Denali Park bus drivers say strike not out of question
Published Tuesday, July 22, 2008
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Stumble It!FAIRBANKS — Denali National Park bus drivers might strike if negotiators can’t come to terms on a collective bargaining agreement.
Of the 122 park drivers, 110 voted to authorize a strike. Two voted against the motion. The ballot count doesn’t mean drivers will strike — only that they can.
“It’s a last resort. We don’t want to strike,” said Ken Wilbert, president of Denali National Park Professional Drivers Association. “That would have a tremendous impact on park visitation, and we’re certainly mindful of that. ... We’re continuing to negotiate with the company (Doyon/Aramark Joint Venture).”
He added that the vote authorizing a strike should send a clear message that the drivers are serious about resolving the issues.
The strike vote puts another tool in Rick Boyles’ pocket. He’s president of Alaska Teamsters Local 959 and the bus drivers’ lead negotiator in attempts to reach a contract with Doyon/Aramark Joint Venture. The joint venture has a contract with the National Park Service to provide concessions, including transportation.
Boyles said the drivers don’t want to halt buses but deserve livable wages and a clear contract in return for doing their jobs. He acknowledged that a drivers strike could have wider implications.
“The park bus drivers are the ones covered by the collective bargaining agreement,” he said. “That does not mean they won’t have support in the community.”
Denali National Park spokesperson Kris Fister said the effects of a strike are uncertain, depending on the contingencies the concessionaire providing transportation has in place.
However, most of Denali National Park, including the new Eielson Visitor Center, can be reached only by shuttle or bus. Private vehicles are allowed only to Mile 15 of the park road.
Doyon/Aramark Joint Venture could not be reached for comment.
At the crux of the disagreement is a collective bargaining agreement, or terms of employment for drivers in the association. The agreement lays out the basics — wages, benefits, expectations and recourse. The old agreement expired Feb. 1, and the two parties — the Teamsters on behalf of the drivers, and the Doyon/Aramark Joint Venture with the park concessions contract — have been at loggerheads since.
Boyles was bound for Anchorage to attend meetings today about the contract.
In addition to the strike authorization vote, the association is preparing to file for a NPS permit that would allow the drivers to picket and hand out leaflets in certain areas of the park, Wilbert said.
Picketing is one more tool the drivers could decide to use.
“We’re considering it — we’re considering all of our options,” Wilbert said.
Community Discussion
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If these guys go on strike, lets ask the Park Service to open the road to private vehicles.
Another Alaska road where Alaskans are told that they can't drive...
i don't think that would be the best idea. when we took our car into the park in the spring when we could go to the teklanika rest stop, people didn't know how to drive in the park. most can't drive on a normal day, not to mention one that you're on a gravel road in the middle of "nowhere". we were trying to enjoy the wildlife and scenery while doing the SPEED LIMIT through the park and people were flying past us. also, when we stopped the car for a herd of caribou CROSSING the road, some idiot flew past us and looked over at us like we were in the wrong. he then had to slam on the breaks to avoid hitting them because he was in such a "hurry" and more worried about giving us the evil eye for pulling over to allow the herd to stop...although 10 minutes before he was in the one parked in the middle of the road while he took a walk on the frozen teklanika river.
it's a national park and it is a protected area so let's leave it that way. i loved the simple fact that when i went into the park it was endless miles of beauty away from the hustle & bustle of every day work. you allow personal vehicles in there and things will never be the same in the park.
Lets disolve the park and open it to hunting and mining.
