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WELCOME TO VFVC ON THE AIR
Veterans For Veteran Connection Live
Heard Every Tuesday Night
9 p.m. to 10 p.m. Eastern
8 p.m. to 9 p.m. Central
6 p.m. to 7 p.m. Pacific
VFVC Gene Simes will be interviewing: Larry Scott, the Author of VA Budget
Crunch, hear what he wrote that changed the course of action of the Secretary of
Veterans Affairs, Mr. Anthony Principi and returned the Portland VAMC surgical
schedule to it's full potential . And read the article he wrote to start the
ball rolling.
Click
Here
Call on and let's talk 1-877-213-4329 or at
www.stardustradio.com
Up coming interviews: Locals Union AFL-CIO in the
support of our nationwide VA union workers at the VA Medical Centers, also
speaking on keeping our job here in America.
Local representatives
Retired VA Psychiatrist Pharmacist (And the drugs that
our troops are given and how its effecting them) Educator (Domestic Violence )
A representative from Veterans Service Agency
, will be coming aboard
Gold Star Mother's And much more coming up
This has been made possible by VFVC network members
and their fundraising staff.
To join the
program and offer your views follow this link to
StarDust Radio
Rochester's Unions Pledge Support For Our Veterans:
On October 14th Gene Simes VFVC and Local 3306 met with the delegates of the
Rochester Labor Council in an effort to get a renewed commitment from their
organization to escalate the fight to return the Canandaigua VAMC to a full
service facility.
Our representatives called for an immediate end to the changes planned by our
local administration and VISN 2, including the plans to close the acute
psychiatry unit, to reduce the laboratory service to a blood draw station and
continued reduction in the levels of staffing.
Secondly Mr. Simes called for a full representation of Canandaigua stakeholders
on the VA's Committee that will examine the future of the Canandaigua VA that
was recommended by the CARES Commission. That demand included a call for
full political participation by our elected officials so that there will be a
way to hold our government accountable. "Since Mr. Houghton is retiring has
nothing to lose."
In a unanimous vote the Council agreed to put it's full weight behind the
Veterans and their call for support. They will provide them with full
representation at the upcoming meeting scheduled for October 28th at the George
Estey's Elementary School.
Another meeting is planned to call for the same support from the Finger Lakes
Region on October 19th.
For more information on the Rochester Labor Council -
Click Here
VA to Establish Federal Advisory Committee to
Implement CARES in the Canandaigua Area
Secretary Principi announces the next step in
the metamorphosis at Canandaigua, however the contractor that will assist in the
demise of the facility was hired three months ago and has been working with the
VISN and it's leaders to understand the direction the planning needs to go to
strip our veterans of the services they need and expect. read what the
Department of Veterans Affairs released last week.
WASHINGTON -- Secretary of Veterans Affairs
Anthony J. Principi announced today that under the authority of the Federal
Advisory Committee Act (FACA) he will establish a federal advisory committee to
provide advice in the development of a plan for implementation of the Capital
Asset Realignment for Enhanced Services (CARES) in the Canandaigua area. Twenty
other sites across the country will have federal advisory committees to assist
in the completion of the CARES studies and plans.
“Establishment of a federal advisory committee
to provide stakeholder input ensures a thorough and fair evaluation of
stakeholder recommendations on how best to implement the CARES plan,” said
Principi. The Secretary will utilize an outside contractor to complete these
studies and plans.
To finish the document just -
Click Here
Rochester's Only Labor Radio Program
This week on "Prospering in
America," Rochester's only labor radio program, which airs Saturdays at 5 PM on
WROC-AM 960:
This Weeks Program Will Include:
Interviews #1 & 2: Susan Phillips, UFCW and CLUW, on the gender discrimination
lawsuit against Wal-Mart,
ufcw.org,
cluw.org and
walmartversuswomen.com
Milestone: The 1922
Buffalo Streetcar Strike
Final Word: Alex Blair on how to succeed in business
Program sponsors:
New York State AFL-CIO, the Buffalo Building Trades, the
Niagara County Building Trades, UAW Region 9, New York State United Teachers,
Operating Engineers Locals 17, 106, and 832, Cornell University Upstate Labor
Programs, the Public Employees Federation, NALC Branch #3, ATU Local 1342, Depew
Teachers Organization, IAM Lodge 75, IAM Lodge 490, the American Federation of
Musicians All-Stars, The National Income Life Insurance Company and the Law
Offices of Eugene C. Tenney.
