US Forest Service to Terminate 3,400 Workers, Union Leader Says

The US Forest Service is discharging about 3,400 employees, the agency’s union president told Bloomberg Law.

Warner Vanderheuel, president of the Forest Service Council, said employees that will remain with the agency include firefighters, law enforcement officers, meteorologists, and bridge inspectors. The agency notified the union on Thursday morning, he said.

The Forest Service is responsible for managing public lands, including forests and grasslands. It also helps manage wildfires. The union represents more than 20,000 forest service workers stationed across the US.

President Donald Trump directed agency heads Feb. 11 to “undertake preparations to initiate large-scale reductions in force” that focus on firing workers who “perform functions not mandated by statute,” including “diversity, equity and inclusion programs.”

The agency wasn’t immediately available to respond to a request for comment.