After threatening to cut thousands of jobs at National Parks, the Trump Administration has backed off following widespread protests. “I make just over $40,000 a year; scrape sh*t off toilets with a putty knife nearly every day,” Yosemite maintenance worker Ilek Chmura told the L.A. Times after he was notified his job was eliminated. “Somehow, I’m the target.
“We lost our whole custodial staff in this part of the park,” he explained. “That will impact what people see, and it will be embarrassing if people come to this site and see it’s just full of trash.”
In response to public outcry and a media campaign from outdoor enthusiasts, the administration has now reconsidered its plan to eliminate thousands of seasonal jobs at the National Park Service. Last month, seasonal employees — responsible for tasks like collecting fees, cleaning trails and restrooms, and assisting injured hikers — had their job offers rescinded for the 2025 season.
This week, a memo from the Department of the Interior stated the agency could hire 7,700 seasonal employees this year, up from about 6,300 in recent years.
This decision marks a rare exception to the hiring freeze imposed during the Trump administration’s crackdown on the federal workforce. However, uncertainty remains for park supervisors.
Two anonymous sources said they had received permission to begin rehiring but are rushing, uncertain when the administration’s guidance might change again.
Much of the information here came from the Los Angeles Times. Read the full story.
What do you think? Your comments are invited.
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I hope this is true ? And we can g3t back to camping again in OUR national parks..
The current administration couldn’t care less about our National Parks or the people who work in them or visit them.
I doubt if many of them have ever visited one, except the one in Florida that used to be a National Park and is now a National Landmark.
I feel for him but ten “toilet scrapers” is over half a million in taxpayer dollars (when benefits/overhead is included) that most don’t have.
Money isn’t endless. The debt has to be reduced and yes, cutting back from HBO, Netflix, Hulu and Disney to just YouTube (with ads) is painful. We can’t keep taking payday loans to pay off the Visa that funds the Mastercard paying for our streaming services.
The other option is increase the taxes to citizens to pay down the debt, tariff everything and charge $350 entry fees to National Parks. Of course that excludes those of limited income from ever visiting so I’m open to hearing everyone’s alternatives.
I have never understood why international visitors don’t pay any more than US citizens.
You like the dollars spent by tourists as it helps your economy so why gouge them. I would not visit
Because the communities that surround our parks, transport, house, feed, and entertain outside visitors, thus getting out of country money infused into our country which also pays the local, State and Federal taxes that the community has gained from outside dollars. It is that park that attracts the visitors to come and spend their foreign dollars with us, meaning US. We make out – we gain money that was earned outside the USA and all we traded for that money was a little sight-seeing.
Flat tax…it works for the LDS.
Finally JB, you offer a good solution to something. Personally I prefer the VAT. That way when a drug dealer buys a new Ferrari he is paying his fair share, just like all of the other dark money cash businesses and crooks. Tax what we buy instead of what we earn. Drug dealers don’t report to the IRS but they do buy gold watches.
Won’t work as humpty will just give his rich pals more tax breaks.
Blah, blah, blah orange man bad.
This morning’s TV news said different.
This how the current government works.
“That will impact what people see, and it will be embarrassing if people come to this site and see it’s just full of trash.”
What is sad is people visiting the parks, campsites and wildlife areas are pigs and require someone to pickup after them. Maybe they should stay in the cesspool cities, where they belong.
I remember the days when “Rangers” roamed in all the above mentioned places. They were always friendly and helpful. People respected them and had the sense to respect and protect these places. Now being held accountable and being respectful of how you use spaces has sadly long disappeared. A new day has dawned and I am hopeful our Country will find its way back. 🇺🇸
Look, a lot of these bleeding heart job losses are seasonal employees and not career-type jobs. $40K a year as an entry-level job of janitor sounds pretty robust to me. Also, virtually every federal government agency has gotten beyond fat, loaded down not with the end-of-the-line service workers, but the fat-a..es sitting on them back in Washington. Check with anyone who works in the intelligence community where the $$$ goes today.
If janitorial staff are making $40,,000. a year. That would indicate it is a high cost of living area. Government employees don’t get paid the same amount of money for their pay grade across the US. It depends on the cost of living for the area. Most government employees are hard workers. They only follow the rules our politicians make and upper management tell them. I’d be the 1st to tell you our federal agencies are screwed up, but not because of the employees.
