The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM Union) has voiced strong opposition to a new interim rule from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) that changes how veterans’ disabilities are evaluated when medication is involved.
According to the IAM, the rule assesses disabilities based only on how veterans function while their symptoms are managed by medication. The union argues this approach fails to consider flare-ups, worsening conditions, and real-world limitations faced by veterans both at work and in daily life. “This tells Veterans that if medication helps you get through the day, your disability doesn’t count as much,” the IAM stated.
The union represents hundreds of thousands of workers in industries such as aerospace, defense, shipbuilding, rail, and federal service. Many members are military veterans who rely on medication to remain employed in physically demanding or safety-critical jobs. The IAM emphasized that reliance on medication does not mean service-connected disabilities have disappeared.
The IAM also noted that the interim rule undermines a 2025 federal court decision, Ingram v. Collins, which reaffirmed that the VA cannot base disability ratings solely on symptoms suppressed by medication. “Rather than following that ruling, the VA issued a regulation designed to render it meaningless,” according to the union.
“Veterans should not lose hard-won legal protections because an agency finds them inconvenient. Disability compensation exists to reflect lost earning capacity and functional impairment, not how well medication masks pain during a brief exam,” said the IAM.
Through its Veterans Services Program, the IAM became the first labor union officially recognized by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs as a national Veterans Service Organization (VSO). This designation allows IAM military veterans and their families direct access to benefits and representation within the VA system.
“Veterans earned these benefits through service and sacrifice. They deserve better,” stated the union. The IAM is calling for the VA to withdraw or significantly revise the new rule.
The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers represents about 600,000 active and retired members across various industries in North America.
