Resolve the subsistence dilemma for all

Spectrum

The subsistence leadership summit called by Gov. Tony Knowles will certainly focused the attention of most Alaskans on developing a solution to the long-term controversy that has impacted us for years.

The governor's goals — to protect the subsistence lifestyle, to regain state management authority, and to unite Alaskans — are absolutely paramount to all of Alaska's working families. The element of this debate that is most often overlooked is the fact that subsistence is work. It is a job, and those who work in subsistence are the largest single group of workers in Alaska!

Unlike other workers, all "subsistence workers" are Alaska residents. They regularly work at subsistence hunting, fishing, and gathering.

Most of these "subsistence workers" live in rural Alaska where there are fewer job opportunities, no supermarkets and no big or small box stores. The work of subsistence is vital to these Alaskans who represent 20 percent of our state's work force and live in 270 remote communities. Those who do traditional subsistence work in our state are the largest category of workers protected by our state constitution and their work must be respected and protected by all of us other Alaskans who think we have traditional jobs.

Alaska subsistence workers annually harvest some 375 pounds of protein-rich food per person. They also supply themselves with clothing, fuel for heating and food preservation, building materials, home goods, animal food and shelter, and the raw materials used to augment their income through the sale of arts and crafts. They represent the broadest and most significant occupational group in Alaska, and if they ceased to do their work, all of the resources they currently use would simply go to waste.

Subsistence workers provide enormous economic benefit to our state. The one component on which we can most easily place a dollar value is food. If what we eat is worth between three to five dollars a pound, then "subsistence workers" provide between $143 million and $247 million in food products for their families each year.

When you add gathering to this equation you are suddenly talking about "real money."

A healthy subsistence economy helps keep Alaska's economy strong. Without this subsistence economy these workers would need to rely totally on unavailable wages to make up for the tremendous loss to their families. Long-standing lifestyles would need to change. And, let's face it, many of these families would become the economic responsibility of the 80 percent of us who do not depend on subsistence for survival. The resulting socioeconomic impact would be dramatic and would be felt statewide.

All the public opinion polls show that most Alaskans support the work of subsistence. I believe that most of the Alaskan workers that I represent also support that work. Just as we expect employers to live up to their responsibilities to workers, we Alaskans who gain our livelihood from other sources must live up to our responsibilities to those Alaskans who are "subsistence workers."

And, we should support the long-standing American ideal that we are all free to choose where we live and how we support our families.

Subsistence is not simply a part of Alaska's culture and heritage. It is a vital part of our economy. It creates economic opportunities for these valuable Alaskan workers. It strengthens us by contributing to a balance of diverse economies. Without it we all lose. We need to work together on a long-term solution that will protect "subsistence workers," because such a solution will benefit all Alaskans.

Chuck O'Connell is a 51-year Alaska resident and the business manager of ASEA/AFSCME Local 52, which is the largest union in the Alaska AFL-CIO — representing 7,500 state employees.