The US Merit Systems Protection Board is an independent, quasi-judicial agency of the executive branch that oversees and reviews federal labor-management relations.
On Wednesday it issued an order specifically to the US Department of Agriculture requiring they reinstate 6,000 fired federal workers for at least 45 days while a separate court case around the firings is playing out.
The firings, issued mostly on February 14th, caused anxiety for communities across Montana–including Park County which includes parts of three national forests and the northern entrance to Yellowstone National Park.
During Park County’s regular commission meeting on Tuesday, the commission voted unanimously to send a letter to Montana’s congressional delegation regarding the layoffs.
Commissioner Bryan Wells said he did not like the way the cuts were made.
“I also think this letter will go a long way in encouraging the delegation to speak up and possibly make some changes”
The letter addressed to Senators Steve Daines, and Tim Sheehey and Representatives Ryan Zinke and Troy Downing read,
"As Montana’s representatives in Washington, D.C., we request that you make it a priority to restore these positions and fully staff the US Forest Service so the agency can continue to do its important work for our state.”
After public comment on the letter, the commission opted to also include fired employees from National Parks and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
The letter was signed by all commissioners and mailed out on Wednesday.
Yellowstone Public Radio reached out to Senator Steve Daines for a response to the recent layoffs.
A spokesperson for Republican Senator Steve Daines office said “Our Forest Service and National Park employees work hard every day to manage our lands and support our Montana outdoor way of life. As chairman of the Senate Subcommittee on National Parks, I have seen firsthand the issues facing our public lands and I’m always looking for ways to address these issues. I’ll continue to work with USDA and the DOI to make sure we have personnel in place to protect our lands and our outdoor way of life.”