That’s equivalent to just about the minimum wage in California.
And that is ridiculous.
That is ridiculous until you are the one to clean up after the slobs that leave the restrooms, bathhouses and pit toilets in the rotten shape that so many RVers complain about. Appreciate the so called “menial laborer” as most people cannot live without their services.
Many employees are good, and many are not and are just collecting a paycheck.
Straight to the enemies of America co-sponsored and signed by Politicians from all parties
Just read that 160,000 govt. employees are millionaires. Cut the fat.
Trimming dead branches from the tree helps it to grow again.
TRUTH!
I know that we need a certain amount of employees to maintain the parks. What I don’t like is seeing three people pull up to a restroom in a park pickup and all three get out, but only one person cleans the restroom while the other two just stand around and chat. I realize that it isn’t the employees fault as they are just doing what they are told, but it is wasted taxpayer money.
BINGO!!! I saw something similar this last summer when a crew of 4 were cleaning up a Forest Service campground, though all 4 were working. But, when they got done, each walked over to a new 3/4-ton 4X4 crewcab pickup (one for each employee) and they all drove back to the Ranger Station 35 miles away.
By the way, that was last June and they told me then they were out of a job due to the Biden Administration diverting funding away from the Dept of Ag to other, more important projects.
You have BDS…get help fast.
We should ALL have BDS! If not, you were not paying attention.
I have BDS, Biden’s Dementia Sucked.
Truth hurts, doesn’t is J B.
Truth…y’all can’t stand the truth.
“Much of the information here came from the Los Angeles Times.”
…nuff said
Trump is an idiot. He shoots first, then thinks later. He is destroying America more and more every day. I hope there is still something left when he is gone. Hopefully, we won’t have to wait 4 years.
I’m just so thankful that it’s turning out when enough people push back against these boneheaded decisions, he actually backs down.
Same reply I gave to Concerned American…I give to you! I’m waiting…
He’s trying to run the U.S. into the ground like he did with most of his businesses.
BTW, I wonder how many illegals are working at Mar-A-Lago, his golf courses and hotels. Same with all of Musk’s holdings.
Are they being raided?
Their illegals are exempt.
Exactly! “”Do as I say, not as I do””
This has to be one of the dumbest posts I’ve read on here. I know you can do better.
Thank you for the response. I was thinking about posting, but you know, you just can fix stupid and really no use trying!
Hopefully people filled with all this TDS & hate, and are ignorant about how the last administration sold the country down the river giving away OUR $$$$$$ to foreigners will be gone, and hopefully we won’t have to wait 4 years!
Frankly, I have seen the waste in government, having audited the government for 20 years before moving on. Government has become so bloated, it is hard for people to really understand where the money goes and how much us wasted.
Thank goodness, someone has finally said, “Enough is an enough.” And this isn’t only Trump doing this. In the past, when the State of WA was running short of $$$, the first they did was shut the State Parks.
Well said!
This makes no sense… move to Russia
Unfortunately I think the Supreme Court says he ain’t gotta leave 🤔
How? I’m waiting for the likes of you to please respond…I’ve been waiting since 2015! All you do is name-call and parrot what the “media” tells you! Similar to the radios Hitler gave out…and provided the narrative he wanted the masses to hear! After the last 4 years it has become abundantly clear there are those who simply listen and “group” think and those…who thank GOD…are in the majority…choose to learn and think for themselves!
🔥
True, he is an idiot! But I do not think he “thinks” later or at all!! 😀
Read the article Project 2025 if you want answers to coming fiascos.
One man’s fiasco is another man’s solution. Until you have a solution, just let the grown ups handle it.
Take a hike.
Been drinking the Schumer Kool-Aid, I see! However, if it fixed the previous 4-year worth of horrendous fiascos, I am willing to give it a try. Anything is a step up from that.
I hate to see these cuts in areas where I participate but realize that serious cuts must be made in order for our country to not default on debts. We are $36 trillion in debt and are spending 2 trillion dollars this year more than we’re taking in. This cannot continue.
