On Thursday, October 26th, AFGE Local 17 hosted a happy hour on the rooftop floor at Bar Deco. Our special guests – Congressman Chris Pappas and Congressman Morgan McGarvey, both of whom sit on the House Veterans Affairs Committee – were warmly welcomed by 100 Local 17 members.
Both Congressmen had the opportunity to share a few words with the crowd and emphasized the importance of protecting the backbone of VA – i.e., the employees who have made it their daily mission to serve our Nation’s Veterans. They also had the opportunity to talk individually with Local 17 members and leaders. Local 17 also presented them with a small gift – a bottle of aged New Hampshire maple syrup for Congressman Pappas and locally distilled jalapeño infused aguardiente for Congressman McGarvey.
A bit of background – AFGE Local 17 has been lobbying Congress on your behalf. Local 17 recently initiated an aggressive congressional outreach campaign in which employees at the Board of Veterans’ Appeals (Board) sent emails to the House Committee on Veterans Affairs to discuss their many concerns and request Congressional oversight. The most vocal issues raised by Board employees included the removal of the 7-year experience requirement for Veterans Law Judges, limiting the career path for attorneys from GS-14 to GS-13, and the arduous production requirement which precludes de novo review, as required by law. Local 17 leaders also made multiple visits to Congressional VA committee leaders on Capitol Hill. These efforts led to a noteworthy development, with nearly a dozen staffers from the House and Senate VA Committees visiting the Board for consultations and inquiries, marking a significant milestone.
During the recent event, both Congressmen expressed interest in how employees felt about Secretary McDonough’s plan of 50% in-office attendance. Local 17 members strongly disagreed with McDonough’s plan, citing increased productivity and higher job satisfaction while maintaining an effective level of communication and collaboration while teleworking.
We hope to see you at our holiday party!
