
"Sen. Maggie Hassan, D-N.H., said front-line health care workers should not be thought of as unnecessary bureaucracy. VA employees have for years suggested many department facilities are severely understaffed and staff are overworked."
VA Secretary Doug Collins defended the major shakeups to the organization of VA health care in a Senate hearing Wednesday, suggesting the reforms were driven by employees in the field and veteran demands. buff.ly/KI6rslK
VA’s reorganization, staffing caps a result of previous overhiring, officials say
The new restrictions on hiring reflect the needs in the field, VA leaders tell lawmakers.
buff.ly
January 29, 2026 at 1:35 PM
"Sen. Maggie Hassan, D-N.H., said front-line health care workers should not be thought of as unnecessary bureaucracy. VA employees have for years suggested many department facilities are severely understaffed and staff are overworked."
WATCH LIVE @ 3:30 PM ET www.veterans.senate.gov/2026/1/build...
Building a 21st Century VA Health Care System: Assessing Efforts to Restructure the Veterans Health Administration
www.veterans.senate.gov
January 28, 2026 at 8:22 PM
WATCH LIVE @ 3:30 PM ET www.veterans.senate.gov/2026/1/build...
Reposted by National VA Council
VA employees are calling for grief support, memorials, and clear communication from leadership after ICU nurse Alex Pretti was fatally shot by federal officers in Minneapolis. buff.ly/CcolZ60
'The violent death of one of our own': VA employees ask for more from their agency after nurse is fatally shot
Workers look to leadership for support, though so far it has pointed the finger at its political opponents after federal officers shot and killed a VA employee.
buff.ly
January 26, 2026 at 9:18 PM
VA employees are calling for grief support, memorials, and clear communication from leadership after ICU nurse Alex Pretti was fatally shot by federal officers in Minneapolis. buff.ly/CcolZ60
The National VA Council is deeply saddened by the loss of one of our own, Alex Pretti, of Local 3669. Alex was an ICU nurse at the Minneapolis VA Hospital and answered the call faithfully every day to care for our veterans.
#AFGE #NVAC #AlexPretti
#AFGE #NVAC #AlexPretti
January 25, 2026 at 12:37 AM
The National VA Council is deeply saddened by the loss of one of our own, Alex Pretti, of Local 3669. Alex was an ICU nurse at the Minneapolis VA Hospital and answered the call faithfully every day to care for our veterans.
#AFGE #NVAC #AlexPretti
#AFGE #NVAC #AlexPretti
Reposted by National VA Council
THREAD: The Trump Admin has spent the last year recklessly implementing politically-motivated policies that place veterans’ care & benefits at greater risk than ever before. The costs of these policies are mounting. ⬇️ 1/
January 22, 2026 at 9:50 PM
THREAD: The Trump Admin has spent the last year recklessly implementing politically-motivated policies that place veterans’ care & benefits at greater risk than ever before. The costs of these policies are mounting. ⬇️ 1/
Reposted by National VA Council
My report—grounded in testimony from veterans & VA employees—seeks to expose that cover-up and document the harm inflicted. 4/ www.veterans.senate.gov/services/fil...
January 22, 2026 at 9:50 PM
My report—grounded in testimony from veterans & VA employees—seeks to expose that cover-up and document the harm inflicted. 4/ www.veterans.senate.gov/services/fil...
Reposted by National VA Council
The Veterans Affairs Department lost more than 40,000 employees in fiscal 2025, more than its 30,000-position goal and 88% of those employees coming from the Veterans Health Administration, Senate Democrats said Thursday, laying the blame at the feet of the Trump administration.
VA has shed 40,000 employees, Democratic report finds, with drastic impacts on veterans
The net staffing losses include thousands of front-line health care staff.
buff.ly
January 22, 2026 at 8:03 PM
The Veterans Affairs Department lost more than 40,000 employees in fiscal 2025, more than its 30,000-position goal and 88% of those employees coming from the Veterans Health Administration, Senate Democrats said Thursday, laying the blame at the feet of the Trump administration.
Reposted by National VA Council
Trump defended shrinking the federal workforce by about 270,000 in his first year back, claiming many who left now earn more in private sector roles and calling some government work “boring.” via Erich Wagner buff.ly/MyXknQp
Trump defends cutting nearly 300,000 feds from their ‘boring’ jobs
The president claimed without evidence that all federal workers forced out during his first year back were now in “better” jobs in factories making double or triple their government salary.
www.govexec.com
January 20, 2026 at 10:53 PM
Trump defended shrinking the federal workforce by about 270,000 in his first year back, claiming many who left now earn more in private sector roles and calling some government work “boring.” via Erich Wagner buff.ly/MyXknQp
Reposted by National VA Council
AFGE on Monday urged federal appeals judges to affirm a lower court ruling that found President Trump’s executive orders purporting to strip two-thirds of the federal workforce of collective bargaining rights amounted to retaliation for protected speech.