Remember back when there was a huge concern about the country spending our kids’ tax money, then it was our grandkids’ money. The way it is now, I am sure we are up to our Great, great, great, grandkids’ $$ and nobody seems the least concerned about it though.
The only thing they seem to be concerned with is the “rich” paying their fair share, even though the top 1% pay 46% of all federal income tax while the bottom 40% of wage earners pay no income tax.
But billions are found to build huge stadiums and hotels and other stuff for the trillionaire folks oh yeah that’s different 😡
Especially Sport Stadiums.
And ALL past administrations are guilty of adding to the debt…not just one side as “some” proclaim.
I’ve never heard anyone proclaim that JB.
All I ever hear from BOTH sides is we have a problem but until now, no one has offered a solution. If you or your side actually have a solution, I’m all ears. Otherwise get out of the way, you have no solution.
Bingo!!!
Neither does your gang.
Thank you, RV Travel! Well, … little leads to more bad decisions than uncertainty. Stop. Go. … . Hmm, …. Have a great weekend and safe travels!
As a veteran workcamper, I was pretty disappointed with the original article. It is great that they will be hiring seasonal workers and hopefully not firing the permanent positions. They are usually low paying jobs as the campsite is a big part of compensation. We cannot allow our national parks and recreational areas to deteriorate. We have enough for profit companies that do a lot of that for us. Just look at the campgrounds that AL&L managed in Virginia and West Virginia that are now closed and form your own opinion.
This isn’t about saving $. This is about a take over of our parks by Elon and oligarchs. They won’t be public parks anymore.. For god’s sake, this is what they want. To divide us all and conquer.
I am hereby calling for a protest with you Mia. We can come up with a nifty chant and do an anti-DOGE singalong together in front of a Park Entrance. That should fix it.
🤣
Maybe if Musk and his boss would follow the proper channels already in place and not make up things they know nothing about to suit themselves, everybody would be better off. Shutting down America is not the answer.
Of course they want to spends billions to open an Oligarch Resort in the middle east and make enemies of our closest allies.
I was under the impression musk was the boss…he acts like one.
The “proper channels, already in place” that you suggest we should simply continue to follow is what got us $37 trillion in debt.
Pretty sure that more of the same is not the answer in preventing the inevitable bankruptcy of the country.
“When your in a hole, quit digging”. Ever heard that saying….?
“Repeating the same thing over and over and expecting a different result is the definition of insanity”! Ever heard that saying…… ?
Basically, you’re saying to keep on with the status quo. Very enlightened. Just Saying.
I’m just getting tired of the ‘running hot’, running cold’, running hot, nonsense that is going on. Just spend a couple of moments to give some thought before pushing the button.
Not sure where you lost me Kelly, or maybe, it is where I lost you?
I re-read my post that your replying to and it is solidly grounded in facts and in very common principle or tradition.
In a hole, stop digging?
Happy trails my friend.
I think I was meaning to reply to BOB’s comment, rather than yours. Either way, I prefer to cut the bad spots out of the apple rather than throw the entire apple away.
No he is not. There might be waste to you but it important to other people. Needs to be a balanced, methodical approach. Start with truml and his golfing.
What golfing????????????????????????????? When has he had time since being elected? I guess you would rather he was sleeping and letting the criminals steal from the taxpayer’s coffers by your bumbling Biden did, eh???
How much did your president add to the debt last time he was in office?
Well said
How true
Trump will be the greatest president ever.
Balls…
Talk about flip flopping.
Learn to code.
Is what Mr.Biden casually told thousands of oil workers. When he destroyed their jobs
I worked in the oil fields during the late 1960’s through 1990 and the worst years for massive layoffs was when Reagan was POTUS…he was not all hunky dory like so many crow about.
I heard a lot of things about how the Trump admin is killing the National parks. Didn’t you read the article in this issue of the RV Travel? And I quote,
“In response to public outcry and a media campaign from outdoor enthusiasts, the administration has now reconsidered its plan to eliminate thousands of seasonal jobs at the National Park Service. Last month, seasonal employees — responsible for tasks like collecting fees, cleaning trails and restrooms, and assisting injured hikers — had their job offers rescinded for the 2025 season.
This week, a memo from the Department of the Interior stated the agency could hire 7,700 seasonal employees this year, up from about 6,300 in recent years.”