Is Part of the Problem at the VA Hospitals ..UNION WORKERS?

The crisis of delayed care through the Veterans Administration is triggering close examination of the federal bureaucracy and the competence of VA management, but some senators and other taxpayer advocates fear the influence of organized labor is also adding to the time veterans must wait for treatment or to have their claims processed.

The issue at hand is known as “official time.” 

“Official time is the euphemism for government employees doing the business of their labor union rather than doing the work of the government. Different departments allow different amounts, but even an hour of your time shouldn’t be funded by tax dollars if they’re doing the work of the union. That’s what the union dues are supposed to pay for,” said Fred Wszolek of the Workforce Fairness Institute.

As early as June 2013, Sens. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, and Tom Coburn, R-Okla., sent a letter to Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki to express their concern that 257 VA employees working on “official time” were busy doing work for the unions rather than making life easier for veterans, as they are paid to do. A full 188 of those VA employees on 100 percent “official time” would typically be fulfilling roles in direct support of veterans in areas such as health care and security.

“Documents from your department list 188 VA employees serving in 100 percent official time capacity during the time period spanning January 1, 2012 through February 2013. During this time of sequestration and tight budgets, it is important to know how so many employees can be spared to serve the interest of outside groups, instead of carrying out jobs that are essential to the health, safety and transition of our nation’s veterans,” wrote the senators.

Portman and Coburn said at least 85 VA nurses, some with six-figure salaries, “were in 100 percent official time status” even while the VA sought “to fill open nursing positions.” Other VA personnel on 100 percent “official time” included four addiction specialists, nine pharmacists and pharmacist technicians, a rehabilitation specialist for the blind, five social workers, 11 health technicians, 12 medical support assistants, two psychologists and six police officers. 

Wszolek believes it’s outrageous for taxpayers to be funding union labor for any length of time, but he said the problem is most likely worse than the unions will admit.

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