For the last two weeks, we met with VA officials on just one very important article: Article 16, Employee Recognition & Awards. Ensuring that VA employees are recognized equally for outstanding work is essential in creating a workplace of dignity, fairness, and respect, and we made sure the VA knew that. Keep reading to find out more about what happened in D.C.

Article 16 (Employee Recognition and Awards)

Background: Hard work should be recognized and rewarded regardless of your position at the VA and regardless of gender, race, or age. This article details how VA employees may be granted awards or incentives based on exceptional service to the VA and its mission. 

 VA Position: The VA continues to insist that certain terms of Article 16 are non-negotiable:

• They refuse to include Title 38 employees, like Registered Nurses, Physicians Assistants, and Doctors, in any provisions in our contract regarding awards. Although Title 38 employees are allowed to receive special recognition, they do not want this to be spelled out in the contract.
• They also assert that awards for Title 5 and hybrid Title 38 employees, including Housekeepers, Technicians, Social Workers, VBA, and NCA workers, should be left entirely to the discretion of their managers. Despite recent employee surveys showing thousands of complaints about the VA awards program, the VA claims that employees are satisfied and that there is nothing wrong with the status quo.

NVAC Response: We want to ensure that awards are distributed fairly and consistently to all employees who deliver excellent service to veterans and beneficiaries using objective criteria. We will continue to fight for the rights of all workers, including our Title 38 brothers and sisters. To hold the VA accountable on Article 16, we must have greater transparency and accountability on awards.

Despite agreeing to good-faith negotiations, the VA continues to hold up bargaining by claiming that certain matters, like Title 38 employee awards, are non-negotiable. That’s why prior to our D.C. bargaining session, we filed our first round of legal challenges against the VA’s behavior at the table. We filed a national grievance for VA’s bad faith bargaining, and we also filed two appeals with the FLRA to challenge VA’s claims that certain matters are “non-negotiable.” VA negotiators have requested that Secretary McDonough issue a determination under 38 U.S.C. 7422 declaring that Title 38 awards are non-negotiable. To read NVAC’s response to that 7422 request, click here. If management won’t agree to a contract that puts VA employees and our veterans first, then we won’t hesitate to hold them accountable for their behavior. This NVAC Negotiating Team will continue to fight for a workplace built by workers, no matter what the VA throws our way.

It's because of all your support that we are able to continue lifting VA workers’ voices at the negotiating table. From wearing #RedForFeds, to hosting local actions and events, you’re all showing up for these contract negotiations – and we are too. Thank you for your support as we continue fighting for a fair contract for all VA employees. 

In solidarity,

Alma L. Lee, Chief Negotiator and NVAC President