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WGAE Calls on Governor Hochul to Enact Law to End Unfair Tax on Comedy Clubs in New York
NEW YORK, Nov. 13 [Category: Union] -- The AFL-CIO Writers Guild of America East issued the following news release:
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WGAE Calls on Governor Hochul to Enact Law to End Unfair Tax on Comedy Clubs in New York
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The Writers Guild of America East (WGAE) urge Governor Kathy Hochul to sign Senator Kristen Gonzalez and Assemblymember Keith Powers' bill to amend NY Tax Code to put comedy clubs on equal footing with other live performance venues.
NEW YORK, NY (November 13, 2026)-- Acclaimed comedian Jim Gaffigan joined New York State Senator Kristen Gonzalez (SD-59), Assemblymember Keith Powers
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NEW YORK, Nov. 13 [Category: Union] -- The AFL-CIO Writers Guild of America East issued the following news release:
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WGAE Calls on Governor Hochul to Enact Law to End Unfair Tax on Comedy Clubs in New York
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The Writers Guild of America East (WGAE) urge Governor Kathy Hochul to sign Senator Kristen Gonzalez and Assemblymember Keith Powers' bill to amend NY Tax Code to put comedy clubs on equal footing with other live performance venues.
NEW YORK, NY (November 13, 2026)-- Acclaimed comedian Jim Gaffigan joined New York State Senator Kristen Gonzalez (SD-59), Assemblymember Keith Powers(AD-74), Paul Italia, co-owner of The Stand Group, and leaders from New York's comedy industry today gathered at The Stand Comedy Club during NYC Comedy Week to celebrate the New York State Legislature's passage of S.9407/A.10429, landmark legislation that would put comedy clubs on equal footing with theaters, opera houses, and music venues under New York's sales tax exemption for live performance arts.
The legislation clarifies a decades-old statute that left comedy clubs roasted by the New York tax code by improperly subjecting comedy shows to a sales tax on admission despite exempting other forms of live entertainment. After passing both chambers of the legislature unanimously, the bill now awaits Governor Kathy Hochul's signature.
"New York City is an artistic community, and I think it's very important for stand-up comedy to be supported," said Gaffigan, an eight-time Grammy-nominated comedian, actor, writer, producer, and two-time New York Times bestselling author. "It really comes down to this: comedians need people to be able to afford to go to a show. This unnecessary tax that Broadway shows don't have to deal with is like a remnant from a previous era. It just has to be corrected."
New York's tax code exempts admission charges to certain forms of "live entertainment," including dramatic, choreographic, and musical performances, from sales tax. The statute's text predates the growth of live comedy, leaving comedy performances vulnerable to interpretations that exclude comedy from this exemption. The result has been a growing disparity between live comedy and other live-performance arts, placing an inequitable financial burden on independent comedy clubs and imposes a hidden surcharge on one of the most accessible, affordable, and fun nights out in New York City.
"Comedy clubs bring a smile to so many New Yorkers' faces, but these small businesses are struggling with an unclear message on if they should collect sales tax. New York State does not charge sales tax on live dramatic or musical arts performances like Broadway plays, the ballet, and even EDM DJ sets, but comedy clubs are in a grey area that is subject to interpretation," said Senator Kristen Gonzalez. "Small comedy clubs that compete with large venues for audiences and talent need clarity in order to survive. My bill, S.9407/A.10429 with Assemblymember Powers, will clarify that comedy counts as live performance and should be exempt from sales tax. I'm proud to pass this through both chambers of the state legislature unanimously, and it's time for the Governor to sign the bill and keep the laughs coming!"
S.9407, sponsored by Senator Kristen Gonzalez, passed the Senate on June 4, following passage of A.10429, sponsored by Assemblymember Keith Powers, in the Assembly on June 1.
"Comedy clubs keep New Yorkers laughing and should be treated like their counterparts. We hope that Governor Hochul will sign this bill and give comedy clubs the break they need to keep comedy accessible and affordable for all New Yorkers," said Assemblymember Keith Powers.
"We've been saying for years that taxing comedy while exempting other live performances was a real joke -- and not the good kind," said Paul Italia, Co-Founder of The Stand Group. "This would be a win for every club and live performance venue hosting comedy, every comic, and every New Yorker who wants a night of laughs to remain affordable. We're grateful to Senator Gonzalez and Assemblymember Powers for championing this legislation from day one, and to our teams at All Hours/Venue Advisors and State & Broadway, whose government relations and strategic counsel helped get it this far."
