Earlier this week, Local 2948 President Brad Gallant and Local 3485 President Kevin Drake spoke to The Boston Globe about the chronic understaffing and underfunding at the more than 140 parks, reservations, reservoirs, and beaches managed by the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation.
A state-commissioned report released in December found that full-time staff at DCR has dropped by 300 since 2009, about 25 percent, while the use of DCR facilities has surged during the pandemic. The increased utilization, coupled with historically low staffing levels, has stretched the hundreds of Local 2948 and 3485 members who staff the public beaches, trails, campsites, and facilities to their breaking point.
Thank you Brad and Kevin for highlighting the urgent need for increased investment in staffing, maintenance, and improvements to our vital natural resources so that they are around for current and future generations to enjoy.
Read the Boston Globe Article HERE
Read the DCR Special Commission Report HERE
