>> Local veterans affairs workers are pushing back after losing their collective bargaining rights.

The Trump administration cut union contracts for Department of Veterans Affairs employees earlier this month as part of a larger effort to strip federal Workers of Union protections.

Advocates say the move threatens the quality of veterans care and impacts 400,000 workers across the country.

Joining us with more are any part or a union steward for the American Federation of Government Employees.

Local 7.89 and I go vice president of health systems at SEIU, Healthcare, Illinois, and Indiana and Henry Vega, U.S. Army veteran and employee at Hines VA Hospital, a facility serving veterans.

Thanks to all of you for joining us.

Any partner starting with you, please.

What does this termination mean for for union Workers, for Employees, for Union members?

>> Well, I think it means the mega regime just removed union rights for 1 million federal employees be a Social Security.

Epa.

And this is 100 times worse than what Reagan did.

Great harm on veterans are most vulnerable communities.

We're already seeing impact on veterans care.

They can't access pay basic mental health treatment, substance use housing services.

And this is only the tip of the iceberg.

Now they can try to fire us.

That will for advocating for people that have risked their their lives fighting for our country.

It's pretty shameful.

This is our 5 alarm fire.

It's why we have to mobilize with each other.

union siblings and allies and show up for Labor Day.

>> for Labor Day, which is next week in week from this Monday.

And can do that?

just Terminator union contract like that?

They And so the problem is, is that we don't currently have.

>> Checks and balances in our government.

So, you know, SEIU, Fte, National Nurses, United other federal employee unions have all sued.

>> Around this, you know, we have stated and we continue to state and the law backs up that this is an illegal termination and expansion of administrative executive powers.

But the courts right now.

You know, stacked by Trump are saying differently, but they haven't killed our union.

So they've canceled.

They've canceled contracts, but our members are still members of our union are still working at the VA are still fighting to protect workers and most importantly, to protect quality care at the VA.

So are union members are still going to work every single day to have that fight to me about that care.

What's the scope of care that VA members are workers that workers provide?

>> So, you know, veterans who serve this country are promised care and many veterans come back injured, disabled, harmed in many different ways.

A lot of them facing mental health problems.

And so our members you know, the 375,000 VA employee support their care specialized care so they receive care within medical centers.

You know, specialist who know about PTSD, who know about neurological problems, who can care for amputees Hart, who are trauma informed.

This is the care that veterans receive inside the medical center.

care that you can't receive specialized outside of the VA into the threat and specifically the threat of credit privatizations.

So Trump, you know, attacked the unions.

He attacked the biggest advocate for workers, you know, inside the union, but workers who are speaking up.

For veterans, many of whom are veterans themselves.

So this attack on our voices, an attack to attempt to silence workers who are saying stop privatization, stop the cuts to the VA. And we do have a statement from the VA, but I want to get to in just a second.

But want to get you in here first.

How does this impact the quality of care?

I mean, are you already beginning to see longer wait times at work or staff shortage is yes.

the staff shortages spend their way before even from got in.

>> example is.

I had an appointment set up for September.

back to call me with the nurses that's now going to push it out for another 6 months, which would be in February.

We're falling through the cracks, but not by fault because short staffing so roll down the hill and then it affects effects.

The workers also most important, the community and the better.

Are you concerned?

mean, after hearing something like, you know, a doctor's appointment that has been pushed out 6 months.

>> Are you concerned about the kind of care that you and your fellow veterans are going to getting?

Yes, depending on what type of specialty care you're gonna get, sometimes you might even have to go to the emergency room to get that done.

Because who knows what it is that you can't wait 6 months.

>> Okay.

So I mentioned that statement from the Veterans Affairs Department from their press secretary.

It reads, quote, No one lost their job or was fired as a result of this move.

Instead about 1900 union representatives who have been collecting government salaries to do union work have returned to full-time VA work on behalf of veterans, terminating contracts for VA unions which have repeatedly pose significant bipartisan VA reforms rewarded bad employees for misconduct is a huge win for veterans because of this.

It goes on to say because of this decision VA staff will spend more time with veterans.

Va facilities can focus on treating veterans instead of catering to union bosses.

Nba can manage its staff according to Veterans needs not union demands.

Amy, how do you react to that?

Well, I think we've seen the impact of.

>> For example, Dei has had on our organization.

We have clinical staff that are concerned about their licenses and standards of care impacted by executive orders and the denial of care for LGBTQ veterans.

And upholding clinical standards of care.

The end of local equity and inclusion programs.

This is cause a chilling effect of and fear of retaliation speaking out against discrimination and other illegal violations.

Further traumatizing, our workforce many of the people who work at the VA are veterans themselves.

So I'm not sure who Doug Collins and his counterparts are referring to because this impacts everyone right up because, you know, he'd make sure that the statement, you know, makes the argument that unions have been opposed to some reforms.

>> That were bipartisan.

Are there reforms that that it would you say to that right or their reforms that you all opposed that I'm aware We ensure that our facilities are clean.

We ensure that people have appropriate working conditions.

>> We ensure that people work 8 hour schedules and take their breaks and lunches some on sure how you know that kind of rhetoric.

Is factual.

Henry, what concerns do you have about how this impacts you and fellow veterans?

We talked about it a bit a minute ago.

>> question, job security.

Job performance.

>> And most of all, my my health, it's most important because if I have no health, I have no life.

And for my family off.

And the community and for our fellow brothers and sisters, the veterans.

>> To me a bit about that, the work that you do it to be a I am a motor vehicle operator.

I pick up food.

Tickets are certain to see box highs.

>> I pick up I deliver to this around local area and also take the veterans out field trips, Nichols, he they go water skiing, they go horseback riding and they go golfing.

>> And so, you know, this, these cuts and changes they come as federal employees across the country are also receiving cuts in different departments, not just the VA. What what are these sweeping cuts mean?

Because veterans also receive other services from federal agencies that are seeing similar cuts.

happening?

So one of things that unions advocated a long time for is staffing and is staffing.

>> And under President Biden, we passed the Pact Act which cut down red tape.

So that veterans could receive the services that they're owed with these Biden increased the number of employees at Veterans Affairs by 60,000 with these cuts mean is he wants to go back to those pre Biden numbers.

These cuts mean that the red tape that was removed under Biden is going to be put back up under veterans are going to have to be delayed in.

receiving healthcare deleting receiving access to pension and making corrections around pensions, housing support.

G I bell.

These are all cuts that are happening and the folks who you know, employee to be able to provide these services are no longer going to be employed when they say that, you know, no one was laid off or there's been 7,000 folks who have either been terminated or resigned come September.

We're going to find out the real numbers about the fork in the road in terms of folks who took the offer.

And right now there's an empty seat at the VA where there are no longer working.

And so these cuts are going to be severe and we're going to see it and wait times and we're going to see it adverse.

you adverse actions for veterans, President Trump, he peeled heavily to veterans when he was campaigning.

Many veterans voted for him in hopes things will get better for them because we have all been reporting on some of the struggles.

>> That VA facilities have had over the years.

Henry, you know, how do you feel about like promises that the president made to the veteran community when he was campaigning in light of what's happening now in about 30 seconds.

He hasn't kept not one of them yet.

>> And I hate to see what he has in store for us for the future.

Because we're a promise medical care for fighting for our country.

And that should be.

Constitutional.

And we do have a right speech and that's why we're just coming out and letting the people know letting the veteran snow that what's going on behind the door at the VA hospital.

>> Okay.

That's where we'll have to leave it.

Henry, thank