Senator Gonzalez, Assemblymember Powers, The Stand Group, and industry advocates across New York are calling on Governor Hochul to sign S.9407/A.10429 without delay and allow the correction to take effect at the earliest possible sales tax quarter. For venues and audiences, the message is simple: comedy should not be taxed differently from other forms of live performance.
"SAG-AFTRA supports legislation and programming that increases economic and artistic opportunity for New Yorkers across the entertainment spectrum," said Rebecca Damon, SAG-AFTRA Chief Labor Policy Officer and New York Local Executive Director. "Stand-up comedy and improv shows support the careers of performers and creative professionals. A healthy, and funny ecosystem is part of what makes New York great, both for the people who live here and people who come from all around the world to see the talent that is New York. We encourage Governor Hochul, a long time supporter of the hardworking performers of this state, to sign this bill into law."
Tom Fontana, President of the Writers Guild of America East, said, "Stand-up comedy is a New York art form, with roots stretching from vaudeville monologists to the first ever comedy club, founded in New York City in the 1960s. Whether they're just starting out, headlining tours and specials, or writing for late night television and sitcoms, working comedians spend countless nights honing their writing and developing their voices at comedy clubs and venues in our state. We are grateful to Senator Gonzalez and Assemblymember Powers for fighting for comedians and the venues where they perform, and we look forward to Governor Hochul signing this bill. Stand-up comedians are an essential part of our artistic community in New York and directly benefit from state and community support for smaller comedy venues. Thank you for protecting this vital art form and the future of stand-up comedy."
"As a music venue that also hosts comedy, I was extremely surprised to be audited only for my comedy admissions tickets, when they're both live entertainment. It seemed clear to me that there was something unfair being directed exclusively to comedy performances," said Michael Dorf, owner of City Winery. "It was easy for me to sign on to help right this wrong, and I commend our elected officials, and Paul Italia and The Stand Group, for fighting for fairness."
"New York has protected live performance from unfair taxation for decades -- it's about time comedy got the same treatment. For too long, comedy clubs have faced financial liability and uncertainty that theaters and music venues simply don't, based on a distinction that never should have existed. S.9407/A.10429 finally closes that gap. On behalf of the thousands of restaurants, bars, and comedy clubs we represent, we urge Governor Hochul to sign this bill without delay," said Andrew Rigie, Executive Director, NYC Hospitality Alliance.
The push comes as New York's hospitality businesses face mounting financial pressure. A new NYC Hospitality Alliance survey of 275 restaurants, bars and nightlife venues found that half are breaking even or losing money, 61% have raised or are considering raising prices, and 57% have cut or are considering cutting staff hours. Labor costs, inflation, insurance and rent topped operators' concerns. For independent comedy clubs, which operate on similar margins, ending an outdated sales tax on admissions is a direct, low-cost way for the state to give working venues and their audiences relief.
"As a comedian working in New York, I know that comedy clubs are where we learn our craft. We need stages and we need access, because the club is where we test and sharpen our material night after night. Talent can only grow if there are enough stages to grow on, and ending this unfair tax helps keep those stages open," said Sienna Hubert-Ross, comedian, (@siennahubertross).
"As the former Director of the NYC Mayor's Office of Nightlife and founder of All Hours Advisory, which helped bring this bill to Albany with Lawrence Scherer of State & Broadway, I'm grateful to see unanimous agreement from State lawmakers that excluding comedy from the existing sales tax exemption for live entertainment was no laughing matter. This legislation will help comedy clubs throughout New York State save precious dollars, keep ticket prices low, and keep comedy accessible and affordable seven days a week," said Ariel Palitz, founder, All Hours Advisory.
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Original text here: https://www.wgaeast.org/wgae-call-on-governor-hochul-to-enact-law-to-end-unfair-tax-on-comedy-clubs-in-new-york/
National Education Union: Independent Research on Teacher Pay in England
LONDON, England, Nov. 13 -- The National Education Union issued the following news release:
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New independent research on teacher pay in England
12/11/2026
New independent research commissioned by the National Education Union and carried out by Incomes Data Research (IDR) supports the NEU's call for urgent reform of the teacher pay structure in England. The research underlines the unfairness and problems caused by performance-related pay (PRP), blocks to teacher pay progression and the dismantling of the national teacher pay structure. It highlights the clear link between the failure of
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LONDON, England, Nov. 13 -- The National Education Union issued the following news release:
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New independent research on teacher pay in England
12/11/2026
New independent research commissioned by the National Education Union and carried out by Incomes Data Research (IDR) supports the NEU's call for urgent reform of the teacher pay structure in England. The research underlines the unfairness and problems caused by performance-related pay (PRP), blocks to teacher pay progression and the dismantling of the national teacher pay structure. It highlights the clear link between the failure ofteacher pay to compete with other graduate professions and the teacher shortages we see.
