Listen: The VA Fights Back/Remembering Mary Pinkett
By Bob Hennelly
This week the Republican controlled House passed by just one vote what President Trump calls his "one big beautiful bill" that provides obscene tax cuts for the nation's wealthiest individuals and corporations while cutting hundreds of billions from safety net programs like Medicaid and food stamps.
While there's been a lot of news media attention on the beltway battle of next year's budget--the Trump/Musk regime’s efforts to decimate the federal civil service and government agencies like the Veterans Administration continues.
As we prepare for the Memorial Day weekend, its important to remember that close to a third of federal civil service members are veterans themselves.
So far, the Veterans Administration, which provides life sustaining healthcare to nine million veterans, is in the process of cutting 80,000 jobs, or 15 percent of its workforce.
On this episode of WBAI’s “What’s Going On?” we speak with Adam Cartegena, a psychiatric nurse at the Lyons VA Medical Center and the president of AFGE Local1012 which represents the several hundred workers at that New Jersey facility.
Adam recalls how his co-workers pulled together during COVID putting their lives at risk and now have to endure the randomness of Elon Musk’s chainsaw cuts to vital healthcare veterans rely on.
Marianne Pizzitola, a former FDNY EMT and 9/11 WTC Center responder, discusses with Adam the similarities between the first responder and combat veteran experience. Adam explains why the Trump administration’s attack on federal unions puts both health workers and patients well being at risk.
Work-Bites editor Joe Maniscalco and Marianne contrast New York City Speaker Adrienne Adams refusal to support New York City retirees fight to hold on to their Medicare with the late New York City Council Member Mary Pinkett, a former chair of the Civil Service and Labor Committee, who fought hard to guarantee the retirees could retain their Medicare.
Listen to the entire show below: