Workers at Yosemite National Park and Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks have voted to join the National Federation of Federal Employees (NFFE-IAM) as their union representative. The vote, held between July 22 and August 19, saw more than 97% support among employees at both locations. The election took place during the parks’ busiest season, allowing both permanent and seasonal workers to participate.
The Federal Labor Relations Authority certified the results on Monday, adding about 600 employees—including interpretive park rangers, educators, researchers, fee collectors, first responders, firefighters, and other staff—to the NFFE-IAM union. This development brings these national parks into a growing group of federally managed sites whose employees are represented by NFFE-IAM. Other parks with NFFE-IAM representation include Yellowstone, Cuyahoga Valley, Pictured Rocks, Gulf Islands National Seashore, as well as workers across the U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management.
NFFE-IAM’s Organizing Department led the campaign alongside field staff and an internal organizing committee.
“I am honored to welcome the Interpretive Park Rangers, scientists, biologists, photographers, geographers, and so many other federal employees in essential roles at both Yosemite and Sequoia & Kings Canyon to our union,” said NFFE-IAM National President Randy Erwin. “By unionizing, hundreds of previously unrepresented employees have obtained a critical voice in their workplace and now have the power to make significant changes to benefit themselves and their colleagues.”
“It comes as no surprise workers in the National Park Service are overwhelmingly in favor of unionizing, as federal employees across the country have been faced with reductions in force, threats to workplace protections, and slashed agency budgets under this administration,” continued Erwin. “NFFE-IAM will be taking every step possible to increase both staffing and resources, and to defend employees from actions that threaten their rights and the incredible work they do stewarding our public lands. I look forward to working with the dedicated men and women who carry out the important mission of maintaining Yosemite and Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks.”