Key conclusions from the research illustrate the un-competitiveness of teacher pay and the damage done by the current pay structure.
* Teacher pay is generally below market rates for jobs of a comparable size and other graduate professions.
* PRP has operated mainly to slow teachers' career development and has adversely affected motivation and retention.
* Teachers take considerably longer to reach the rate for the job than employees in many other graduate professions, with gender differences evident in progression.
* The current teacher pay structure does not properly support career development and undermines fairness and equality.
* Other approaches to pay and progression should be considered, with much faster progression to the rate for the job and all pay points mandatory and genuinely portable when teachers move schools or return to the profession from career breaks.
Commenting on the research, Daniel Kebede, general secretary of the National Education Union, said:
"This research highlights the problems the current pay structure causes. It shows that alongside significantly improved pay levels, urgent pay structure reforms are essential to properly value, recruit and retain teachers. The Government must engage with the evidence and the real lived experience of teachers. It must drop PRP and work with the unions to implement a fair and transparent pay structure, mandatory for all schools and academies."
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Original text here: https://neu.org.uk/latest/press-releases/new-independent-research-teacher-pay-england?_locale=en
[Category: Union]
UAW-LUCA in the Loop | It's time to put workers ahead of Wall Street
DETROIT, Michigan, Nov. 12 [Category: Union] -- The United Automobile Workers posted the following news:
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UAW-LUCA in the Loop | It's time to put workers ahead of Wall Street
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UAW Leads 6 Unions in Call for Ban on Stock Buybacks and Dividends at US Defense Contractors
When union members sit down at the bargaining table, companies often say there isn't enough money for better wages, benefits, or job security. Yet some of those same companies spend billions buying back their own stock and paying dividends to shareholders. The UAW and six other unions are calling for an end to those payouts
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DETROIT, Michigan, Nov. 12 [Category: Union] -- The United Automobile Workers posted the following news:
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UAW-LUCA in the Loop | It's time to put workers ahead of Wall Street
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UAW Leads 6 Unions in Call for Ban on Stock Buybacks and Dividends at US Defense Contractors
When union members sit down at the bargaining table, companies often say there isn't enough money for better wages, benefits, or job security. Yet some of those same companies spend billions buying back their own stock and paying dividends to shareholders. The UAW and six other unions are calling for an end to those payoutsat major U.S. defense contractors, arguing that taxpayer dollars should go toward investing in workers, equipment, and the facilities that keep our country running.
It's time to put workers ahead of Wall Street.
May Day 2028: Connecting Fair Contracts to Fair Pay
With the Detroit Three automakers--General Motors, Ford and Stellantis--and other contract expiration dates set for May 1, 2028, union communicators have an important opportunity to educate members about what's happening inside these companies and how corporate decisions affect workers and their families. That includes examining CEO compensation, worker wages, corporate profits and stock buybacks to help members understand how wealth and resources are distributed. The Economic Policy Institute reports that CEOs at the 350 largest U.S. firms earned an average of nearly $23 million in 2024, or 281 times the compensation of a typical worker.
Educating members about what's happening at the companies now can help build the knowledge and solidarity needed for strong contract campaigns down the road. The conversation about a fair contract starts long before negotiations begin.
This report provides data, charts and historical comparisons that local unions can use to develop their own articles, graphics and social media posts.
Your Phone As Your Camera. Make Every Shot Count!
Breaking news doesn't wait for a photographer! Whether it's a union meeting, a rally, a member speaking out or a victory worth celebrating, sometimes the only camera you have is the one in your pocket or purse. The good news? You don't need fancy equipment or professional training to capture a great photo. Start with the basics: clean your lens, hold your phone steady, tap your subject to focus, look for good lighting and move closer instead of relying on digital zoom. Take a few extra shots, faces and the big picture and the emotion on people's faces, and keep your phone charged and ready. In union communications, a good photo does more than show what happened. It helps members feel like they are there.
Check out these smart phone photography tips to sharpen your skills and make the most of the camera you carry 24/7.
The best camera is the one you have with you. Make it count!
