Doug Collins says unions that represent VA employees too often fight against veterans' best interests
Doug CollinsSecretary of Veterans Affairs, in the VA's announcement of the terminations
Announcing the terminations, Collins says unions that represent VA employees too often fight against veterans' best interests while protecting and rewarding bad workers, and that the move keeps VA resources and staff focused on care and service for veterans.
Responding to
Ending most VA union contracts lets VA staff spend time on veterans instead of union business, frees office space for veterans' care, and lets managers reward high performers and hold poor performers accountable.
“Too often, unions that represent VA employees fight against the best interests of Veterans while protecting and rewarding bad workers ... We're making sure VA resources and employees are singularly focused on the job we were sent here to do: providing top-notch care and service to those who wore the uniform.”
Official statement
Other statements by Doug Collins in this case
- Doug Collins tells AFGE the VA is terminating its contract again, on national security groundsLater: Defended or excused
Where this statement fits
VA ends most union contracts, then treats AFGE's as expired; Collins cites veterans' care and unions call it retaliation
On August 6, 2025, the Department of Veterans Affairs terminated its collective bargaining agreements with five unions for most of its bargaining-unit employees. It cited Executive Order 14251, which President Trump signed in March 2025 to exclude the VA and other agencies from federal collective bargaining on national security grounds. Contracts for about 4,000 VA police officers, firefighters and security guards stayed in place. Secretary Doug Collins said unions that represent VA employees too often fight against veterans' best interests while protecting bad workers. The American Federation of Government Employees, whose master agreement covered about 300,000 VA employees, sued in federal court in Rhode Island in November 2025, arguing the termination was retaliation for its public opposition to VA policies. On March 13, 2026, U.S. District Judge Melissa DuBose ordered the contract restored, finding the union likely to succeed on its First Amendment and Administrative Procedure Act claims. Collins terminated it again on March 26 on national security grounds, and the judge ruled the next day that the re-termination did not comply with her order. In May the First Circuit left her injunction in place. The VA then said the contract would end with its three-year term on August 8, 2026. AFGE says the VA's request to renegotiate triggered a clause that keeps the contract in force until a new one is agreed. Judge DuBose agreed in August, but on October 2 the First Circuit stayed that order, finding it went beyond the original injunction, without deciding the contract question. The VA told AFGE on October 10 that it considers the agreement expired for everyone except police officers, firefighters and security guards. AFGE has asked the judge to modify her injunction, and we did not find a ruling on that request as of November 12, 2026.
Source and context
Official statement
About this source
VA press release announcing that the department terminated its collective bargaining agreements with AFGE, NAGE, NFFE, NNOC/NNU and SEIU for most bargaining-unit employees, effective immediately, citing President Trump's executive order. It says contracts for about 4,000 VA police officers, firefighters and security guards remain in place, and includes a statement by Secretary Doug Collins.
Archived copy (opens in a new tab)Before the quotation
The VA announced that it had notified AFGE, NAGE, NFFE, National Nurses United and SEIU that their contracts were terminated for most bargaining-unit employees, effective immediately, citing President Trump's executive order excluding certain agencies from labor-management relations programs.
After the quotation
The release says contracts covering about 4,000 VA police officers, firefighters and security guards remain in place, and lists reforms the department says the unions opposed.
How this statement is classified
The label describes this statement's response within the context above.
Why this label?
The reference point is the Department of Veterans Affairs' termination of most of its union contracts on August 6, 2025, and its later treatment of the AFGE master agreement as expired in October 2026. Collins announces the terminations and argues that they keep VA resources focused on veterans, which defends the action.
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More from this case
Read the full caseAFGE says the appeals court did not let the VA re-terminate its contract and calls the move an attack on federal workers
American Federation of Government Employees
“Notably, the First Circuit did not sanction the VA's interpretation of the Duration of Agreement article, nor did it give the VA permission to re-terminate the CBA. ... AFGE vehemently opposes the VA's latest attack on federal workers, a third of whom are veterans themselves.”Read statement
VA tells employees that without the expired AFGE contract, staff and managers can communicate more freely
United States Department of Veterans Affairs
“Employees and managers can more freely engage in open communications to improve the organization ... You may also see changes to some of the processes and procedures that were previously contained in the now-expired AFGE collective bargaining agreement.”Read statement
Richard Blumenthal says the administration illegally stripped VA workers of their bargaining rights
“VA workers have a legal right to collective bargaining that this Administration illegally stripped away last year. ... Veterans deserve a VA workforce that comes forward with concerns about poor patient care, waste, fraud and abuse without fear of retaliation. Unions are essential to this mission, and I will be looking to see that the courts uphold all VA employees' collective bargaining rights permanently.”Read statement
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The Dispute Index. "Doug Collins says unions that represent VA employees too often fight against veterans' best interests". First published: 2026-11-13. Last updated: 2026-11-13. https://disputeindex.com/events/8703-announcing-the-terminations-collins-says-unions-that-represent