"Prospering in America"
also airs in:
Buffalo - Thursdays
at 9AM and 3PM on WHLD-AM 1270 and Saturdays at 8AM on WSPQ-AM 1330
Albany - Sundays at 7PM on WGY-AM 810
or on the web any time -
www.piaradio.com.
Senator Schumer Vows to Stand By The VA
In an emergency meeting of the Ontario County
Veterans Advisory Council Senator Schumer met to discuss the outcome of the
CARES Commission Decision by Secretary Principi.
Calling him a man of good will Senator Schumer
praised his
decision to keep the veterans services and jobs located at the Canandaigua VA in
Canandaigua. In discussing the changes laid out in the decision issued last
Thursday, Senator Schumer and the council members decided that there are three
primary goals they will fight for in the coming months.
- Any changes that occur in Canandaigua
involving veterans services will occur on the grounds of the Canandaigua VA.
- The committee formed to plan for those
changes will be comprised of a broad selection of perspectives from the
veterans served, the employees and the community.
- The facility that results from those
discussions will utilize the existing buildings through renovation not
construction.
Schumer reacted to the media fiasco held at
the facility on Friday last week by Mr. Feeley, Schumer stated that the
Canandaigua VA had an enemy that wanted things done differently in Canandaigua,
he said “These
are hallowed grounds.... We don’t want anything built anywhere except on these
grounds.”
It was clear that the embattled supporters
dedicated to keeping the Canandaigua VA intact and preserving the facility and
the services it offers to the areas veterans are ready willing and able to keep
on fighting. Gene Simes and Ralph Calabrese announced plans for a million man
march to be held in August centered right here on our home turf in Canandaigua.
For more information read the Democrat and
Chronicles article by Jack Jones on the meeting.
Click
Here
See how WOKR Channel 13 reported the
event on the evening news.
Click Here
Late Breaking News
Even as the reactions to the reality that
indeed all things might be lost begins to set in Anthony Principi jumps in to
set the record straight.
Again Mr. Feeley has misinterpreted,
misinformed, and mis-communicated the CARES Report and its analysis as intended
by the Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Feeley, who last year drafted a plan to
close the Canandaigua V.A., said Friday that the envisioned new health care
facilities would mean that the sprawling complex that has served thousands of
veterans since 1933 would be converted for use as public ball fields, college
classrooms, a possible high-tech industrial park or other uses.
Feeley also said that people opposed to the
proposed new veterans health care center would not be included as members of the
committee that will decide where the facilities will be built.
Principi said his plan is that the new
facilities may be built on the existing V.A. campus — possibly in an existing,
renovated building — if that’s what members of the proposed local V.A. Master
Plan Committee decide is the most effective and cost-efficient way to provide
continuing health care to veterans.
Principi also promised that committee
members would be selected independently and represent a variety of viewpoints
within the community and that Feeley would not determine who is to be selected.
To read the whole story as reported by the
Democrat and Chronicle - Just read below to the latest in information and related stories.
See how the administration explained the
changes that are occuring at the Canandaigua VA by
clicking here.
Canandaigua V.A.
Survives
Hospital stays open, and outpatient clinic
to be added, Schumer says
By Jack Jones
Staff Writer
(May 7, 2004) — CANANDAIGUA — Area veterans
and community leaders will like what they hear today when U.S. Secretary of
Veterans Affairs Anthony Principi announces his decision on the fate of the
71-year-old Canandaigua V.A. hospital.
Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., said he met
with Principi on Thursday and learned that the hospital will remain open — and
that a new veterans outpatient clinic will be built in Canandaigua at a site
to be jointly decided by veterans and community leaders.
Read the rest of the story by
clicking here
Key points
According to Sen. Charles Schumer, Veterans Affairs Secretary Anthony Principi
will announce today:
The Canandaigua V.A. hospital will stay open.
The V.A. will build an additional outpatient clinic in
Canandaigua, either at the hospital or elsewhere in the city.
A group will meet with the community to decide what to
do with the vacant buildings currently at the site.
The plan to move psychiatric beds out of the facility
will continue but will be done over time and will take into account individual
patients' needs.
To access our archived news click here
Keeping Our Members Informed
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