A federal judge has ruled for a third time that the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs cannot terminate its collective bargaining agreement with the American Federation of Government Employees, which covers more than 300,000 VA employees, Reuters and Law360 report.
U.S. District Judge Melissa DuBose granted AFGE’s motion to enforce her earlier injunction, rejecting the VA’s argument that the agreement’s August 8 expiration date released the agency from its obligations. Judge DuBose pointed to a provision automatically extending the agreement while negotiations for a new contract are underway, finding that its terms were “explained, in plain and unambiguous detail.” She also found that negotiations had begun well within the required period, making the VA’s plan to treat the agreement as defunct “in direct contravention” of her prior order.
The ruling is the latest in the VA’s string of attempts to cancel the agreement following President Trump’s March 2025 executive order exempting workers at the VA and other federal agencies from collective bargaining requirements. Judge DuBose first ordered the VA to reinstate the agreement earlier this year, finding that AFGE was likely to show the agency canceled it in retaliation for the union’s opposition to the administration’s labor policies.
AFGE is represented by Keker, Van Nest & Peters and Carly Iafrate of Law Office of Carly B. Iafrate.
“It is shameful that the VA is hellbent on taking union rights away from the hardworking men and women who provide care to America’s veterans, a third of whom are veterans themselves,” AFGE National President Everett Kelley said.
The Keker team representing AFGE includes Brook Dooley, Travis Silva, Taylor Reeves, JiLon Li, and Alex Wheeler.
Read the Reuters article and the Law360 article (subscription required).
