Labor Day is a day that was established to honor the workers of America and the unions that fight for them and their rights.
However, a new administration in Washington has been bringing in new changes within labor relations.
Labor leaders like Chuck Simpson, President of the Western Virginia Area Labor Federation, says 2025 is a year where workers have been threatened with layoffs - both in the private and public sector.
Many of those affected have helped serve our country.
“We find that a big portion of people we talk to are folks who work in the veteran administration, the AFGE employees,” Simpson said. “Both in the medical and staffing procedures to help veterans utilize their benefits and handle any roadblocksto they go through.”
Workers in a labor union can be offered a severance package if they’re let go or offered a buyout to try to avoid layoffs.
However, Simpson says job cuts are still happening despite the unions trying to hold them off.
“Because the Veterans Administration, now with the changes within the federal government, have decided this is what it’s going to be,” Simpson said. “So we’re not going to honor a contract with you or honor your existing contract.”
In a statement, VA Secretary Doug Collins called the moves good news for veterans, going on to say:
“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.”
Simpson says the work of labor unions does more than benefit their members.
“People who do that work for a private industry that’s not union? Their jobs are getting better because they’re employers have to match what the unions are driving as far as benefits and wages so that helps them as well,” Simpson said.