The Four Winds

(August 18, 2022) The Department of Education encourages qualifying employees, including all federal employees, to consider applying for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program that is already in place. Now, for a limited time, it is easier than ever to receive that forgiveness, or get credit toward forgiveness, if you have not yet served 10 years.

Not sure if you qualify? Here's a good place to start:

Learn more about PSLF, the application process, and rules for eligibility here.

(August 17, 2022) — The Inflation Reduction Act, signed by President Biden yesterday, contains over $600 million in new funding for the National Weather Service and other units represented by NWSEO. This is “new money” appropriated above and beyond annual appropriations. Funds have been designated to improve NOAA facilities, hiring processes, weather research, observations, forecasting, and dissemination, as well as for new hurricane hunter aircraft crewed by NWSEO members.

The following sections include language pertinent to NWSEO members:

Sec. 40002. Facilities of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and National Marine Sanctuaries.

(a) National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Facilities.— In addition to amounts otherwise available, there is appropriated to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration for fiscal year 2022, out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, $150,000,000, to remain available until September 30, 2026, for the construction of new facilities, facilities in need of replacement, piers, marine operations facilities, and fisheries laboratories.

Sec. 40003. NOAA Efficient and Effective Reviews.

In addition to amounts otherwise available, there is appropriated to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration for fiscal year 2022, out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, $20,000,000, to remain available until September 30, 2026, to conduct more efficient, accurate, and timely reviews for planning, permitting and approval processes through the hiring and training of personnel, and the purchase of technical and scientific services and new equipment, and to improve agency transparency, accountability, and public engagement.

Sec. 40004. Oceanic and Atmospheric Research and Forecasting for Weather and Climate.

(a) Forecasting and Research.—In addition to amounts otherwise available, there is appropriated to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration for fiscal year 2022, out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, $150,000,000, to remain available until September 30, 2026, to accelerate advances and improvements in research, observation systems, modeling, forecasting, assessments, and dissemination of information to the public as it pertains to ocean and atmospheric processes related to weather, coasts, oceans, and climate, and to carry out section 102(a) of the Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation Act of 2017 (15 U.S.C. 8512(a)), and for related administrative expenses.

Sec. 40005. Computing Capacity and Research for Weather, Oceans, and Climate.

In addition to amounts otherwise available, there is appropriated to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration for fiscal year 2022, out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, $190,000,000, to remain available until September 30, 2026, for the procurement of additional high-performance computing, data processing capacity, data management, and storage assets, to carry out section 204(a)(2) of the High-Performance Computing Act of 1991 (15 U.S.C. 5524(a)(2)), and for transaction agree- ments authorized under section 301(d)(1)(A) of the Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation Act of 2017 (15 U.S.C. 8531(d)(1)(A)), and for related administrative expenses.

Sec. 40006. Acquisition of Hurricane Forecasting Aircraft.

In addition to amounts otherwise available, there is appropriated to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration for fiscal year 2022, out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, $100,000,000, to remain available until September 30, 2026, for the acquisition of hurricane hunter aircraft under section 413(a) of the Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation Act of 2017 (15 U.S.C. 8549(a)).

Learn more about the Inflation Reduction Act here.

(August 13, 2022) - NOAA announced on Friday, August 12, 2022, the agency is halting the COVID-19 Screening Program effective immediately.   Employees will no longer attest their COVID status on a weekly basis nor will employees be required to furnish test results in offices in a COVID-19 MEDIUM or HIGH community level.

This announcement to stop testing was at the direction of the Office of Management and Budget in response to the new guidance issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance on Thursday, August 11, 2022.

NOAA employees who were required to participate in this program were informed on Friday, August 12, 2022.

This change, however, does not impact COVID-19 screening testing for operational settings that are not based upon vaccination status, such as testing required by NOAA’s Office of Marine and Aviation Operations (OMAO) related to Ship or Aircraft operations.

(July 26, 2022) — As the Biden Administration seeks public comment on a new set of proposals pertaining to student loan forgiveness, the Department of Education is encouraging qualifying employees, including all federal employees, to consider applying for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program that is already in place.

According to Department of Education Secretary Miguel Cardona, the PSLF waiver has “simplified the process of getting loan forgiveness.” However, Cardona asserts, “you have to be signed up by October. I encourage everyone – even if you have been denied before or used other benefits – to apply.”

In October 2021, the Department of Education announced a temporary period during which borrowers, who in the past did not qualify for PSLF, could now receive credit for payments. This limited-time waiver expires on October 31, 2022 — and those who do not consolidate their loans and apply by that date may not be eligible afterward.

What is PSLF?

PSLF is a federal program that offers tax-free student loan forgiveness for government and nonprofit employees after ten years’ worth of payments (for a total of 120 payments).

What temporary changes were made to PSLF?

The temporary waiver enacted in October 2021 revised previous rules, now stating any payments made toward federal loans will count toward PSLF, regardless of the borrower’s payment plan. Previously, only payments made on certain repayment plans would qualify. Additionally, payments in the past that were rejected because they were not considered on time now count toward PSLF. Previously declined applications will also be reviewed again by the Education Department in light of these temporary changes.

What kinds of loans qualify for PSLF?

The limited PSLF waiver applies to borrowers with direct loans, those who have already consolidated into a direct loan, and those who consolidate into a direct loan by Oct. 31, 2022.

Learn more about PSLF, the application process, and rules for eligibility here.

(July 9, 2022) — The 2022 National Weather Service Employees Organization National Convention promises to be full of learning and networking opportunities for NWSEO members.  This year’s convention, taking place November 7-8 in New Orleans, LA, offers several workshops with aims to inform, inspire, and engage attendees, as well as provide space for lively discussion among members and NWSEO leadership.

Registration for the convention workshops will be live in September; in the meantime, we invite you to read more about each workshop to help you determine which sessions you’d like to attend:

Basic Training for Stewards — New!

Designed for all stewards, this workshop will provide an overview of the national, regional, and local roles and responsibilities within NWSEO.  Discussion will include a look into NWSEO history and organizational structure, including the union’s five bargaining units, collective bargaining agreements, and constitution. Participants will also gain an understanding of their duties as stewards, as well as insight on recruitment and communications strategies.

National Weather Service Grievances and Arbitrations

Designed for all stewards, this workshop provides an overview of the Grievance and Arbitration process within the National Weather Service (NWS). Attendees will gain a better understanding of when and how to file a grievance, differences between employee and union grievances, conflict mitigation techniques, arbitration, and much more.

NWS Local Office Teams & Negotiations

Designed for all stewards, this workshop takes a deeper dive into Local Office Teams (LOT). Attendees will learn techniques for holding effective LOT meetings, as well as the negotiation process at the local level. Additionally, this workshop will provide an overview of substantively negotiable issues vs. permissive areas, negotiations over appropriate arrangements, tactical empathy, and more.

