Happy New Year!!
The first meeting of CVO in 2018 will be held on Wednesday, January 17th at 7 PM in the 2nd floor Conference Room of the Jesse Brown VA Hospital at 820 S Damen Ave in Chicago. Arrive early if you are interested in the committees and catching up on what CVO is doing; members of the Executive Committee will be there by 6 PM.
The agenda is really exciting! We’re going to start with a presentation by veteran activist Aaron Hughes on the Right to Heal Campaign. Then we are going have Bill Luna back to make another presentation on Latino veterans. We will also be giving out coupons for free haircuts at the Hair Cuttery.
In case of inclement weather, be sure to call us at 773-243-2335 to get the latest meeting information.
As usual, parking will be validated and pizza will be served!
See you on the 17th!
Right to Heal VA Campaign
Veteran & Community Meeting
2:30PM | Saturday, April 14, 2018
The Right to Heal VA Campaign (RTH) has been on the move and we want to get you more involved. On Saturday, April 14th, at the Jesse Brown VA, we are hosting a Veteran & Community Meeting to do just that.
What: Veteran & Community Meeting
Where: Vision Conference Room, Second Floor, Damen Building
Jesse Brown VA, 820 S Damen Ave, Chicago, IL 60612
When: 2:30PM | Saturday, April 14, 2018
RSVP by mailing Right to Heal <RightToHealVA@gmail.com> or join the event on Facebook
At this meeting we will share our plans to build the campaign locally and how we are working to coordinate nationally. We also want to hear from you on why you want to join the fight to save the VA from privatization. RSVP today to join us at our Veteran & Community Meeting.
Since our March 1st program we have been busy! Hundreds of you called your representatives on our Save the VA Call In Day; We had delegations visit staffers at Senator Durbin’s, Senator Duckworth’s, and Representative Quigley’s Offices; With SEIU Healthcare and AFGE 789 we demanded that Rear Adm. Jackson and President Trump state unequivocally that the Administration will not pursue an agenda to privatize the VA in anyway shape or form; We hosted a panel on the issues and our campaign at the Labor Notes Conference; And we’ve gotten press coverage in a handful of great outlets. But we still have our work cut out for us.
With all the turmoil resulting from Secretary Shulkin’s dismissal and Trump’s overt plans to privatize the VA, now is the time to get organized. Join the fight to save the VA. RSVP today to join us at our Veteran & Community Meeting.
RSVP by emailing Right to Heal <RightToHealVA@gmail.com> or join the event on Facebook
The Right to Heal VA Campaign (RTH) is calling on all veterans that care about saving the VA to join us tomorrow at a hearing on VA privatization and why it is not the solution. At the hearing we will make a call to action and announce an informational picket and press conference at Federal Plaza on Friday. Details below.
Call to Action & Workers’ Rights Board Hearing
Where: Conference Room, Second Floor, Damen Building
Jesse Brown VA, 820 S Damen Ave, Chicago, IL 60612
When: 4:30PM | Thursday, May 17, 2018
RSVP by mailing Right to Heal <RightToHealVA@gmail.com> or join the event on Facebook
On May 17th, join us as the Right to Heal Campaign announces a call to action and next steps in the fight to unite veterans and VA workers to save the VA and fight back against privatization. After the announcement the Workers’ Rights Board will hold a hearing to discuss what VA privatization would mean for veterans. The hearing will feature experts in the field of VA care, veterans speaking to their experience of using both the VA and the private sector, and VA employees who have dedicated their lives to serving veterans.
Save The VA Press Conference and Informational Picket
Where: Federal Center and Plaza, 219 S Dearborn St, Chicago, Illinois 60603
When: 10AM | Friday, May 18, 2018
RSVP by mailing Right to Heal <RightToHealVA@gmail.com> or join the event on Facebook
The Save The VA Coalition and the Right To Heal VA Campaign will be holding an emergency press conference and informational picket to oppose H.R. 5674. The bill backed by the Trump adminstration and the Koch front group, Concerned Veterans of America would expand private healthcare vouchers at the expense of the VA healthcare system and give unprecedented powers to the VA secretary to make drastic changes, including authority to outsource/privatize services of VA healthcare without oversight or congressional approval.
With the firing of VA Secretary David Shulkin for not advancing a privatization agenda quickly enough and with continued disarray within the Trump administration in finding a replacement for Shulkin, we believe it is the worst possible time to give Trump such powers to change VA healthcare. We will be demanding that Senator Duckworth and Durbin hold the line against these terrible bills and vote no on these bills and other efforts to privatize the VA.
RSVP by emailing Right to Heal <RightToHealVA@gmail.com> or join the events on Facebook Right to Heal Hearing at the Jesse Brown VA & Save the VA Press Conference at Federal Plaza.