Larry E. King, NFFE Forest Service Council Job Corps Vice President (CVP), and Lance A. Hamann, Local 1840 President, were in attendance at the National Job Corps Association (NJCA) annual legislative meeting held in Washington D.C. last week.
NFFE is currently planning an ongoing organized response, based on the information provided by the NJCA, to address the mandated budget cuts of $130 million, which would result in the closing up to 10 Job Corps Centers. Your union is planning an active lobby effort and will need every NFFE Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) member’s support and assistance.
“Over the next year, it is imperative that we mount a full scale effort to protect our Centers and our employees from any wholesale cuts,” said King. “Even more troublesome is the proposed block granting of the entire program to the states by several of the leading Republican members of the House and Senate. Truly, the job you save this year may be your own.”
King, along with NFFE National President William R. Dougan, also met with the White House staff last week regarding the new proposal by President Obama to establish up to 30 Civilian Conservation Corps centers for veterans. Dougan and King urged the White House to consider the 28 Civilian Conservation Centers currently in place through the USDA Forest Service to house the new initiative.