Understanding the NWS Collective Bargaining Agreement

Designed for stewards and bargaining unit employees, this informative workshop will walk participants through our latest Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). Topics will include the definition and purpose of a CBA, key takeaways from the current NWSEO-NWS CBA articles, significant changes from the previous CBA, and more.

Don’t forget: NWSEO Convention Recruitment Incentive

To assist members with convention transportation and lodging expenses, our Recruitment Incentive is still available! Any NWSEO member who recruits two (2) or more new members to join NWSEO using the Form 1187 for payroll deduction (not by credit card) from August 1, 2021 to July 31, 2022, is eligible for reasonable airfare, three (3) nights’ lodging, and approved group meals for the 2022 National Convention. Learn more.

We can’t wait to see you all in November! Learn more about the 2022 National Convention and keep an eye out for updates in the coming weeks.

(July 5, 2022): John Quadros, the second President of the National Weather Service Employees Organization and Lead Forecaster at the Redwood City Forecast Office, died in Fremont, California on June 29. He is survived by his wife Kathy.

Quadros guided NWSEO through troubled times for the agency and the union during the Reagan Administration. He assumed the union’s presidency when its first president was removed by the National Council for malfeasance at the union’s convention in Quincy, Massachusetts. He then fought off aggressive efforts from the Administration to substantially reduce funding for the NWS, to eliminate the NWS’s fire weather program, to close several NWS regional headquarters, and to privatize the NWS as well as the NOAA’s weather satellites. He testified before multiple Congressional committees during those years. In 1988, he was successful in blocking a 20-day furlough of NWS employees through Congressional lobbying.

John also negotiated the union’s first national collective bargaining agreement, which established the basic protections of advanced, fixed work scheduling NWS employees enjoy today. Under his leadership, the union successfully litigated a case in the U.S. Court of Federal Claims, Gahagan v. United States, which established the right of Federal employees on court or military leave to receive the same premium pay to which they would otherwise be entitled in the course of their regular rotation. He authorized a plethora of arbitration cases, including one that established the rule that verification scores cannot be used in performance evaluations. 

Quadros made national news in August 1988 when he served as lead plaintiff in a lawsuit that obtained a permanent nationwide injunction against random drug testing of NWS forecasters. In Quadros et al v. Reagan, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California ruled that there was no evidence of drug abuse at the National Weather Service that warranted the invasion of privacy that drug testing entails. In an editorial, the USA Today declared its support for Quadros’s efforts to protect the Fourth Amendment, writing "we don’t have to shoot down individual rights to win the war on drugs." The Quadros case may be the only time in judicial history in which a Federal judge has personally enjoined the President of the United States, as opposed to subordinate officials.

(June 28, 2022) - The House Appropriations Committee will today approve the Fiscal Year 2023 Commerce Appropriations Act, which includes a significant increase in funding for the National Weather Service (NWS).  The Committee will recommend that the NWS receive an additional $84.4 million for “operations, research and facilities,” which is a 7.2% increase in funding over what the NWS was appropriated for the current fiscal year, and 3.2% more than was requested by the agency and the Administration. This includes $13 million in new funding for NWS staffing, over and above the “adjustments to base” needed to fund the anticipated 2023 Federal employee pay increase. Here is the Committee’s Report language addressing NWS staffing:

NWS Staffing.—The Committee continues to be concerned about staffing and management challenges within NWS, especially as the organization recovers from pandemic-related attrition and the need to meet the growing demand for real-time high resolution weather data and critical impact-based decision support services (IDSS). NOAA and the Department of Commerce are directed to ensure that NWS fulfills its critical missions by filling all NWS vacancies as expeditiously as possible and to continue to work closely with all stakeholders, including by seeking and incorporating input from employees on the optimum level of staffing going forward. 

To that end, the recommendation includes all requested adjustments to base for NWS. In addition, the Committee provides an increase of $13,000,000 above fiscal year 2022 to further address staffing requirements, including $7,500,000 for staffing at weather forecast offices to enhance equitable NWS IDSS and to increase the number of trained and qualified Incident Meteorologists (IMETs) for wildfires and other extreme events; and $5,500,000 to accelerate hiring at the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP). Within these increases, NWS shall provide IDSS support for products generated by other line offices, as appropriate, such as harmful algal bloom forecasts. 

In its fiscal year 2023 spend plan, NWS shall follow direction as provided in fiscal year 2022 regarding details of all NWS funded positions. 

The Committee report also addresses the endemic problems with NWS dissemination:

Improving NWS Dissemination Activities.—The Committee continues to be concerned with the issues with NWS’ forecast dissemination systems, but notes that progress has been made in recent months. Disseminating accurate, timely information to broadcasters, emergency managers, and the general public during severe weather events is critical. Tools such as NWSChat are essential for ensuring that communities and businesses in rural farming com- munities and elsewhere have the proper time to respond. The Committee urges NWS to prioritize and continue to find ways to improve information dissemination to rural and other underserved areas. Further, the recommendation fully funds the requested increase to Optimize and Upgrade the Integrated Dissemination Program. 

The Committee also recommended substantial increases in operations funding for other NOAA offices and activities whose employees are represented by NWSEO. Funding for the NOAA Aircraft Operations Center would increase 18%, from $34.5 million to $40.8 million. Funding for the NESDIS Office of Satellite and Product Operations would increase by 25%, from $198.4 million to $248.5 million. Funding for NOAA Executive Leadership, which includes the NOAA Office of General Counsel, would increase by 12%, from $28.2 million to $31.7 million. 

The Committee provides $40 million to acquire a Phased Array Radar demonstration system, which will help the NWS address the looming need to replace the nation’s legacy NEXRAD weather radar systems between 2030 and 2040. 

The bill also includes $205 million to begin the procurement cycle for the new Hurricane Hunter aircraft to replace the WP–3D that are nearing the end of their useful lives. The civilian crews of these aircraft are represented by NWSEO.

The full House is expected to approve these recommended funding levels after it returns from the July 4 recess. The Senate Appropriations Committee has not yet released its recommended version of the FY 23 Commerce Appropriations Act. 

Read more about NWS funding in the Commerce Appropriations Act here.

(June 24, 2022) After in-depth discussions surrounding rotating shift work and its implications on worker health and wellbeing, NWSEO and NWS leadership have collaboratively launched the Shift Work Flexibility Team.

The team is co-led by NWSEO Executive Vice President JoAnn Becker and George Jungbluth. The NWSEO executive council, regional directors, field representatives, and subject matter experts all sit on the team working jointly to find solutions for both immediate and long-term issues surrounding shift work.

