National Nurses United applauds the House’s passage of Protect America’s Workforce Act

H.R. 2550 restores collective bargaining rights to VA nurses and other federal workers

National Nurses United (NNU), the nation's largest union of registered nurses, applauds the U.S. House of Representatives for passing the Protect America's Workforce Act (H.R. 2550) with bipartisan support, with 211 Democrats and 20 Republicans voting in favor of the measure.

Nurses are deeply encouraged that 231 congressional members voted to restore collective bargaining rights for VA nurses and other federal workers. This vote is an immensely important step in protecting the rights of federal workers who provide vital services to our communities and care for our nation's veterans at Veterans Health Administration facilities across the country.

Nurses understand it is essential that federal workers, including the 15,000 nurses represented by NNU who work at VA facilities, are protected by collective bargaining agreements. These union protections are imperative for federal workers and nurses to advocate for safe working conditions and the highest quality of care for our nation's veterans.

The Protect America's Workforce Act was necessitated by the Trump administration's unprecedented attack on federal workers and their collective bargaining rights. In March and August, this administration issued executive orders that stripped more than a million union workers of their bargaining rights. NNU and other unions contend these executive orders are an overreach of presidential powers and were issued under the false premise that these unionized federal workers represent a threat to national security. NNU contends the true impetus for these executive orders was to silence nurses and other workers so this administration could implement an agenda that works to the advantage of billionaires, including the acceleration of the privatization of the VA.

NNU now calls on the U.S. Senate to urgently pass this critical legislation and restore collective bargaining protections for unionized federal workers.

National Nurses United is the largest and fastest-growing union and professional association of registered nurses in the United States with more than 225,000 members nationwide. NNU affiliates include California Nurses Association/National Nurses Organizing Committee, DC Nurses Association, Michigan Nurses Association, Minnesota Nurses Association, and New York State Nurses Association.