A decade plus of blatant underfunding of agency while waging two more wars, added to the previous decades, No Demand by the Public Served to Sacrifice!
Often, especially in a government agency which is a countries responsibility and especially in the Veterans Administration who's needs are quickly added to in taking care of those who serve the country during and long after the wars and long occupations they're sent into, long time underfunding brings about administrative calls that may look like one way to those affected but might be happening because of extremely tight budgets in the growing needs. Like a private company, depending on employee's labor for profit growth, only sharing in the profits with the few at the top and any investors while tightening the workforce needs who create those profits through their labor to maintain a growing bottom line for that few to share. Those that get hurt are the dedicated employee's and in the case of this agency the needs of those who served and sacrificed, the Veterans of the Military services!
{click on graphic for larger view}June 11, 2012 -- Veterans and other groups say veterans care is jeopardized by downgrade of critical medical center support staff
Hundreds of Veterans Affairs workers, members of the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), plan to rally in front of the VISN Headquarters, Wednesday, June 13 at 11:00 a.m. The activists, from health care facilities in more than 4 states, will gather at 2301 East Lamar Blvd., Suite 650, Arlington, Texas 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 Vice President Roy Flores and President of the largest VA Local in Dallas, Texas, Donald Burrell. "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."
AFGE 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 Burrell. "This nation's public servants and veterans deserve better." read more>>>
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