Yosemite scientists now forced to clean bathrooms

[Demovictory9]

https://www.sfgate.com/california-parks/article/yosemite-national-park-scientists-clean-bathrooms-20271616.php

In Yosemite National Park, where the hiring of seasonal employees was delayed by the Donald Trump administration, a resulting shortage of custodial workers now means the park’s scientists, rangers, IT workers and leadership team will pick up shifts cleaning campground bathrooms.

An internal email shared with SFGATE detailed the staffers’ new custodial duties, which were also confirmed by several Yosemite employees who spoke on the condition of anonymity (which was granted in accordance with Hearst’s ethics policy, because the employees feared losing their jobs). One employee told SFGATE that every year-round staff member in the Resources Management and Science Division, which includes biologists, hydrologists, archaeologists, wildlife specialists and all the park’s other scientists, had to pick up at least one bathroom cleaning shift.

“I have signed up for it, but I don’t really have a choice in the matter,” the employee said. “I’m not above cleaning a bathroom but personally am sick of our leadership not pushing back on anything and just towing the line.”

In the internal email, which was shared with SFGATE by another employee, acting Superintendent Stephanie Burkhart’s office requests that the park’s division chiefs designate employees for bathroom cleanups.

“As Division Chiefs, you are being asked to look at your staff and identify staff that can be temporarily reassigned to custodial duties for Upper Pines campground restrooms, at least from 4/15 through 5/4,” the email states.

[oberle]

1. Sounds like the Chinese Cultural Revolution

[Irish_Dem]

3. Yes PhDs kidnapped, sent to labor camps.

[Bayard]

2. Outrageous!

More of trump's war on scientists. Make it so they can't do their real jobs and maybe they'll quit as a bonus.

[Irish_Dem]

4. Also designed to humiliate PhDs.

US govt telling them what a PhD is worth.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

7. Telling them what their PhD is worth to tRump, not worth over all, like to Canada. PM Carney is PhD in Economics

Got PhD? Come to Canada.

[tulipsandroses]

5. Was that in their employment agreement? If not, then I would not do it.

I imagine like all other employment agreements - it spells out your duties and responsibilities.
They should all say no. It's not about being above cleaning the bathroom. It is about standing up to these bullies.

[Wonder Why]

6. So is acting Superintendent Stephanie Burkhart doing her share of the cleaning? My guess is NO.

[Demovictory9]

9. My guess too

[Meowmee]

8. Sort of like CCP China, not exactly

Purging of intellectuals, and reeducation in the back to the country side movement, and before. Someone my father hired had gone through that.

The insanity goes on…

[senseandsensibility]

10. As someone who grew up camping in Yosemite every year

this is heartbreaking and so unnecessary.

[haele]

11. Nope, that should be part of the fee for camping.

If you don't pick up a roll of toilet paper and paper towels when you check in, and before you leave, you don't check out a trash bag, mop, pail, and cleaning solution and return to the gate or station with a full trash bag, used mop and pail, and some of the cleaning solution done, you should pay an extra $25 a day for a cleaning fee that would be used to pay some of the locals to come in and clean every day the park is open. Your $25 a day will be refunded with proof you cleaned up after yourself.
Day trippers should be charged $5 and show the gate a full trash bag to get a refund.
Just my 2 cents.

[Paladin]

12. I bet those scientists are really happy they spent their time and money on those advanced degrees.

The imposition of (literal) shit-work on professionals---and I'm sure it was a deliberate move by this filthy administration. This sort of humiliating governance will continue, until we rise up and do something about it.

[Ms. Toad]

13. Hey, you want to pay me PhD hourly rates for cleaning bathrooms -

I'm down with that.