There are several key objectives that will be addressed by the team, including:

• Creating a robust education program for employees on shift scheduling options;
• Allowing more scheduling flexibilities to better meet employee needs while ensuring operational needs are met;
• Incorporating recuperative breaks and fitness options into shifts, encouraging staff to recharge and refocus;
• Supporting voluntary early retirement for forecasters who have worked years on shift; and
• Improving the office staffing profile to allow for more shift flexibility.

In addition to these objectives, the Shift Work Flexibility Team will advocate for staffing policies that directly benefit individuals engaged in shift work, within the following guardrails:

• No single midnight shifts;
• At least two workers on every shift;
• No part timing of offices;
• No degradation to the current services that each office provides; and
• No office consolidation.

Moving forward, the team intends to address these issues, both at an individual and organizational level, to create a better balance between employee needs and the agency's core mission.

ALASKA REGION

CENTRAL REGION

EASTERN REGION

HEADQUARTERS REGION

NCEP REGION

NESDIS

NOAA ATTORNEYS GUILD

PACIFIC REGION

SOUTHERN REGION

WESTERN REGION

(May 28, 2022) An addendum to a February 2022 reintegration and telework policy memorandum of understanding (MOU) has been approved to reflect recent changes to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) guidelines, including relevant reintegration metrics and schedule notifications.

This addendum, which supplements and amends Section 3, “Phasing/Reintegration Steps,” of the MOU between the National Weather Service (NWS) and NWSEO, comes as a result of the federal government’s rescindment of an evacuation order which, up until recently, included phased limits on building occupancy due to the COVID-19 pandemic. While the original MOU provided an orderly process for the reintegration of our workforce, the language has since become outdated and this addendum addresses these changes. 

Changes include:

• Phasing/Reintegration Steps: As the public health threat has evolved, the CDC has provided new metrics that provide a more accurate assessment of local COVID-19 conditions. The Safer Federal Workforce has adopted these metrics to make necessary mitigations and ensure the federal workforce’s safety.
• A Flexible Reintegration Period will extend through July 31, 2022. During this period, all bargaining unit (BU) employees may return to the worksite on a voluntary basis or as required for mission critical onsite work consistent with NOAA COVID-19 Community Level Mitigation Measures and their approved telework agreements.
• Supervisors may use situational telework and schedule flexibilities for a BU employee to allow up to 100% telework during this period to mitigate mission risk and impacts to returning employees, including those who have dependent care or transportation logistical challenges.
• Following the Flexible Reintegration Period, NWS will resume full onsite operations consistent with NOAA COVID-19 Community Level Mitigation Measures and the February MOU language. 
• Telework days added or approved when CDC Community Levels change will be noted on the fixed schedule. These telework days will remain in place until the next fixed schedule is posted.
• In instances where facility area CDC Community Levels move from Low to Medium or Medium to High, employees will be notified no later than Monday of the following week for the opportunity for additional situational telework or for maximized situational telework.
• Updates to the facility’s NOAA COVID-19 Community Level Mitigation Measures will be posted at each facility’s entrance, and a status message will be sent to all facility employees by email no later than close of business on Fridays.

With these changes in place, the focus remains the same: workplace safety and recognizing the remarkable accomplishments of NWS staff over the last two years.

Click here to read the full MOU addendum.

(Washington, D.C., May 26, 2022) On Wednesday, May 25, The Senate Commerce Committee approved by voice vote the “Fire Ready Nation Act of 2022,” which contains a provision that formally establishes an “Incident Meteorologist Service.”

As a result of NWSEO lobbying, the bill also includes a provision that will provide Incident Meteorologists (IMETs) with true time-and-one-half overtime while dispatched to wildland fires, and will raise the annual premium pay cap for IMETs to Level II of the Executive Service — or about $203,700 a year. If enacted, the entitlement to enhanced premium pay will be retroactive to January 1, 2020.

The bill now needs to advance to final approval on the Senate floor, as well as consideration and approval by the House of Representatives.

The Fire Ready Nation Act also contains a provision that requires the NOAA Administrator to “provide access to professional counseling or other forms of support as the Under Secretary considers appropriate for the betterment of the emotional and mental health and well-being of incident meteorologists and other employees of [NOAA] involved in response to high-impact and extreme fire weather events.”

Read more about the Fire Ready Nation Act here.

(May 17, 2022) NWSEO recognizes there has been a substantial delay in mail delivery of the 2022 Notice of Convention & Elections Letter. The letter, which was sent via bulk mail on April 25, 2022, has yet to be received by many of our members, and we understand the disruption this creates with the time sensitivity of the elections. 

Currently, the United States Postal Service is working to resolve this and our printer is also aware of the issue.  Unfortunately, we have no control over USPS protocol and cannot have this resolved as soon as we would like.  In the meantime, an electronic version of the letter can be found here.  Anyone can make nominations at any time prior to the deadline specified in the elections letter— you do not need to have received your elections letter in the mail in order to nominate someone.

Please review the elections letter online for specific details pertaining to officer and delegate nomination requirements. Remember, nominations must be submitted in writing,  and nominations for regional officers also require submission via registered or certified mail and must be postmarked no later than Friday, May 27.

Thank you for your patience, and we look forward to receiving your nominations!

(May 10, 2022) A new agreement reached between NWSEO and the National Weather Service (NWS) will improve and expand job opportunities for existing employees, according to NWSEO President John Werner.

The memorandum of understanding (MOU), which was reached after months of negotiations, targets two areas of concern for NWSEO: filling vacancies and options pertaining to permanent change in station (PCS) expenses. Addressing these issues, Werner notes, is an important step toward a more equitable work environment for both new and existing employees.

“With this MOU, there are more avenues for employees to have a better work/life balance,” says Werner. “There will be opportunities to have lateral transfers, as well as the ability to make career decisions that better fit your life.”

In recent years, Werner says “NWS management’s priority has been on bringing in new hires which at times resulted in the depletion of healthy experience levels within offices. This has not only put a strain on existing NWS staff, but left new hires in an untenable position to complete training in tandem with operational shifts. This MOU will create a more balanced approach to hiring, training, and ensuring both new and existing employees get the support they need to do their jobs effectively.”

There are two key components in the MOU that will amplify this new, balanced approach:

Merit Assignment Plan (MAP)

Per the MOU, MAP PCS assignment opportunities for GS11/12 1340 employees will double. Those wishing to relocate to a position with their PCS expenses paid for by the agency will have the chance to do so quarterly, compared to the previous twice-per-year agreement.

Reassignment Opportunity Notices (RON)

In addition to the enhanced MAP opportunities, employees will have the opportunity each quarter to transfer to another office using the streamlined RON process and without suffering a downgrade for 90 days. Unfortunately, because such transfers are primarily in the interest of the employee, the agency by law is precluded from paying PCS expenses.

