April 17, 2025
On Wednesday night, National Federation of Federal Employees (NFFE-IAM) Local 60 Vice President Sam Forstag addressed a crowd of nearly 7,500 people in Missoula, Montana at a rally held by Senator Bernie Sanders (D-VT) and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY).
Forstag, a smokejumper at the Missoula Smokejumper Base, used the platform to defend public service and the men and women who give their lives to protect our country’s public lands.
“People are attacking our system of civil service and public lands so they can privatize the things we depend on in the shameless pursuit of profit,” Forstag said. “We’re facing attacks like the mass firings of probationary employees … the executive order coming after public sector unions that represent over a million public servants like firefighters at the BLM and doctors at the VA … and the house budget plan slashing Medicaid, slashing firefighters’ retirement, and so much else, all that to pay for tax cuts for the rich.”
“What we’re facing today isn’t a wildfire, but it’s damn sure an emergency,” continued Forstag. “What we’re facing today is greed burning out of control. So, when they come after unions, we won’t back down – we’ll organize. And when they try to scare civil servants who break their backs for this country into silence, we’ll keep speaking up because we know we’re not alone. And when the billionaires and bought politicians try to burn it all down so they can buy it all up … we’ll band together.”
Forstag also promoted his colleagues on the Custer Gallatin National Forest, who are organizing a union and voting on Friday to join NFFE. The Custer-Gallatin is the last Montana forest remaining to be represented by NFFE.
“It is incredible to see NFFE leaders advocating in their communities and speaking truth to power, especially on such a big stage.” said NFFE National President Randy Erwin. “I applaud Sam for standing up for his colleagues and public servants across the country, and for helping his community understand the real consequences of the Trump Administration’s policies. And Sam is absolutely right – we need to organize, stand in solidarity with one another, and fight back against the attacks on federal workers.”