Understaffed VA hospitals are in crisis, say workers

DOZENS OF New Yorkers rallied in Brooklyn last week as part of a national effort to get the federal Veterans Affairs Department to fully staff VA medical facilities.

Shortages are found in numerous job titles, from housekeepers to physicians and nurses, according to the American Federation of Government Employees, the union that represents many Veterans Affairs workers.

Some 49,000 positions in VA medical facilities nationally were unfilled in May, according to Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin.

Since then, the agency says, the the number has dropped to 34,000 vacancies. Yet that’s still too high, the union says.

In the five boroughs, there are an estimated 300 open slots, according to union officials.

Cheryl Jones, 66, president of federation Local 862, has worked as a therapy specialist for 24 years — and has experienced the staffing shortages firsthand.

“There’s hardly any position that is not short. There’s a lot of overtime . . ,” she said.

“People can take vacation, but you have to work OT. The minute someone calls out sick, you have to work OT, and it is a crisis because you are always working at minimum staffing,” she added.

Jones said the worst impact falls on the patients, who endure longer waits.

The American Federation of Government Employees has been holding similar rallies outside VA facilities across the country, with the support of former members of the military who rely on the system.

The American Federation says the department is trying to use contract workers to fill gaps.

“There’s a push to outsource services. There bottom line is money,” said Tim McLaughlin, 44, national rep with the federation and a Gulf War veteran.

Martina Parauda, director of the VA NY Harbor Health Care System, didn’t comment on the allegations from the union.

“The union has the right to protest and we respect that right,” Parauda said.