These measures aim to foster a meaningful, equitable, and effective hiring strategy that will allow for both new and experienced employees to focus on what they need most — whether that be training, professional development, or location change.

For more information, read the full MOU here.

(May 05, 2022) National Weather Service Employees Organization (NWSEO) is pleased to welcome Samm Smith as the organization’s new Communication Director. An award-winning digital strategist, writer, graphic designer, and photographer, Samm brings wide-ranging communications expertise and a passion for the labor movement.

Prior to joining the NWSEO team, Samm worked in the higher education sphere for ten years, most recently as the Director of Content Strategy for the University of Massachusetts Amherst. At UMass, Samm managed institutional social media accounts with more than 500,000 followers from top to bottom, writing, photographing, and filming content, as well as serving on the Emergency Operations Team to handle crisis communications. Her most recent work included the creation of the university’s campus-wide content calendar, as well as the strategic overhaul of all content that appeared on the university’s homepage, umass.edu.

It was at UMass that Samm first became a rank-and-file member of a union, the Massachusetts Teachers Association (MTA); she held a variety of roles in her local, the Professional Staff Union, serving as a member of the bargaining committee and Sick Leave Bank board, a departmental delegate to represent the local at annual meetings, and as grievance officer. This first-hand experience in the labor movement propelled Samm to continue her education in the Union Leadership and Activism (ULA) graduate program at UMass, where she continues to work toward a masters degree in labor studies. Her research has focused on public sector and educator labor unions and is available for public access here.

Samm lives in Northampton, Massachusetts with her husband, Tim, and her seven-year-old daughter, Mabel. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time exploring the Pioneer Valley with her family, singing in a 200-person rock choir, and volunteering her photography services to community-centered organizations.

More information about Samm and her portfolio can be found here.

(April 26, 2022) NWSEO has mailed the 2022 Notice of Convention & Elections Letter
to all members this week.  The letter is also posted on our website at https://nwseo.org/ElectionsLetter.

The letter details the procedures for local and regional elections and includes information on the 47th annual National Convention which is scheduled for November 7 - 8, 2022 at Harrah’s in New Orleans, Louisiana.  All NWSEO members are invited to attend the convention.

Any NWSEO member who recruits two or more new members to join NWSEO via payroll deduction (using Standard Form 1187) from August 1, 2021 through July 31, 2022, will be rewarded with the recruitment travel incentive, noted within the Elections Letter.

Up-to-date news and information regarding the 2022 NWSEO National Convention will be posted on our website at https://nwseo.org/convention/.

(Washington, D.C., March 28, 2022) - The National Weather Service Employees Organization filed a charge against the Department of Commerce alleging that the agency committed an unfair labor practice last week by failing to consult with the union before ordering employees back to the office effective on April 25. The charge, which was filed with the Washington Regional Office of the FLRA on March 26, 2022, alleges that the Department violated the union’s “National Consultation Rights” when it failed to provide the union an opportunity to provide its recommendations on a proposed reentry day, as well as by unilaterally changing its telework policy. In the March 25 broadcast email to employees, the Secretary of Commerce announced a new telework policy “that will offer staff up to two days of telework per week.” This was a unilateral change in the prior DOC policy which previously provided: “Supervisors/managers are encouraged to support telework for eligible employees of at least 4 days per biweekly pay period.” (Emphasis added).

The Federal Service Labor-Management Relations Statute provides that unions which represent a substantial number of employees in an agency are entitled to “national consultation rights” and to “be informed of any substantive change in conditions of employment proposed by the agency and be permitted reasonable time to present its views and recommendations regarding the changes.” NWSEO was granted National Consultation Rights by the Department of Commerce in 2002. These consultation rights are in addition to the bargaining rights which NWSEO has with the National Weather Service and other line offices within NOAA. The Federal labor statute makes it an “unfair labor practice” to “refuse to consult or negotiate in good faith with a labor organization as required by this chapter.”

DOC’s failure to engage NWSEO in its reentry plans not only violates the labor statute, but thumbs its nose at a June 2021 memorandum from the Office of Management and Budget and Office of Personnel Management that directs agencies to satisfy their labor obligations prior to issuing a 30-day reentry notice.

In addition to filing the unfair labor practice charge, NWSEO has demanded that DOC rescind the March 25 announcement of the April 25 re-entry date, and to withdraw its new, restrictive telework policy until it has consulted with NWSEO and other DOC unions on the date and conditions for reentry and engaged NWSEO and other unions in developing a new telework policy. The charge will now be investigated by the Federal Labor Relations Authority’s (FLRA’s) Office of General Counsel. If the FLRA’s Regional Director determines as a result of her investigation that there was a violation of the Federal labor statute, she will issue a formal complaint against the Department of Commerce and bring it to trial before a Federal Administrative Law Judge.

(Washington, DC, March 23, 2022) The National Weather Service Employees Organization today filed a charge against the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), alleging that the agency committed an unfair labor practice by unilaterally implementing a policy of disqualifying applicants for positions if their resumes did not include specific information. The charge, which was filed with the Washington Regional Office of the Federal Labor Relations Authority, claims that the agency violated the Federal Service Labor Management Relations Statute by failing to consult with the union before changing the manner in which applications were evaluated. NWSEO was granted “national consultation rights” in 2002, which obligates NOAA to provide the union with prior notice of any proposed substantive change in conditions of employment as well as allowing the union a reasonable time to present its views and recommendations regarding the changes before they are made.

On or about Jan 6, 2022, NOAA began to disqualify applicants for promotion or reassignment if their resumes did not specifically include certain information such as the applicant’s citizenship, whether male applicants were registered for Selective Service, as well as certain specific information about paid and non-paid work experience such as job title, duration of employment expressed in a particular date format, and hours per week. According to the charge, these new requirements were imposed without consultation with NWSEO and without notice to employees or applicants. As a result, dozens of employees represented by NWSEO in its various bargaining units within NOAA were disqualified for consideration for positions for which they applied, including positions identical to those which they presently encumber.

The charge will now be investigated by the Federal Labor Relations Authority’s (FLRA’s) Office of General Counsel. If the FLRA’s Regional Director determines as a result of her investigation that there was a violation of the Federal labor statute, she will issue a formal complaint against NOAA and bring it to trial before a Federal Administrative Law Judge.