Denali Park is one of the best things about Alaska. Most of the drivers do a great job in sharing this treasure with thousands of summer visitors. Thousands of visitors and dozens of buses a day do have an impact on the resources and the wildlife. If the drivers do strike I hope the Park Service has the wisdom to NOT open the road to all vehicles. Most visitors would not have the means to drive it anyway as they are on tours and have flown a taken a cruise to Alaska. It does take special training to safely drive a road that can be challenging especially under wet or snowy conditions. I had the opportunity to drive it once during the road lottery with 200 other vehicles. It was a madhouse. Drivers were exceeding the speed limit, passing on blind corners, stopping in the middle of the road, go off of the shoulders and chasing wildlife near the road. Suggesting dissolving the park is idiocy. Already there are those who hunt on the boundary and call moose out of the park. There are those who set traps at the boundary to captures wolves. We Alaskan have to realize this is a National Park and belongs to all people. Denali Park has value far beyond the tourist dollar. It is a healthy, valuable, and fragile collection of interacting ecosystems that exist despite our visiting. There needs to be places that are safe from our greedy and exploitive natures. We need to use resources, but not every square inch of earth need provide them. I am getting off track. If the drivers do strike the status of the road should remain the same--open only to those who can legally drive the road. If there are no buses so be it. The issue will be solved eventually and they shall return. The fact that the drivers strike should not mean that I should have the chance to drive in Denali. There are plenty of other beautiful areas to drive in Alaska. The current system is the best in allowing visitation while minimizing impact on the resources and the wildlife. If anything a major decrease in traffic might be of great benefit to the wildlife. I hope the drivers settle their issues and I hope the Park Service continues to do what is best to maintain the integrity of one of the great places in Alaska and the United States.
Cool .... now the union controls the park ..... is that too funny or what.
Let them strike and then fire the lot of them. Kill the tour stuff, which is a bonus, and get about 50% of these morons out of here. Then we might be able to enjoy the park again instead of the disgusting mess along the road we see today with all the cute souvenir shops and junk. YOu want to get sick just drive down there and have a look at the great Denali Park.
How much do those drivers make anyway??
I see they neglected to print that OR they're making wayyy too much to justify whining about "wanting more".
SamBam's right. Alaska has the deed to the road.
We shouldn't "ask" NPS. We should just assert our true authority for once.
Dick Merrill for President!
Every time I've been to Denali the drivers have been very friendly (camper bus, not Princess) and courteous. They made the ride out into the field an enjoyable time, and on the way back to camp at the end of the day they were welcome faces after being tired and worn from hours of hiking.
I know the circus-type atmosphere is a little gaudy outside the park (inside is fairly nice and natural) but I'd sure hate to hike that road out to Wonder Lake that takes around 8+ hours to ride.
I agree the Glitter Gulch area is an eyesore and just a monument to getting the almighty dollar from the tourist in any way possible. It really has nothing to do with what the park is really about except using the park as a lure to attract the spenders. Glitter Gulch represents what Denali park is about as much as Walmart is the symbol of Fairbanks. For those who really get the opportunity to be in the park it is a great, peaceful, exciting, and enriching place that touches the senses and the soul. I have been many times. I have ridden the private lodge buses and they offer a high quality experience (Not part of the group that may strike), I agree the shuttle buses and agree that most offer a good experience for the guest and I have ridden the concessionaire tour buses and these while a good way to get in and out of the park in a day seem sometimes to be more interested in how many people we can get in--but they are associated with Princess and the Chalets. Alaskans have as much right to travel the road as anyone. We are not being denied the privilege of traveling on the park road. But we must do so in a way that best messes with what the park is truly about. We can ride one of a few dozen buses a day. This is much butter than several hundred cars each day. This would destroy the integrity of the park. There are times we independent Alaskans must realize that sometimes there is a greater good than our personal wants.
Denali National Bus Drivers deserve our full support. These are experienced drivers, very good at what they do, there is a value added benefit every visitor recieves given the drivers local knowledge of the park. They have a vested interest in the park; I have no doubt whatsoever they make it safer for the wildlife.
I live in South East Alaska, and have been to Denali Park and surrounding areas dozens of times. You have the best drivers in the state up there and you surly do need them
If I had a dollar for every time I've seen a tourist with camera waving from their wrist chase after a bear down here in South East I might just be able to help with that back pay. I have never seen the kind of foolery up in the park that I have seen down here, You need people who care about their work, have high standards for themselves and you sure as hell don't find that in an employee by paying the minimum and bucking Federal Law.
Seems like a no brainer to me, Workers everywhere deserve a livable wage, these folks earn their pay and then some, makes sense to me to keep Mass transit safe (hello?), the park would be far worse off with out these guys out there.
All I know is that my mom is visiting next week and we have a reservation for Thursday on a NPS bus. If they want to strike, they need to wait until after July 31st!!!
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