On March 13, 2026, a federal court granted a preliminary injunction in a lawsuit brought by the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) against the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. The ruling temporarily blocks the VA’s attempt to terminate the national Master Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) covering approximately 300,000 VA employees.
The court found that the union demonstrated a likelihood of success on the merits of its claims and that allowing the termination to proceed could cause significant harm to employees and the collective bargaining process.
As a result, the VA is temporarily prohibited from enforcing the termination of the Master Agreement, meaning the existing contract and its protections—including grievance procedures, bargaining obligations, and union representation rights—should remain in place while the case continues.
“This ruling is an important development for VA employees and for federal labor rights,” said Gary Locken, Union Steward for AFGE Local 1061. “We will continue to monitor the case closely and keep our members informed as the legal process moves forward.”
Local 1061 will provide updates as more information becomes available.