-NWSEO-

(February 8, 2022) According to Article 24 Section 18 in the contract, “National Weather Service Health & Wellness Reimbursement Program,” allows individuals to receive up to $300 per year for their health club fees, as well as other weight loss and smoking cessation programs.  This health and wellness program is open to all NWS employees and is available to you as a result of the hard work and determination of NWSEO.  It is important to NWSEO to support all that you are doing to create a healthier lifestyle.  In order to be eligible for this program, it is important that the correct forms be submitted to your supervisor no later than March 31, 2022.  For more information on this program, please click here: Health Program Guidance

To take advantage of this health and wellness benefit, employees will need to submit the following to their supervisor:

Form A must be completed to enroll in the program and must be submitted between February 1, 2022 and March 31, 2022 to receive benefits for 2022.

Form B must be completed to receive reimbursement for the employee’s previous year’s health and wellness fees.  Employees must submit Form B, Self-Certification Usage CD-326, and proof of payment for their membership/services to their supervisors no later than March 31, 2022.

Note: New NWS employees or existing employees unable to apply during the open season due to prolonged absences may apply within 14 days of returning to or entering service.

If you have any questions, please contact NWS Management and Organization Division, via email at daphne.love@noaa.gov or by phone at 301-427-6939.

-NWSEO-

(January 31, 2022) The search for a NWSEO Communication Director has begun. This is a critical position within our organization.  According to NWSEO President John Werner, “our union must have an effective Communication Director to take us to the next level.”  The announcement is listed below; please feel free to share it widely.

Communication Director

Are you interested in a challenging and interesting career focused on advocating for and representing the rights of the workers? The National Weather Service Employees Organization (NWSEO) is seeking a Communication Director to help champion the rights of employees and highlight their successes and accomplishments. NWSEO is a federal union representing over 4,000 employees in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). NWSEO is seeking a talented and motivated Communication Director who can improve and expand our messages into the new era of communication while harmonizing and incorporating our existing communications into a multi-channel communication strategy.  Our broad strategy for communication includes emphasizing member stories, the NWSEO brand to members and potential members, the public, and the media. The Director of Communication may be called upon to organize and participate in traditional media activities such as responding to or pitching stories to press. The Communication Director frequently works independently and takes the initiative to design and develop a multifaceted communication strategy and programs to various audiences that advance the organization’s objectives (i.e., membership recruitment and maintenance, garnering support for the union’s goals and public policy positions through press releases, placement of opinion pieces, social media, etc.).

The ideal candidate has a combination of some or all the following experiences:

• Knowledge of labor unions and the labor movement gained as either a member of a labor union or working for a labor union.
• Knowledge of Federal civil service issues and working conditions gained as a former federal employee.
• Website design and upkeep.
• Social media programs.
• Knowledge of operations of a membership association, including developing or administering recruitment initiatives and communication of the association’s activities to its members through newsletters, etc.
• Knowledge of public policy issues involving Congress and congressional appropriations and functioning of Federal agencies.
• Candidates should have an interest in weather, climate and hydrology and possess the ability to understand scientific and technical information and then convey it to the intended audience. We are seeking a candidate who possesses excellent communication skills and who isn’t afraid to ask questions when necessary.
• Ability to write press releases, and other documents with accuracy and correct grammar
• A good listener, trustworthy and willing to go the extra mile for their intended audience, a reporter or a NWSEO leader or member.
• Accountable and available when called on short notice and delivers on short-fused deadlines.
• Organized, and can communicate in an organized way, and presents themselves professionally.
• Ability to navigate, utilize and update various communication streams such as new media, websites, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and other communication channels.

Hours of work and pay: This is a full-time salaried position.  Salary and benefits are competitive and negotiable.

This position is remote and may be worked anywhere in the US, therefore the position involves 100% telework except when attending events or appointments in Washington, DC, the union’s annual conventions and council meetings held at various locations across the country.

Required Education, Experience and Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s Degree in public relations, journalism, communication, or related field, Masters preferred.
• Work experience in public affairs and communication through internships or employment.
• Working knowledge of multimedia tools including web design, video, design, and social media.
• Familiarity with a variety of digital communication tools and comfortable with learning and implementing new tools.
• Working knowledge of graphic design.
• Familiarity with using Excel or Google sheets to compile analytics reports.
• Organizational skills with attention to detail, ability to prioritize work, manage time effectively and work independently or as part of a team.
• Proficient with MSWord, Google Docs and Adobe Acrobat.

Interested candidates should send their cover letter, resume, unofficial academic transcripts, writing sample, any publications, any public relations (PR) materials, or press releases developed, short intro video (optional) and salary requirements to: JoAnn Becker, NWSEO Executive Vice President, nwseostrong@nwseo.org.  Please indicate in the subject line of your email: Communication Director Position.

(January 24, 2022) NWSEO has received numerous recent reports of job applicants being unexpectedly disqualified or rated ineligible from Merit Assignment Plan (MAP) certificates, often using the same resumes that have successfully been referred onto panels in the past.  Many of these disqualifications appear to be due to non-substantive reasons such as providing a supposedly incorrect format of dates worked for each job in the resume, or not specifying that a full-time job was worked 40 hours per week.

Although NWSEO was not notified nor consulted, our understanding is that the Office of Human Capital Services (OHCS) apparently decided sometime in December to change how resume information is considered or enforced in the MAP certificate process.  This unilateral change is causing great harm to our members who are applying for these jobs, many of whom have waited years for a particular job at a desired location to open, only to be disqualified from consideration through no fault of their own, due to arbitrary actions by OHCS.  We understand that NWS management is engaging with OHCS regarding these recent changes, but OHCS has not agreed to make any changes to their new procedures.

NWSEO is gathering information on this critically important issue.  Any bargaining unit employee who has been disqualified or rated ineligible on an NWS job application since December 1, 2021, is urged to provide the following information to NWSEO at: nwseostrong@nwseo.org as soon as possible:

• Your name, current job title, series, grade/step and location.
• Job announcement number, position title, series, grade(s)and position location.
• OHCS reason for the disqualification or ineligible rating (we need the exact wording. If you have an email, provide that as well.).
• Appeal action taken (if any), and the response to that appeal.
• Also provide any supporting documentation to demonstrate what had occurred.

We urge anyone who was disqualified and has not already appealed to do so as soon as possible.  Appeal requests should be sent to csdoperations@noaa.gov.  Please copy NWSEO at nwseostrong@nwseo.org on your appeal request.  State in your email that you are appealing the decision and the reasons why.  It would be beneficial to justify your appeal with the information in your resume that may have been overlooked or misinterpreted.

NWSEO will do everything we can to ensure that our members and all bargaining unit employees receive fair and proper consideration in the job application process.  Providing the information requested above will help us to do so.

