Federal workers, veterans rally against VA job cuts in Brooklyn

BROOKLYN, N.Y. (PIX11) -- Federal employees and veterans' advocates gathered outside the Brooklyn Veterans Affairs Medical Center on Wednesday to protest the Trump administration's plan to eliminate 80,000 positions at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).

Demonstrators warned that the cuts would cripple health care services for veterans and break America's promise to care for those who served.

Cheryl Jones, president of the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) Local 862, which represents VA workers in Brooklyn and Manhattan, spoke urgently about the potential consequences.

"If they get rid of 80,000 federal employees from the VA, that's gonna impact patient care," Jones said. She emphasized that the cuts would leave the agency unable to fulfill its obligations: "We made a promise to our veterans to take care of them, and we won't be able to—there won't be enough staff."

Jones also highlighted the broader role of federal workers in maintaining essential services across the country. "Government workers are all over the place. We are interwoven into the fabric of America. They do their job, they do it quietly, and they get it done. So what happens if you let 'em all go?"

The rally, organized by AFGE Locals 862 and 1667, drew union members and community supporters who argued that the cuts would harm not only veterans but also critical services like food inspections and Social Security. Attendees condemned the administration's approach, with one speaker calling the move "plain evil" and another stressing that no other entity can match the VA's comprehensive care network for veterans.

The Trump administration has defended the cuts as part of an effort to streamline operations, aiming to return staffing levels to those of 2019. VA Secretary Doug Collins has insisted that health care and benefits for veterans will not be affected. However, critics, including Democratic lawmakers and veterans' groups, warn that the reductions will lead to longer wait times, reduced access to care, and a breakdown in services for millions of veterans.

As tensions escalate, advocates vow to continue fighting against what they describe as reckless and politically driven layoffs. "They think they are doing something by putting these anti-union, anti-veteran, anti-federal employee policies," one protester declared. "I'm here to tell you, we're going to fight back."

Layoffs are expected to take effect by August.