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Dear Geddes, We hope you and your loved ones are on the verge of turning a corner. We welcome spring with the hope that the virus will recede as more people are vaccinated. We are encouraged that there are new resources for those struggling economically. Yet we continue to urge caution so that the healing can be more complete. In this edition, we provide information on newly passed legislation and resources regarding your retirement nest egg. We also have good news about the senior labor vote! American Rescue Plan American Rescue Plan – What’s in it for retirees? You may be surprised to find resources you were not aware of in the American Rescue Plan Act passed by Congress in March. There is the one-time payment of $1,400 for most Americans, but there is also housing assistance, nutrition assistance for the elderly and legal assistance for vulnerable older adults and more. Click here Was your stimulus payment delayed? Congressional Progressives call for the ouster of top officials at Social Security over delays to beneficiaries. The Congressional Progressive Caucus has just come out in favor of the ouster of Trump holdover appointees at the Social Security Administration. Theirs is the latest in a growing chorus. AFGE has called for the dismissal of SSA Commissioner Andrew Saul and David Black over their treatment of employees, joined by others in Congress, the Alliance for Retired Americans and Social Security Works. Click here for more details. Election 2020 – Senior Labor Vote One More Piece on the 2020 Election – Senior Labor Voters Came in Strong for Biden/Harris The AFL-CIO conducted Election Day polling on the labor vote. Overall, union members chose Biden over Trump by 21 points as the table below indicates. Contrary to other assessments of the senior vote, older labor voters […]

Hi Geddes — Have you heard the news? President Biden signed the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, which includes temporary, time-limited, emergency paid leave for all federal employees affected by COVID-19! This passage is a result of workers like you taking collective action to elect President Joe Biden and hold the administration accountable in returning to pro-worker policies. Read this flyer to find plan details, whether you are eligible for the emergency paid leave program and how you can submit a request! This paid leave program is retroactive to March 11, 2021 and expires on or before September 30, 2021, subject to funding limitations in the law. The emergency paid leave program also includes: No exclusions! Unlike previous COVID relief packages, the American Rescue Plan Act does NOT exclude certain categories of employees, like “health care providers,” from coverage. For full-time employees, the Act provides up to 600 hours (or 15 weeks) of paid leave in addition to the employee’s personal leave. However, leave payments are capped at $2,800 biweekly.   For part-time employees, the available hours of paid leave and maximum biweekly benefit are reduced proportionately. An $80 million total cap on emergency paid leave for Title 38 and hybrid Title 38 employees at the VA, and a $570 million total cap for Title 5 employees across the federal government. You can learn more about your eligibility for using paid leave in this flyer! The union strongly encourages you to use this benefit ASAP based on eligibility. We look forward to continuing working with the Biden-Harris administration to ensure that VA workers get the protections and benefits we rightfully deserve. In unity, NVAC Crisis Response Team For the latest AFGE news and information, follow us on:

Geddes — The last year has been incredibly challenging. But together, we’ve shown up day after day to serve and protect our nation’s heroes on the frontline of a global pandemic – oftentimes without the proper protection or support needed to do so. Along the way, tens of thousands of VA employees contracted the coronavirus and we have tragically lost more than 100 of our brothers and sisters due to negligence of our facilities, equipment and much more. That’s why we’re taking collective action this Workers’ Memorial Day on April 28th. Sign up here to get in touch with a mobilizer and take action to commemorate our brothers and sisters who have lost their lives in the past year. Workers across the country are uniting in solidarity to take direct action at dozens of VA facilities, sharing stories from the front line, and demanding that VA leadership take meaningful actions to improve working conditions and create a just and fair workplace. We’ll also be joined by partner organizations in our efforts to honor those who have passed with action. For the past year, we provided critical support to a strained public hospital system while navigating through an unprecedented pandemic. VA facilities across the country faced severe shortages of PPE, and many workers are still waiting on hazard pay and proper workers compensation. We know the only way to have a safe workplace is to come together and organize for change. Regardless of what administration is in power, we deserve to work in a fair and just workplace without fear of discrimination or retaliation. And we’re committed to holding those in power accountable to protecting workers. Sign up to take a stand at your local on April 28th to ensure that there is meaningful change in our workplaces. In solidarity, NVAC […]

On April 16, 2021, NVAC filed a National Grievance against the Agency for unilaterally implementing the COVID-19 Employee Well-Being Survey. Specifically, the VA Office of Inspector General failed to provide advance notice or bargain with the Union prior to publishing the survey. Further, the Agency failed to inform employees that the survey is voluntary, confidential, and anonymous, as required by Article 49 of the 2011 Master Agreement.

Hi Geddes — The past four years have been incredibly tough. Still, we have persevered as a community, coming together repeatedly to stand up and speak out against the former VA leadership’s dangerous policies. Today, I am proud to say that our efforts are finally starting to pay off! Thanks to mobilization efforts at locals like yours, Geddes, AFGE and NVAC leadership had the opportunity to sit down with Secretary McDonough to discuss the urgent issues affecting the VA and its workforce. But our work is not complete; Geddes. We need your help to continue advocating our priorities to the new administration until ALL of our needs are met. Sign up to get in contact with an organizer and continue this pro-worker momentum at your local facility. I am pleased to share that the combined power of solidarity among members and the union persuaded VA Leadership to reaffirm its commitments under the 2011 Collective Bargaining Agreement while we negotiate a new contract. Under the 2011 agreement, the VA must provide the following rights and benefits: The return of official time for most employees, ensuring federal employees have a voice at the worksite to resolve disputes, address issues of discrimination or retaliation, and propose improvements in the workplace. Restored collective bargaining rights, which allow federal employees to participate in making decisions that affect their working conditions. Reinstatement of workspace allotments which provide union staff with adequate space and equipment to undertake the vital work of representing our workers. We must continue raising our voices to ensure the new VA leadership continues to make meaningful change. Please join us in ramping up organizing in 2021: sign up now to get in touch with an organizer on-the-ground. Thus far, AFGE and NVAC leadership met with Secretary McDonough to discuss our key priorities, backed […]

: On May 6, 2020, the NVAC filed a national grievance over the Agency’s failure to comply with its own policy concerning the debt waiver process. The original President’s Briefing is attached.

VA Rolls Back Trump-era Workforce Policies.The Veterans Affairs Department is restoring its previous contract with AFGE, which allows access to official time and union office space in department facilities