January 14, 2022  NWSEO’s Director of Membership Services and Media Engagement, Christy Fox, is departing NWSEO today.  Christy has served as Director of Membership since August of 2015.  During the last six and a half years, she interacted with our members and led recruitment drives.  With Emily Roy, Christy co-chaired the NWSEO Cares program that aims to help our members who are adversely impacted by a local disaster.  Christy was also instrumental in the development of our new NWSEO website.  NWSEO leadership thanks Christy for her dedicated service to our membership and wishes her the best in her future endeavors.

Emily Roy, our NWSEO Chief Financial Officer will assume all Membership Director responsibilities.

Emily earned a Bachelor’s degree and Master’s Degree in Accounting from the University of West Florida, Pensacola, Florida.  Emily has worked tirelessly on several NWSEO efforts over the last six and a half years and has a “whatever it takes to get the job done” attitude.  She has a passion for details, data, organization, helping others, and is proud to be a part of the NWSEO organization.

According to Emily: “I cannot begin to describe the tremendous joy I receive from working for such a phenomenal organization.  Our society is unfortunately far from being free of workplace bullying, discrimination, and unfair working conditions, which prior to working for NWSEO I sadly experienced firsthand and know how devastating it can be.  However, to work for an organization that fights with all its might to protect the dignity and well-being of its employees is rewarding beyond words.  I look forward to serving NWSEO and the members for decades to come."

Emily was born in Jackson, Mississippi, then moved to Pensacola, Florida early in her childhood, where she has lived most of her life.  Emily resides in Huntsville, AL with her husband and four children.  In her free time, she enjoys spending time with friends and family and doing anything outdoors: hiking, biking, playing tennis, and watching sunsets.

Thanks, Emily, for stepping up to fill this critical role!

Please note: there are no changes to the membership email and phone number. The membership email address – membership@nwseo.org, remains unchanged.

(December 29, 2021) Active NWSEO membership is the lifeblood of our professional organization.  It is through the strength of our members that NWSEO is the only organization with the ability to lobby Congress and the Administration to help save jobs and programs, promote better working conditions, enhance career opportunities, and participate in collective bargaining for the bargaining units we represent.  Your membership and willingness to be an active NWSEO member continues to help each of our units (NWS, NESDIS, AOC, AOML and NAG) be world class organizations within the U.S. Federal Government, DOC and NOAA.

NWSEO dues via payroll deduction (Form 1187) will be set at one percent of your salary to a maximum of $24.89 per pay period, effective January 3, 2022 (Pay Period 1).  This minimal increase of 59 cents per pay period over 2021 reflects the Federal pay increase of 2.42% for the Rest of United States locality area.

If you pay by credit card or check, monthly dues for 2022 are $53.93.  Semi-annual dues for 2022 are $323.57 and annual dues are $647.14.

Please direct questions to Membership Services at membership@nwseo.org. Thank you for your continued support of NWSEO.

(November 17, 2021) Over 100 NWSEO members and guests joined together in-person for the 46^th Annual National Convention in Las Vegas, NV led by NWSEO President John Werner and NWSEO Executive Vice President JoAnn Becker.  Below are some of the highlights.

Guest Speakers

In-person remarks were given by Dr. Rick Spinrad, Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere & NOAA Administrator, Mary Erickson, Deputy Director of NOAA’s National Weather Service and Dr. Neil Jacobs, Former Acting Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere & NOAA Administration. Video remarks were provided by U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-Nevada).

Steward Training Workshops

For the first time, NWSEO offered four different training sessions. The training sessions included: Grievances and Arbitrations, Local Office Teams and Negotiations, Understanding Your Contract and Growing Your Membership.  The training sessions were overwhelmingly successful and will be offered at next year’s convention.

The Kip Robinson Award

Aaron Stevens was named the recipient of the NWSEO 2021 Kip Robinson Award.  This annual NWSEO award is given in recognition of members volunteering their time and talents to make NWSEO a stronger union.

The Kip Robinson Award is named after a late lobbyist who worked diligently for NWSEO.  Past winners include Chris Jacobson, Bill Proenza, Bill Hirt, John Stansfield, Barry Hirshorn, Chris Sisko, Delyne Kirkham, Steve Pritchett, Shannon White, David Marsalek, Steve Wannebo, Mitch MacDonald, John Werner, Jason B. Wright, JoAnn Becker, Michael Dion, Mark Pellerito and Karleisa Rogacheski.

Special Recognition

Pacific Region Chair Nathan Becker received a Certificate of Appreciation in recognition of his tremendous support and contributions to the NWSEO Political Action Committee.

A Gala of Distinguished Service

Lauren Smoker, NOAA Attorneys Guild  Vice Chair, is retiring at the end of this year.  NWSEO recognized her for her contributions to the organization.  Lauren was a part of the organizing committee with Beth Mitchell and Marguerite Matera who endorsed formation of the NOAA Attorneys Guild.

The NWSEO also celebrated the many achievements of David Solano, retired Secretary-Treasurer and Eastern Region Chair, for his 30 plus years of service with the National Weather Service and NWSEO.  “It has truly been a pleasure and a privilege to serve with you over the past decade as we fought for the interests of our NOAA bargaining unit employees.  You have been an awesome colleague, friend, and prime mover within NWSEO and a champion of the members we serve,” stated NWSEO President John Werner.

Congratulations all!  See you next year in New Orleans!

(November 4, 2021) The Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee today approved legislation that would exempt Federal wildland firefighting personnel, including NWS Incident Meteorologists, from both the weekly and annual premium pay caps during 2022. The original version of the Wildland Firefighter Fair Pay Act applied only to employees of the Departments of Interior and Agriculture, but Senators Jacky Rosen (D-NV) and Alex Padilla
(D-CA) offered an amendment to extend that pay cap waiver to NWS IMETS at the request of NWSEO.

In offering her amendment, Senator Rosen explained why IMETS should be included in the bill:

“These individuals work closely with incident command teams in the field to interpret the weather to help predict fire severity and behavior and provide weather briefings to fire crews. As wildfires continue to worsen and wildfire season gets longer each year, it is more important now than ever to reduce any barriers for our firefighting workforce. . .”

“These meteorologists deserve to be included in the bill. They really work closely with these incident teams.  As we know, wildfires do create their own weather on the ground and this saves lives, not just of the firefighters, people and structures, animals all around there. It helps them fight the fire. It helps them also evacuate if they need to. It’s very important that these meteorologists are with them. So I would urge a yes vote on our amendment.”

The Senate version of the bill also requires the NWS to provide Congress with a report on how it plans to hire and train additional IMETS and to modernize their compensation.

A similar bill that includes IMETS at NWSEO’s request has been introduced in the House by Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-CA) but has not yet received committee review.

(September 17, 2021) Please meet our newest NWSEO Associate Member, Joshua Maloy, who was recently promoted to Warning Coordination Meteorologist of the Alaskan Aviation Weather Unit.  Joshua served NWSEO as a Steward/Vice Steward for seven years and has supported the work of NWSEO since 2010.

