Veterans, Union Members Join Congresswoman Emilia Sykes to Voice Concerns Over Looming VA Layoffs
There was more pushback in Ohio on Tuesday to the Trump Administration's plan to lay off tens of thousands of Veterans Affairs employees.
The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) says it wants to cut over 80,000 employees from VA clinics across the country to increase efficiency within the Veterans Affairs Agency.
"I am here to let the 83,500 federal workers in the state of Ohio know that the AFL-CIO labor movement has your back," said Ohio AFL-CIO President Tim Burga to the crowd of over 200. "An attack on one is an attack on all."
Veterans, federal workers and elected officials rallied outside of a VA clinic in Akron to voice concerns over pending layoffs to VA workers across the country. It was the latest of several protests across the state of Ohio on the issue.
“We have the support of the public,” said Darryll Bell, a veteran and the President of the American Federation of Government Employees Local 31. “They recognize how harmful the situation is. They’re standing behind the federal employees and they’re standing behind the veterans.”
Democratic Congresswoman Emilia Sykes, who represents the 13th congressional district in Ohio, attended Tuesday’s rally and said she strongly opposes the federal layoffs of VA workers.
“There is no waste in veterans care,” Sykes said. “To me, it’s not wasteful to spend our money directly on veterans who have done so much for us.”