Getting Into the Zone- Union Zone!
On September 25, an AutoZone store in White Plains, New York, became the first of the company's nearly seven thousand American retail locations to unionize. A recent article did a deep dive into how Local 259's organizing campaign worked--and the retaliation the workers faced from union-busting management. Looks like these AutoZone workers are ready to get into a new zone: the UAW zone!
New Leadership, Big Opportunities Ahead
On October 16, UAW President Shawn Fain and the union's newly elected International Executive Board (IEB) were sworn into office for a new four-year term in a ceremony honoring the will of the membership and reaffirming the union's commitment to fighting for its members and all working-class people.
The UAW International Executive Board will build on UAW's historic bargaining and organizing wins, fighting on all fronts for our core four issues: better wages, affordable healthcare, retirement security, and time off the job.
KJ:sr:opeiu494afl-cio
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Original text here: https://uaw.org/uaw-luca-in-the-loop-its-time-to-put-workers-ahead-of-wall-street/ (TNSmrp)
Reno nurses to protest the abrupt closure of oncology unit
SILVER SPRING, Maryland, Nov. 12 [Category: Union] -- National Nurses United posted the following news release:
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Reno nurses to protest the abrupt closure of oncology unit
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RN candlelight vigil: Sunday, November 15 at 5:30 p.m.
Registered nurses at Saint Mary's Regional Medical Center (SMRMC) in Reno, Nevada, will hold a candlelight vigil on Sunday, November 15, to protest the abrupt closure of the oncology unit, announced National Nurses Organizing Committee (NNOC). SMRMC nurses will also call attention to cuts to ancillary staff and lack of working equipment.
Management has not made
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SILVER SPRING, Maryland, Nov. 12 [Category: Union] -- National Nurses United posted the following news release:
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Reno nurses to protest the abrupt closure of oncology unit
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RN candlelight vigil: Sunday, November 15 at 5:30 p.m.
Registered nurses at Saint Mary's Regional Medical Center (SMRMC) in Reno, Nevada, will hold a candlelight vigil on Sunday, November 15, to protest the abrupt closure of the oncology unit, announced National Nurses Organizing Committee (NNOC). SMRMC nurses will also call attention to cuts to ancillary staff and lack of working equipment.
Management has not madeany official announcement of the oncology unit's closure, but oncology charge nurses have been called off since October 26, and cancer patients are now on the medical-surgical floor. Immunocompromised cancer patients are now on a floor where they could potentially be exposed to patients with Covid or other infectious diseases. Some oncology unit nurses have been floated to other units or been called off. Meanwhile, med-surg charge nurses have not been given the training to oversee oncology patients who are now in their unit.
"The closure of our oncology unit has left staff with many questions regarding our cancer patients and nursing jobs," said Jennifer Oaks, RN in the telemetry unit. "Several of our oncology nurses have been with Saint Mary's for many years and are deeply connected to their work. They are now looking at their shifts being canceled, possibly indefinitely."
Who: RNs at St. Mary's Regional Medical Center
What: Candlelight vigil for patient safety
When: Sunday, November 15, 5:30-8:30 p.m., speakers at 6 p.m.
Where: Saint Mary's Regional Medical Center, on the corner of 6th St. and Arlington St., Reno, Nevada.
"Management's decision to eliminate unit clerks causes delays in patient care. On telemetry, the monitor techs' sole job should be to monitor patients' cardiac rhythms so they can immediately report changes and potentially life-threatening arrhythmias," said Laura Parkhouse, RN in the telemetry unit. "Now they are tasked with managing the communications between nursing staff and family, providers and diagnostic and operative staff as well as the administrative work of transferring patients into and out of the units and escalating facilities issues when equipment is not functioning. It's an extremely unfair burden to place on one person and raises the risk of something important being missed."
"Management has also cut back on house supervisors and called off charge nurses, leaving units without critical assistance in the hospital," said Oaks, RN. "Management has not explained why they are making these decisions. Charge nurses oversee the work of the RNs in the unit and are a vital resource for them."
"There are not enough working vital signs machines in the hospital and when we can find a working one, we have to use the same one for several patients," said Michelle Sorge, RN in the oncology unit. "We should have one in every room."