1) Where are you from originally, and what sparked your interest to pursue a career in weather?

I'm originally from New York City and the  'burbs.  Growing up, I recall enjoying TV meteorology coverage of some noteworthy weather events, such as Hurricanes Gloria/Hugo/Andrew and the Blizzards of '93/'96.  I also had an Earth Science teacher in High School that made predictions of school delays/closures.  He was in the ballpark often enough that it piqued my interest to try and do the same.  My High School yearbook postscript stated that I wished to be a meteorologist (and historian) upon graduation.

2) What's your experience or history working within the NWS?

I entered the civil service/NWS in December 2008 at WFO Anchorage as a Journey Forecaster.  In August 2014, I moved over to the Alaska Aviation Weather Unit as a Lead Forecaster.  In August 2021, I was promoted to Warning Coordination Meteorologist of the same office.  Prior to NWS, I spent four years as an Aviation Meteorologist in the private sector and prior to that, four years USAF active duty in the weather field.

3) Why did you join NWSEO?

I believe that labor must have a seat at the bargaining table for matters concerning the workplace/workforce.  It is a check/balance on management.  Paying dues made sense to me and allowed me to engage in bargaining unit representational duties.

4) Would you recommend joining and supporting NWSEO to others?

I believe bargaining unit members should join the union and that managers, especially those promoted from the bargaining unit, should support the union through the associate membership and contributing to the NWSEO PAC fund.  It requires sustained resources to parry assaults from executive 'bean counters' and others that preach human capital efficiencies ahead of the mission.  The agency is tasked with the immense responsibility to provide weather intelligence to a diverse American population; increasingly vulnerable to hazards and with ever-more demands for weather services.  This requires appropriations commensurate with the responsibility.  NWSEO is the vehicle to raise awareness directly to those holding the powers of the purse in Congress.  I encourage bargaining unit members to help with this fight by joining and supporting NWSEO.

5) What are your hobbies/interests outside of work?

I still somewhat follow the New York Yankees and Buffalo Bills sports teams.  I enjoy bowling and exploring genealogy outside of work.  The genealogy efforts peripherally fulfill the 'historian' in me.

NWSEO congratulates Joshua Maloy on his promotion and thanks him and all of our Associate Members for their continuing support of our organization.

NWSEO’s Member Spotlight is used to encourage NWSEO Members to get to know each other from across the nation, connect even more, and together, support each other in the work of NWSEO and in strengthening our membership.

Please submit any Member Spotlight suggestions and comments to Christy Fox at mediarelations@nwseo.org.

(September 10, 2021) It is with great enthusiasm that NWSEO leadership invites you to attend Training Workshops at our 46^th Annual National Convention!  These Workshops are open to all conference attendees and will be insightful and engaging to all.  Conference attendees will need to pre-register and will be allowed to attend two different workshops, one in Session A and one in Session B.  Please register for the Training Workshops by clicking the following link:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/NWSEO21

Space is limited for each workshop, so please register right away!  We look forward to seeing you in Las Vegas!

Workshop descriptions are below:

Workshop 1: NWS Grievances and Arbitrations: This workshop is designed for all stewards. This workshop will address the NWS Grievance and Arbitration process.  Attendees will gain a better understanding of the grievance process, such as how to file a grievance; learn the differences between an employee grievance and a union grievance.

Workshop 2: NWS Local Office Teams/Negotiations: This workshop is designed for all NWS stewards.  This workshop is a deep dive into Local Office Teams (LOTs).  Attendees will learn techniques for holding effective LOT meetings and understanding the negotiation process at the local level.  This workshop will provide you tools to help you be more effective in your negotiations.

Workshop 3: Understanding Your Contract: This workshop is designed for all NWSEO leaders and those considering future leadership roles.  This workshop will provide an overview of collective bargaining agreements (CBAs) and cover the key points of the 2021 4th NWS-NWSEO CBA.  Special emphasis will be given to articles on Labor-Management Relations, the Grievance Process, Discipline and Schedules.  Participants will work through scenarios to discover how to make the contract work for you.

Workshop 4: Growing your membership and engaging with your members: This workshop is designed for all members.  Membership is the strength and foundation of our organization. We must all work diligently to recruit new members and retain existing members.  In this workshop, we will discuss philosophies and strategies for recruiting coworkers to join NWSEO, ideas for engaging current members and growing future NWSEO leaders.

(August 20, 2021) On August 17, 2021, NWSEO filed a Union grievance on behalf of six forecasters of the Boise WFO over violations of multiple sections of Article 20 of the NWS-NWSEO 2021 Collective Bargaining Agreement.  Fixed schedules were unilaterally changed for three of the employees while the other three employees were deprived of the opportunity to work overtime during the same period.

Management needed to backfill several operational shifts on the fixed schedule for a forecaster who was called to be deployed as an IMET.  But rather than offering bargaining unit employees overtime on a voluntary basis in order to cover these vacant operational shifts as required by Article 20, section 9, management changed the fixed work schedule of three other employees.  In total, management violated Article 20, section 3(B)(4), section 6(B), section 7, section 8(A), section 8(G), section 9(A), and section 9(B).

NWSEO demanded back pay for the affected employees and for any other qualified forecaster who was deprived of the opportunity to work overtime covering specific vacant shifts.

NWSEO is committed to fighting for fair opportunities for our employees. We appreciate all of our members who support our organization.

-NWSEO-

(August 17, 2021) On July 19, 2021, NWSEO filed a Union grievance over violations of two Articles of the NWS-NWSEO 2021 Collective Bargaining Agreement.  On June 22, 2021, management issued a vacancy announcement through the Merit Assignment Program (MAP) for three GS-1340/1315 Interdisciplinary Meteorologist/Hydrologist (Hydrometeorological Analysis and Support or “HAS” Forecaster) vacancies in three River Forecast Centers in the Western Region.  Additionally, on June 23, 2021, management issued another vacancy announcement through the MAP for eight GS-0856 Electronic Technician vacancies in the Western Region. Both Merit Assignment Program announcements stated that relocation expenses would not be reimbursed.  These actions are violations of Article 1, section 3, which requires that all past practices not in conflict with the Agreement remain in effect, and Article 39, section 1, which guarantees that employees will be reimbursed for relocation expenses if the relocation is in the best interest of the government.

An unknown number of qualified bargaining unit hydrologists, meteorologists and electronic technicians have been harmed by this violation because they have been dissuaded from applying for these positions by the agency’s failure to offer relocation expenses; and the eventual selectee has been harmed by not having his or her relocation expenses reimbursed.  The failure to offer relocation expenses on these Merit Assignment Program vacancies is a violation of past practice and therefore a violation of Article 1, section 3.

