Over 600 federal employees working at two of America’s legendary National Parks have overwhelmingly voted to join the National Federation of Federal Employees (NFFE-IAM).
Park rangers, recreation specialists, firefighters, forestry workers, maintenance services, facility staff operation specialists, and other staff voted nearly unanimously to become IAM members. They work at the storied Yosemite National Park and the Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Park in California.
The latest organizing victories are part of a strategic organizing initiative between the IAM Organizing Department and NFFE-IAM.
IAM Assistant Organizing Coordinator Jerry McCarty said that existing NFFE-IAM master agreements with federal agencies, like the U.S. Forest Service, help ensure immediate protection for members.
“Federal employees at Yosemite and Sequoia-Kings Canyon National Parks realized the only way to have a voice in this political climate was to form a union. The IAM has all the necessary resources to make it happen for them and other National Parks across the country,” McCarty said.
“Federal workers are facing a changing landscape that the current administration designed to keep them guessing about their employment security,” said IAM Organizing Special Representative Art Jackson. “These National Park Service workers ensure that Americans can visit and enjoy these beautiful national treasures now and for centuries to come. They now stand tall and proud like the Sequoia trees they protect because they know life and work is better in a union.”
The National Park Service has hundreds of unfilled job openings, with some hourly pay rates from $17.60 per hour to $21.47 for wage grade 5. Many jobs require work on holidays, weekends, and mandatory overtime because of the schedules needed to staff a public park year-round.
“We are having great success in union elections with federal workers right now because NFFE-IAM and the IAM Organizing Department understand the assignment,” said IAM Assistant Organizing Director Juan Eldridge. “The IAM Organizing department has solid experience with Federal Labor Relations Authority (FLRA) elections, and these workers need union representation without delay before some of the Trump administration’s job actions take effect without the workers’ input.”
”It just makes sense that they get professional representation from a union like no other, the IAM Union,” said IAM Resident General Vice President Jody Bennett. “We have a proven record of fighting for federal government civilian workers with NFFE-IAM, and new members choose us because we know the drill and get results.”
The IAM Organizing Department and NFFE-IAM currently have more representation elections scheduled with federal service workers nationwide.
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