Union nurses at Saint Mary's held a strike on Sept. 3, along with nurses at three other Prime Healthcare hospitals, to protest Prime's refusal to address their deep concerns about patient care and safe staffing. RNs also held a sympathy strike on Sept. 15, in solidarity with nurses at Olympia Fields Hospital, a Prime facility in Olympia Fields, Ill., who faced retaliation from management for advocating for better patient care conditions
This follows a pattern of Prime attempting to silence nurses at hospitals across the country for speaking up and advocating for their patients. Earlier this year, two nurses on the bargaining team at Saint Mary's were wrongfully terminated for their patient advocacy. SMRMC nurses have been bargaining for a new contract since July 2025. Their contract expired in September 2025. Prime has refused to return to the bargaining table.
NNOC/NNU represents more than 350 registered nurses at Saint Mary's Regional Medical Center.
National Nurses United is the largest and fastest-growing union and professional association of registered nurses in the United States with more than 225,000 members nationwide. NNU affiliates include California Nurses Association/National Nurses Organizing Committee, DC Nurses Association, Michigan Nurses Association, Minnesota Nurses Association, and New York State Nurses Association.
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Original text here: https://www.nationalnursesunited.org/press/reno-nurses-to-protest-the-abrupt-closure-of-oncology-unit (TNSmrp)
NNU demands return home of Professor Lawani, thousands of immigrants unlawfully held in ICE detention
SILVER SPRING, Maryland, Nov. 12 [Category: Union] -- National Nurses United posted the following news release:
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NNU demands return home of Professor Lawani, thousands of immigrants unlawfully held in ICE detention
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National Nurses United -- the nation's largest union of registered nurses -- issued the following statement in response to reporting about Dr. Ann Lawani, a professor of nursing, who was abducted by DHS and whose whereabouts remain unknown:
Professor Ann Lawani represents the best of us: a hardworking, dedicated nurse who committed herself fully to her education and profession
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SILVER SPRING, Maryland, Nov. 12 [Category: Union] -- National Nurses United posted the following news release:
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NNU demands return home of Professor Lawani, thousands of immigrants unlawfully held in ICE detention
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National Nurses United -- the nation's largest union of registered nurses -- issued the following statement in response to reporting about Dr. Ann Lawani, a professor of nursing, who was abducted by DHS and whose whereabouts remain unknown:
Professor Ann Lawani represents the best of us: a hardworking, dedicated nurse who committed herself fully to her education and professionand is beloved by her patients, her students, and her community. Despite having a legal work permit, issued by DHS itself, the same agency took her away in the middle of the night. They purposefully disappeared her, so as to deny her rights to communication with her family and her right to timely legal representation that would allow for her release. As a result, she is at grave risk of being deported to a third country where she has no ties. We are demanding her immediate release and using our union's resources to support her case. We also call on her employers, John Muir Hospital and the University of San Francisco, to use their resources and influence to secure Professor Lawani's release.
Professor Lawani is one of tens of thousands of our neighbors who have been disappeared by the Trump administration's cruel policies. Like her, many had been given permission to remain here, and have since built their lives and contributed to their communities. Like her, all need to be returned home and given the chance to reopen their immigration cases. Thousands of children, spouses, and coworkers are waiting for them.
The tragedy and horror of Trump's immigration policies led thousands of new voters to the polls to demand change last week. The newly-elected Democratic majority has a mandate to make the return home of Professor Lawani and tens of thousands more a priority on day one. The stakes are even higher now: Stephen Miller, the architect of Trump's draconian immigration policy, is now the White House Chief of Staff and will be further emboldened to expand his white supremacist ideology. People across the country, including registered nurses, must keep up the pressure on their elected officials to take bold, urgent action and end this madness.
Please sign the petition: https://www.change.org/p/demand-the-release-of-california-nursing-professor-detained-by-ice
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Original text here: https://www.nationalnursesunited.org/press/nnu-demands-return-home-of-professor-lawani-thousands-of-immigrants-unlawfully-held-in-ice-detention
Global Nurses United congratulates member union, Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation, on its recent bargaining victory
SILVER SPRING, Maryland, Nov. 12 [Category: Union] -- National Nurses United posted the following news release:
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Global Nurses United congratulates member union, Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation, on its recent bargaining victory
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Global Nurses United (GNU), representing more than 2.5 million nurses and other health care workers in 35 countries around the world, congratulates Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) and other Irish public-sector workers on their momentous breakthrough in negotiations with the Irish government ahead of their now-averted public-sector strike.
