Nearly 700 Yosemite National Park employees who live and work in the valley are concerned about their jobs, housing, and how the upcoming Draft Yosemite Valley Implementation Plan is going to impact them. A general management plan for Yosemite was drafted in the early '80s, but never implemented. That plan is now being incorporated into a new comprehensive plan scheduled for public comment. These workers are the newest members of Local 535 as a result of the merger with 752.

The plan is supposed to address resource issues such as protection of the river system, meadows, California Black Oak woodlands, wetlands, and archeological sites, as well as visitor issues of lodging, camping, concessions, transportation, and circulation. The problem is that employees, who have the most contact with the public and who will be affected by any decisions made, have not been part of the planning process.

"Employees who are on the front lines, who make this place go, have not had a seat at the table to determine the future of this valley," says Local 535 senior field representative Lisa Edelheit. "We should have a bigger role and some input. We are concerned that our needs, which include adequate housing, will be ignored."

Homes Wiped Out

Employee housing has been a critical issue since large numbers of workers' homes were wiped out during the flood of 1997, along with 600 camp sites and 495 hotel rooms. The Valley Implementation Plan was created to provide guidelines for the rebuilding of Yosemite Valley, combining four other management plans into one governing document, including a plan to re-build employee housing.

"We are concerned they want to remove significant numbers of employee housing from the valley, forcing many people to move," adds Edelheit. "This would create hundreds of instant commuters with all the attending problems. Nearly 300 employees commute. Many employees don't have vehicles, there isn't adequate parking in the valley already, and the increased demand for housing outside the valley would create social and economic stresses for employees and residents. Many people live here all year 'round. Commuting in and out during the winter would be a huge hardship, to say nothing of uprooting workers and their families."

Inadequate Housing

To replace the employee housing lost in the flood, workers are living in small wooded cabins, dilapidated trailers, and other temporary housing.

"The temporary housing they are providing is inadequate and unacceptable," says Edelheit. Over 1,000 Yosemite Valley workers staff the facilities, hotels, recreation programs, visitor programs, hotels, and restaurants in the Yosemite Valley and high Sierra camps. The average age of employees is 35, and most stick around for awhile. "The union ensures decent wages, benefits, and a good sense of community," says Edelheit. "Since we were organized in the late '70s, the union has made Yosemite a fairer place to work. We established bid rights instead of favoritism, seniority, a grievance procedure, and other worker protections. If you are into outdoor recreation and climbing, prefer a simpler and quieter life, and want a strong sense of community, this is it. The union plays an important role in helping preserve a decent life for all who work and live here. Once that plan comes out we hope to have an important role in its formation and implementation." The union will hold workshops for members to get involved and will initiate a letter writing campaign to ensure their voices will be heard.