VA office agrees to change ‘wanted’ poster for workers

Managers at a Department of Veterans Affairs office in Florida are changing an employee-of-the-month “wanted” poster graphic, complete with bullet holes, after the employees’ union complained about the image.

The management at the St. Petersburg regional office said Monday that the graphic in a monthly email to employees will be removed from the bulletin next month, after appearing as a regular feature for about a year.

The image was “intended to promote employee participation in the Employee of the Month program in a creative way,” VA regional spokesman Bruce Clisby told the Tampa Tribune. “It was never intended to relay a negative message, such as terrorism, threats, or violence. …”

Union officials said the image sent the wrong message to veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder and also violated collective bargaining agreements about workplace violence.

The employees’ union sought the change “in the midst of our present environment of war, terrorism, workplace threats, and a not so friendly environment,” Valorie Reilly, president of the American Federation of Government Employees Local 1594, wrote in her monthly email to union members. “Also, we strongly believe a positive and uplifting message and design better reflects awarding those that perform above the call of duty.”

She said employees who are also veterans complained about the image.

“We have received negative comments from our veteran employees about this matter,” Ms. Reilly said in the email. “Many consider the poster and announcement not just in bad faith, but puzzling in an environment where many veterans have seen combat. Second, with the emphasis on preventing workplace violence and various incidents of workplace violence in the news, another design would be more fitting to announce ’awards’ for employees — other than bullet holes.”