Glacier Park Staff and 11 Other Western Parks Vote Overwhelmingly to Unionize After Job Cuts

National Park Service employees at Glacier and 11 other Western parks voted 317 to 11 to unionize after significant job cuts.

Workers in Glacier National Park and neighboring sites chose to join the National Treasury Employees Union Chapter 347, marking a structural shift in representation for roughly 650 non-supervisory employees in the Intermountain Region. This move follows a steep reduction in staff, including a 25 percent cut at Glacier last year, reflecting broader workforce declines in recent years.

The vote occurred over three weeks in late May and early June, with ballots due June 16 and tallied June 17. The chapter plans to hold leadership elections after the expected certification of results. Glacier employees had unionized once before in 1932, but that effort was short-lived. National Treasury Employees Union President Doreen Greenwald emphasized the historic nature of this development, highlighting the employees’ desire for a meaningful voice amid staffing challenges.

Certification of the election is anticipated soon, after which organizational steps will proceed.

Montana businesses might observe how unionization at a flagship park like Glacier could influence labor relations in the region’s service sectors. Given Montana’s reliance on tourism and outdoor preservation, increased employee advocacy might affect operational stability, staffing costs, and resource management strategies across related industries.

Glacier National Park employees vote to unionize
By Justin Franz, Montana Free Press