Officers - AFGE National VA Council (2024)

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President Lee was re-elected to her 12th term as President of the AFGE/National Veterans Affairs Council, #53, affiliated with AFL-CIO, in November of 2022.

Council #53 remains the largest bargaining council within the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), which represents over 304,000 employees for the Department of Veterans Affairs facilities, throughout the nation.

The National Veterans Affairs Council is the largest & fastest growing Council within the AFGE. The Union has continued to build the voice for all VA employees; including professional and non-professional employees.

Lee is a member of Local #1739, which represents workers at the Roanoke Regional Office in Roanoke, VA, and the Salem VA Medical Center, where she began her 35-year career as a federal employee in Nutrition and Food Service, and later moved on to Nursing Service, where she formed her solid commitment to veterans, their families, and her fellow federal employees.

She graduated cum laude from Virginia Western Community College and furthered her education at Atlanta University with an emphasis in counseling alcoholics and their families.

Her union career began at the grassroots’ level at Local #1739 at the Salem VA Medical Center, where she served in many positions; Steward, Vice President, Fair Practices Coordinator for the 4th District. She also served as President of the Local for 17 years. Historically, Ms. Lee was the first woman elected as President of Local #1739 and remains the first woman elected to head the AFGE National VA Council.

President Lee’s union career exemplifies her strong principles devoted to the improvement of the workplace through the empowerment of employees. Working closely with the late Secretary of Veterans Affairs, Jesse Brown; she sought to end adversarial labor-management relationships, to improve communications, and to build bridges between employees, administrators, veterans’ service organizations, and the public.

During her first term as President, a historic National Partnership Agreement was signed by AFGE, four other unions, and management, giving labor the opportunity to be involved in workplace initiatives. The National Total Quality Improvement Agreement was signed during her first term, established the National Quality Council and local TQI committees. These committees are tasked to improve ways in which services are provided to our nation’s veterans and to ensure that the DVA is a provider of quality health care today and in the future.

In her second term, she was the union’s Chief Negotiator for the NVAC Contract Negotiating Team, which authored the 1997 Master Agreement. During her sixth term, President Lee once again sat as the union’s Chief Negotiator for a new Master Agreement which was ratified March 15, 2011. Again in her 10th and 11th terms, she continues to be the Chief Negotiator for the union contract negotiation team.

President Lee is a member of the Coalition of Labor Union Women, the NAACP, National Partnership Council, and AFGE PAC. She was the recipient of the Bernice Heffner Award as the Outstanding Woman in AFGE, selected from among 700,000 employees that AFGE represents. In 2020, was the first recipient of AFGE’s Woman of Labor Award. President Lee was also named the Outstanding Labor Woman of the Year in Virginia and has received numerous other awards and honors throughout her career.

Mary Jean Burke,is the First Executive Vice President of AFGE National VA Council.

“MJ” as she likes to be known, started her labor career when AFGE Local 609 in Indianapolis, when it was consolidated to represent the professionals at the Richard Roudebush VA Medical Center.

Originally, appointed in 2002 by the National VA Council, to serve as a National Safety Representative. She was first elected as the 1st Executive Vice President in November 2007 and continues to serve on her second term. MJ is an active member of the Budget Committee, Legislative Committee, National Hybrid Collaboration Team and is also member of the National Partnership Council. She was also a member of the NVAC Negotiating Team, for the 2011 Master Agreement.

She graduated from St. Louis University with a BS in Physical Therapy in 1988 and she is a Physical Therapist at the Indianapolis VAMC. She obtained her certification in Athletic Training in 1995, doing her clinical hours at Tennessee State University from 1992- 1994. In 1999, she became a board-certified clinical specialist, by the American Physical Therapy Association in Geriatrics. MJ feels representing the workers who service, support and celebrate our Nation’s heroes is a great honor.

Email:M J Burke
Phone: (317) 988-1327

Oscar L. Williams, Jr., serves as our Second Executive Vice President of AFGE National VA Council, and also the 7th District Representative for Council #59.

Elected in 1986, Oscar is the longest acting representative of the National VA Council.

After serving in the Air Force for six years, veteran Williams began his labor career in 1978, where he started as a Steward, moving up the ranks as Chief Steward, Vice President and then rose into the position of President of Local 1963, at the Illiana, VA Medical Center. He is an electrical worker by trade and has worked for the VA for over 46 years.

Oscar graduated from the University of Arizona with a BS in Electronic Technology, and a minor in mathematics, in 1977. He later obtained his BA in Labor Relations at the University of Maryland at Silver Springs in 1984.

Mr. Williams has actively served as the Chairperson of the Mid-Term Bargaining Committee, a member of the Conflict Resolution Committee as well as member of the Drug Testing Committee. He was a successful member of the NVAC Negotiating Team for the entire 7 year term.

In his spare time, Oscar enjoys being a referee for high school and youth football. He is a grandfather of seven and three great-grandchildren. He has been happily married for over 44 years.

Email:Oscar Williams
Phone: (217) 670-9357

Bill Wetmore, began working as an attorney at the Board of Veterans Appeals in Washington, D.C. in 1979 and retired from federal service in 2020.

In 1992, Bill negotiated an agreement and began representing bargaining unit employees. Since, he has served as a Steward, local Treasurer, local First Vice President and President of AFGE Local 17, at VACO. He has also served as a NVAC National Representative, from October 1998 to August 2003.

During a special election in August 2003, he was elected Executive Vice President for AFGE National VA Council.

Bill is the Chair of the Grievance and Arbitration Committee, a member of the Master Agreement Negotiating Team from 2003 until ratification in 2011, a member of the VA Mid-Term Bargaining Committee, and Strategic Planning Committee. He continues to serve as the 14th District Representative, encompassing the Washington, DC metropolitan area, Council 14.

Bill completed his undergraduate from Lafayette College with a BA in American Civilization. He holds a JD from The Washington College of Law, The American University.

He is married with three children and five grandchildren.

Email:Bill Wetmore
Phone: (240) 320-5633

Monica Fultz, NVAC Treasurer, isan Army veteran who proudly serves others.

Her altruism spans over 32 years at both the Salem and now at Atlanta VA Medical Center, where she works as a Program Specialist in Engineering Service.

Monica’s active role with AFGE began in 2000 when she was appointed Steward with AFGE Local 1739 at the Salem VA Medical Center.

She is currently a member of AFGE Local 2778, in Decatur, GA.

She has been active as Local 2778 Treasurer from May 2015-June 2022 and AFGE 5th District VA Council Sec/Tres from 2017-2020.

Monica served as the Interim NVAC Treasurer from August 2020- November 2022. She was elected to her first term as the NVAC Treasurer in November 2022.

Since 2017, Monica has been in the position of National Representative for the AFGE National VA Council. She has added the Grievance & Arbitration Committee, Strategic Planning Committee, and Organizing Committee as part of various other duties with NVAC.

At the Local level, Monica served as the Local Women’s Fair Practice Coordinator, was a member of the facility EEO Advisory Committee, a Local Safety Representative, Assistant Chief Steward, and Chair of the Membership Committee to name a few.

Monica and husband Kurt have two grown daughters and one granddaughter.

Email:Monica Fultz
Phone: (540) 345-6301