(September 1, 2005)

In order to further improve the lines of communication and to respond to the concerns between the National VA Council and you our members, I have established a National VA Council Briefing. This NVAC Briefing will bring you the latest news and developments within DVA and  provide you with the current status of issues  this Council is currently addressing. I believe that this NVAC Briefing will greatly enhance the way in which we communicate and the way in which we share new information, keeping you better informed.

Alma L. Lee

National VA Council, President

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In This Briefing: Have a safe Labor Day

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Labor Day

The observance and celebration of Labor Day is more than a time to share with families and friends. Labor Day is a time to express to the community, the power, force and unity of the trade and labor organizations.  Peter McGuire, general secretary of the Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners and a cofounder of the American Federation of Labor, is credited with the original idea of a day for workers to show their solidarity and the workers unions chose the first Monday in September to be set aside as a special day to pay tribute to the working men and women.

Labor Day has become recognized in the U.S., not only as a celebration of the working class, but even more so as the unofficial end of summer and yet it stands for so much more.  Labor Day celebrates the importance of our workforce that continues to be recognized world wide as the nation with the highest standards of living and the highest level of production anywhere in the world!

Be sure to celebrate this historic holiday that commemorates the enormous contributions that workers have made to the strength, success, and security of our nation. Take time out, feel the spirit, and travel to the past of the American labor movement and pay tribute to the great labor force that exist today, within the Veterans Affairs’ workforce.

It is fitting that we as a nation pay tribute to you on Labor Day~ the American worker!

On Behalf of the National VA Council, I would like to wish everyone a safe holiday weekend. I sincerely hope all will enjoy their extra time with family, friends, and neighbors, but let us not forget our veterans who are abroad, and hope they will return home safely.