Service & Solidarity Spotlight: Yosemite Workers Vote to Join NFFE-IAM

Working people across the United States regularly step up to help out our friends, neighbors and communities during these trying times. In our Service & Solidarity Spotlight series, we’ll showcase one of these stories every day. Here’s today’s story.

In response to the Trump administration’s attacks on federal workers across agencies, park rangers, educators, researchers, first responders, and other staff in Yosemite and Sequoia and Kings Canyon national parks have voted overwhelmingly to join the National Federation of Federal Employees (NFFE-IAM).

Across the parks, more than 97% of ballots cast were in favor of joining NFFE-IAM. The votes were certified by the Federal Labor Relations Authority on Monday. This powerful display of unity comes in the wake of steep staffing cuts and broader efforts from the White House to undermine the collective bargaining agreements of federal workers.

“We just want to be protected from this administration,” said an anonymous Yosemite worker who helped with the organizing effort.

“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,” said NFFE-IAM National President Randy Erwin. “NFFE 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.”

Kenneth Quinnell Fri, 08/29/2025 - 09:47

AFL-CIO Bus Tour Rolls Through Maine for Training Event and Rally to Fight Back on Public Sector Worker Attacks

The Maine AFL-CIO, the Eastern Maine Labor Council and the Western Maine Central Labor Council kicked off Labor Day early with the AFL-CIO “It’s Better In a Union” bus tour as it made its way to the cities of Brewer and Jay this week.

In Jay, workers and union leaders gathered at Local 14 Solidarity Center for a rally and attended a training entitled Power with Purpose: Safety, Security & De-escalation for Picket Lines and Collective Actions. Over in Brewer, the members spoke out against attacks on public sector workers and rallied to uplift the University of Maine (UMaine) graduate students fighting for a first union contract, Maine State Nurses Association members bargaining for their next union contract, and workers organizing at Northern Light Health and the city of Bangor.

“Authoritarian regimes always attack labor unions because union workers joined together in common cause, have great power,” said Cynthia Phinney, president of Maine AFL-CIO. “And it's not power that will be wielded to help concentrate the wealth of a country or the world at the top. It's power that will be wielded to share prosperity widely and fairly.”

Kenneth Quinnell Thu, 08/28/2025 - 13:50

Tags: Better in a Union Bus Tour