AFGE urges appellate judges to uphold injunction against Trump’s anti-union EOs
A three-judge panel on the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals last summer blocked a lower court ruling that found President Trump violated federal employees’ First Amendment rights when it targeted…
buff.ly
January 14, 2026 at 1:07 PM
AFGE on Monday urged federal appeals judges to affirm a lower court ruling that found President Trump’s executive orders purporting to strip two-thirds of the federal workforce of collective bargaining rights amounted to retaliation for protected speech.
Read the GovExec article: www.govexec.com/workforce/20...
January 7, 2026 at 2:06 PM
Read the GovExec article: www.govexec.com/workforce/20...
Reposted by National VA Council
🧵1/3:
Healthcare jobs have been eliminated.
VA didn't tell Congress.
VA didn't get the insight of VSOs.
VA didn't care.
Let's be clear: VA exists for ONE reason—to serve the veterans who served us.
Healthcare jobs have been eliminated.
VA didn't tell Congress.
VA didn't get the insight of VSOs.
VA didn't care.
Let's be clear: VA exists for ONE reason—to serve the veterans who served us.
January 6, 2026 at 4:35 PM
🧵1/3:
Healthcare jobs have been eliminated.
VA didn't tell Congress.
VA didn't get the insight of VSOs.
VA didn't care.
Let's be clear: VA exists for ONE reason—to serve the veterans who served us.
Healthcare jobs have been eliminated.
VA didn't tell Congress.
VA didn't get the insight of VSOs.
VA didn't care.
Let's be clear: VA exists for ONE reason—to serve the veterans who served us.
A quote from NVAC Treasurer, Monica Fultz, at the 25th Triennial Convention in Orlando, Florida.
January 2, 2026 at 8:07 PM
A quote from NVAC Treasurer, Monica Fultz, at the 25th Triennial Convention in Orlando, Florida.
A quote from NVAC 3rd Executive VP, Bill Wetmore, at the 25th Triennial Convention in Orlando, Florida.
December 30, 2025 at 1:32 PM
A quote from NVAC 3rd Executive VP, Bill Wetmore, at the 25th Triennial Convention in Orlando, Florida.
A quote from NVAC 2nd Executive VP, Tinita Cole, at the 25th Triennial Convention in Orlando, Florida.
December 23, 2025 at 3:24 PM
A quote from NVAC 2nd Executive VP, Tinita Cole, at the 25th Triennial Convention in Orlando, Florida.
A quote from NVAC 1st Executive VP, Barbara Whitson-Casanova, at the 25th Triennial Convention in Orlando, Florida.
December 19, 2025 at 2:54 PM
A quote from NVAC 1st Executive VP, Barbara Whitson-Casanova, at the 25th Triennial Convention in Orlando, Florida.
Reposted by National VA Council
Federal employees will get paid time off on Dec 24 and Dec 26, giving many a five-day holiday break around Christmas this year. Agency heads can still require work for national security defense or other public needs. via Sean Michael Newhouse buff.ly/YqPcxIF #FederalEmployees #FederalHolidays
Feds will have Dec. 24 and Dec. 26 off
Federal employees will now have a five-day weekend, beginning on Christmas Eve.
www.govexec.com
December 18, 2025 at 9:57 PM
Federal employees will get paid time off on Dec 24 and Dec 26, giving many a five-day holiday break around Christmas this year. Agency heads can still require work for national security defense or other public needs. via Sean Michael Newhouse buff.ly/YqPcxIF #FederalEmployees #FederalHolidays
"Republicans and Democrats alike are recognizing that you can’t run a functioning government by attacking the very workforce that keeps Americans safe," he said. "The bipartisan momentum in the House only strengthens our hand in the Senate, and I intend to build on it."
December 16, 2025 at 8:46 PM
"Republicans and Democrats alike are recognizing that you can’t run a functioning government by attacking the very workforce that keeps Americans safe," he said. "The bipartisan momentum in the House only strengthens our hand in the Senate, and I intend to build on it."
Read the article: www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...
December 16, 2025 at 8:44 PM
Read the article: www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...
The House voted 231-195 for the Protect America’s Workforce Act (HR 2550), which would rescind the union-busting executive orders President Trump issued in March and August.
December 12, 2025 at 4:05 PM
The House voted 231-195 for the Protect America’s Workforce Act (HR 2550), which would rescind the union-busting executive orders President Trump issued in March and August.
Reposted by National VA Council
The House voted 231-195 on Thursday to pass legislation that would nullify President Trump’s efforts to strip more than 1 million federal workers of their collective bargaining rights, sending the measure over to the Senate. buff.ly/MSvW9TF
House passes bill nullifying Trump’s anti-union EOs
Twenty Republicans crossed party lines to support legislation to unwind what opponents described as the largest act of “union busting” in U.S. history.
www.govexec.com
December 11, 2025 at 10:46 PM
The House voted 231-195 on Thursday to pass legislation that would nullify President Trump’s efforts to strip more than 1 million federal workers of their collective bargaining rights, sending the measure over to the Senate. buff.ly/MSvW9TF
A quote from NVAC President, MJ Burke, at the 25th Triennial Convention in Orlando, Florida.
December 11, 2025 at 9:32 PM
A quote from NVAC President, MJ Burke, at the 25th Triennial Convention in Orlando, Florida.