Hundreds to Rally in Front of White House to Protest Discriminatory Practices Against VA Employees

[Omaha Steve]

MEDIA ADVISORY



Contact: Chelsea Bland

[phone]

[e-mail]



AFGE Communications Department

[phone] ext. 94023

[phone]



Hundreds to Rally in Front of White House to Protest Discriminatory Practices Against VA Employees

Veterans and other groups say veterans care is jeopardized by downgrade of critical medical center support staff

(WASHINGTON)— Hundreds of Veterans Affairs workers, members of the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), plan to rally in front of the White House, Wednesday, June 13 at 11:30 a.m. The activists, from health care facilities in more than 20 states, will gather at Lafayette Park to protest what they call unfounded and arbitrary position downgrades of patient support assistants, medical record clerks, transportation assistants and others providing vital support services within the agency. The group says the downgrades are hurting veterans’ care. Many of those protesting are themselves veterans.

“VA employees have a target on their back,” said AFGE National VA Council President Alma Lee. “The agency has spent the past two years devastating the lives of modest wage earners who play a crucial role in supporting medical center functions within the VA.”

The Council is demanding that a moratorium be imposed on the lowering of these critical support positions. The agency has been unable to demonstrate that the lowest paid segment of the VA workforce should be the sole target of classification reviews and has yet to produce any evidence that the downgrades of VA support personnel will improve the functioning of the agency or its ability to serve veterans, according to AFGE.

“These heartless actions are a discriminatory assault on veterans and other VA employees at the bottom of the pay scale,” said Lee. “This nation’s public servants and veterans deserve better.”



WHO: VA medical support workers and health care professionals from Ariz., Ark., Colo., Del., D.C., Ga., Ind., Ill., Ky., Maine, Mass., Mich., Miss., Mo., N.Y., N.C., Ohio, Pa., Puerto Rico, S.C., Tenn., Texas, Va., W. Va., Wis.

AFGE National VA Council President Alma Lee

AFGE National Secretary-Treasurer J. David Cox

AFGE National Vice President for Women’s and Fair Practices Augusta Thomas



WHAT: Will gather to show support for VA employees and call on Congress to force the end to arbitrary and unfair position downgrades of critical support staff at the VA.



WHEN: Wednesday, June 13, 2012; 11:30 a.m.





WHERE: VA Central Office

810 Vermont Ave., NW, Washington D.C., followed by a march to



Lafayette Park,

Washington, D.C. (directly across from the White House)

[KG]

1. more obama bashers. don't they know they're just help romney win?

[Raven]

2. Wait a minute!!! This President does not

walk on goddamned water! If this story is true, there should be protests. Fuck this crap about helping Romney. This President is the very best but he is not perfect.

[dadchef]

3. WTF

I know the administration, and the legislature are trying to cut the burgeoning debt, but to start with the VA.. Where is your head, not to think about where is their heart??? SHIT!

Isn't there a few congress-critters that can do without a limo or two, or perhaps a jet, to keep a nurse for our wounded Vet???

I want to know where this started, who is responsible for this stupid blunder? Where did this buck stop?