The
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SILVER SPRING, Maryland, Nov. 12 [Category: Union] -- National Nurses United posted the following news release:
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Global Nurses United congratulates member union, Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation, on its recent bargaining victory
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Global Nurses United (GNU), representing more than 2.5 million nurses and other health care workers in 35 countries around the world, congratulates Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) and other Irish public-sector workers on their momentous breakthrough in negotiations with the Irish government ahead of their now-averted public-sector strike.
Thebreakthrough and draft proposed agreement is a true testament to what can be achieved when workers assert our collective power. It is a reminder to all workers that it is labor who has the ultimate control over our workplaces. Notably, the draft proposed agreement was forged just hours before the massive work stoppage was to begin.
Nurses across the globe understand that soaring inflation, skyrocketing rent, childcare costs, and energy costs create undue pressure on nurses that stresses their worklife. Nurses know that fair compensation must allow nurses to afford a dignified standard of living for themselves and their families. We further acknowledge that fair compensation is critical to retain and recruit experienced nurses who are vital to maintaining the highest level of care for our patients. Kudos to the Irish nurses and midwives on this latest achievement.
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Original text here: https://www.nationalnursesunited.org/press/global-nurses-united-congratulates-member-union-irish-nurses-and-midwives-organisation-on-its-recent-bargaining-victory
AFGE Applauds House Passage of Richard Star Act
WASHINGTON, Nov. 12 [Category: Union] -- The AFL-CIO American Federation of Government Employees posted the following news release:
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AFGE Applauds House Passage of Richard Star Act
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Join the 150,000 AFGE members who have already made the switch to E-Dues.
Contact:
Tim Kauffman
202-374-6491
tim.kauffman@afge.org
WASHINGTON - The American Federation of Government Employees thanks the U.S. House for passing legislation that would ensure veterans receive all of the compensation they are owed for their military service.
The Major Richard Star Act (H.R. 2102, S. 1032) would allow certain
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WASHINGTON, Nov. 12 [Category: Union] -- The AFL-CIO American Federation of Government Employees posted the following news release:
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AFGE Applauds House Passage of Richard Star Act
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Join the 150,000 AFGE members who have already made the switch to E-Dues.
Contact:
Tim Kauffman
202-374-6491
tim.kauffman@afge.org
WASHINGTON - The American Federation of Government Employees thanks the U.S. House for passing legislation that would ensure veterans receive all of the compensation they are owed for their military service.
The Major Richard Star Act (H.R. 2102, S. 1032) would allow certaincombat-injured veterans to receive both their full military retirement pay and as well as any disability benefits owed to them by the Department of Veterans Affairs, without offset.
The House overwhelmingly passed the bill Thursday by a vote of 392 to 18, sending it to the Senate for consideration.
"The Major Richard Star Act is an important legislative fix that would allow combat veterans to rightfully receive their full military retirement pay as well as any disability benefits owed to them - regardless of their disability rating. I urge the Senate to pass this bill immediately and send it to the president for his signature," AFGE National President Everett Kelley said.
Passage of the bill came one day after House leaders snuck through a vote on a larger bill that would undermine veterans' care and reduce workplace rights and protections for thousands of veteran caregivers in the civil service.
That omnibus bill, misleadingly called the "Take Care of America's Veterans Act," would eliminate or reduced benefits for up to 1.5 million veterans, cut $57 billion in future disability payments over the next decade, further privatize mental health services and VA clinical research, and strip thousands of VA psychologists of their workplace rights.
This summer, AFGE joined members of the Democratic Veterans Caucus, Veterans Service Organizations, and other labor unions in calling on lawmakers to reject the omnibus bill and pass the Richard Star Act on its own.
"House leaders should be ashamed of themselves for using parliamentary trickery - on Veterans Day, no less - to push through dramatic cuts to veterans benefits on top of the tens of thousands of staffing cuts across the VA last year," Kelley said. "If we are to keep our promise to take care of those who have served us, we cannot turn our backs on them, and we cannot weaken the system designed to care for them."
AFGE National VA Council President M.J. Burke also said she's disappointed by the mixed message Congress is sending.
"Today, the House took an important step toward justice by overwhelmingly passing the Major Richard Star Act and ending an unjust policy that discriminated against combat-wounded veterans forced into medical retirement by their injuries. But veterans deserve better than having Congress give with one hand while it another takes away veteran benefits with the other," Burke said. "It is deeply disappointing that the House paired this victory with legislation that cuts benefits and undermines the VA health care system veterans rely on every day."
Written by OPEIU 2 AFL-CIO
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Original text here: https://www.afge.org/link/5b76e9843eba4d3d8bbe387dcb1e4559.aspx
