Quote from the article above: There are currently more than 43,000 probationary employees across the department, the vast majority of whom are exempt from today’s personnel actions because they serve in mission-critical positions – primarily those supporting benefits and services for VA beneficiaries – or are covered under a collective bargaining agreement.

Note the wording highlighted in red. No problem with the "mission critical positions or those supporting benefits or services for VA beneficiaries" being fully exempt, but that last part rubs me the wrong way. I read the way that last section is worded to mean that there are most likely numerous unneeded positions that they would love to eliminate but can do nothing about eliminating because they are "union members". It's well past time for all unions to be sent to the wayside. They were needed in the past but in today's environment do nothing but prohibit streamlining processes and procedures and hinder production improvements and waste elimination by handcuffing management. There is certainly no place for a union in the US govt.