Here are the stories you need to know this week.

Your weekly Insider update.

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Union steward Bill Mclaughlin and and employee sit at a desk in the Local 2779 office looking at applicable master agreement articles for the issue at hand

This Local Moved Out of the VA 2 Years Ago – And They’re Still Going Strong!

In October 2017 – months before President Trump issued an executive order evicting unions from federal facilities – Local 2779 moved itself out of the Veterans Affairs hospital in Gainesville, Florida.

Find out how this AFGE local is still thriving off-site »
Worker holds rally sign that reads We are AFGE, We fight for Workers rights

Bill Introduced to Restore Due Process Rights for Feds Serving in Non-Critical Sensitive Positions

The Department of Defense has free rein to fire 200,000 employees for any or no reason. And these employees can get no relief – even if they are whistleblowers being terminated for exposing waste, fraud, and abuse. If this sounds horrible, it is. That’s why AFGE is urging Congress to pass a bill that has just been introduced in the House to protect federal employees’ rights.

Learn more about this due process battle »
Close-up of psychologist writing down notes while talking to her patient from army

AFGE Blocks Efforts to Move Money from Veterans’ Mental Health Care to CEOs’ Pockets

Veterans’ well-being, not CEO pockets, should always be the priority of the VA’s suicide prevention program. But the health care industry and their allies in the Trump administration and Congress are pushing a bill that would turn public funding for veterans’ mental health care into private hospital CEOs’ slush fund – with no oversight or accountability.

Learn more about how AFGE blocked these efforts »
Close up of a person's bandaged hand on top of a Work Injury Claim Form with a pen laying to the side.

White House Plans to Rush Injured Workers Back to Work

The White House has directed agencies to get injured workers back to work faster without doing enough work to reduce workplace injuries and illnesses.

Find out how these troubling plans endanger worker safety »
Close up of stack of newspapers

5 Stories That Matter

TSA found a record-setting number of guns at airports in 2019, when to visit U.S. national parks for free in 2020, a backlog of toxic Superfund clean-ups grows under Trump, and much more. Here are a few of the most important stories you need to know about this week.

Click here to stay in the know »
This Week in Labor History

Jan. 25, 1890: The United Mine Workers is founded.

This Week's Member Benefit

Home Security Done Right. AFGE and UnionPlus teamed up with SimpliSafe to provide a discount to our members on award-winning home security. SimpliSafe is the fastest growing home security company—protecting over three million Americans.

Click here for details »


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