NWSEO demanded that these vacancy announcements be reissued noting that the relocation expenses will be authorized.  NWSEO also demanded that the NWS inform all unit employees by email of this reissuance.  If other than local candidates are selected in the interim, they shall be granted reimbursement of his or her relocation expenses, and additional vacancies at these locations should be announced properly.  The selectees from these re-advertisements should be granted back pay retroactive to the date of the initial selections.

NWSEO is committed to fighting for fair opportunities for our employees. We appreciate all of our members who support our organization.

(July 22, 2021) We are pleased to announce that we will be hosting Training Workshops at the 2021 NWSEO National Convention in Las Vegas, Nevada! The convention will take place at Caesars Palace on October 18^th & 19^th, with the workshops held on the afternoon of the 18^th.  The Training Workshops are open to all conference attendees.  Conference attendees will need to pre-register for these workshops (details coming soon) and will be allowed to attend two different workshops.

Workshop descriptions are below:

Workshop 1: NWS Grievances and Arbitrations: This workshop is designed for all stewards. This workshop will address the NWS Grievance and Arbitration process.  Attendees will gain a better understanding of the grievance process, such as how to file a grievance; learn the differences between an employee grievance and a union grievance.

Workshop 2: NWS Local Office Teams/Negotiations: This workshop is designed for all NWS stewards.  This workshop is a deep dive into Local Office Teams (LOTs).  Attendees will learn techniques for holding effective LOT meetings and understanding the negotiation process at the local level.  This workshop will provide you tools to help you be more effective in your negotiations.

Workshop 3: Understanding Your Contract: This workshop is designed for all NWSEO leaders and those considering future leadership roles.  This workshop will provide an overview of collective bargaining agreements (CBAs) and cover the key points of the 2021 4th NWS-NWSEO CBA.  Special emphasis will be given to articles on Labor-Management Relations, the Grievance Process, Discipline and Schedules.  Participants will work through scenarios to discover how to make the contract work for you.

Workshop 4: Growing Your Membership and Engaging with Your Members:  This workshop is designed for all members.  Membership is the strength and foundation of our organization. We must all work diligently to recruit new members and retain existing members.  In this workshop, we will discuss philosophies and strategies for recruiting coworkers to join NWSEO, ideas for engaging current members and growing future NWSEO leaders.

Just a reminder, there is still time to earn the recruitment incentive – deadline is July 31^st!  Contact Christy Fox at membership@nwseo.org if you have any questions.

(July 15, 2021) The House Appropriations Committee has released its proposed FY 2022 Department of Commerce Appropriations Act which approves an 11.5% increase in funding for NWS Operations, Research and Facilities.  The bill also increases funding for operations at the Aircraft Operations Center (AOC) by 17% and the Office of Satellite and Product Operations (OSPO) at NESDIS by 8%.  An additional $100 million is also allocated for aircraft procurement at AOC.

The Report accompanying the bill contains the following language of note:

“The Committee is additionally concerned about the need for additional resources to ensure that our Nation’s science agencies are better prepared to help in the prediction and response to wildfires and therefore directs NOAA to conduct a workforce needs assessment on the training and potential need for additional Incident Meteorologists for wildfires and other extreme events.  NOAA shall brief the Committee on the results of this assessment no later than 180 days after the enactment of this Act.“

“NWS Staffing.—The Committee remains concerned about continuing reports of staffing and management challenges within NWS. NOAA and the Department of Commerce are directed to ensure that NWS fulfills its critical mission to protect the lives and property of our Nation’s citizens, including by filling all vacancies as expeditiously as possible.  In its fiscal year 2022 spend plan, NWS shall follow direction as provided in fiscal year 2021 regarding details of all NWS funded positions.  The Committee further directs NWS to continue the quarterly briefings to the Committee consistent with prior year direction.“

“Dissemination.—The Committee is very troubled by the ongoing issues with NWS’ forecast dissemination systems.  The recommendation therefore includes an increase of $39,284,000 above the fiscal year 2021 enacted level. NWS shall provide monthly up- dates to the Committee on the status of the ongoing problems with its dissemination systems and its progress in carrying out the Integrated Dissemination Program plan.“

“Hurricane Hunters.—The recommendation includes an increase of $100,000,000 above the fiscal year 2021 enacted level for hurricane hunter aircraft.  These funds shall be used to: (1) complete the outfitting with scientific equipment of the recently acquired Gulf- stream 550; (2) perform the service depot level maintenance for the P–3 Orion hurricane hunter aircraft; and (3) exercise the contract option to acquire a second Gulfstream 550 to support hurricane surveillance and other missions.“

(July 13, 2021) Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-CA) has just introduced H.R. 4274, the "Wildland Firefighter Fair Pay Act," which would raise the annual Title 5 overtime premium pay cap for employees engaged in wildland fire suppression activities to the Executive Schedule II pay rate (presently $199,300). Unlike the version introduced in the Senate earlier this year which covers only employees of the Departments of Agriculture and Interior, as a result of NWSEO's lobbying efforts, this House version includes employees of the Department of Commerce engaged in wildland fire suppression activities. The Senate version is pending consideration by the Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs.  NWSEO continues to work with members of that Committee and their staff to have an amendment introduced to add Commerce Department employees (i.e. Incident Meteorologists) when the bill is considered and approved by the Committee.

A copy of the House bill is provided at this link: Rep Lofgren H.R. 4274

(June 11, 2021) Please meet NWSEO Lifetime Member, Carolyn Willis who retired in 2014 after 40 years with the NWS, and now lives in Tulsa, OK.  Ms. Willis reflects on her time as a member of NWSEO, which began in the mid-80s.

When did you join NWSEO and describe your active involvement at that time.

I joined NWSEO in the mid-1980s when I worked as a meteorological technician at the WSO Colorado Springs.  Martin Lee was the NWSEO Central Region Chairperson.  He encouraged me to be a part of the NWSEO and be one of several members who reviewed CR Regional Operations Manual Letters (ROMLs) before they were implemented to the field.  I joined to contribute in that way.  That evolved into being asked to be the NWSEO representative on many NOAA and NWS teams, such as the NOAA Equal Employment Opportunity Council, the NOAA Persons with Disabilities Subcommittee, and the NWS Diversity Council.  I served as NWSEO rep on other national teams, such as the "HMT Issues Team" which came up with ideas on how to best utilize HMTs in the new, modernized NWS, such as cross-training them as  forecasters.  I was also NWSEO rep on the Coop Station Service Accountability (CSSA) Rewrite Team which updated and modernized the old software program used to keep track of station siting, equipment, installation, repairs and observer information.  It is now known as the Station Information System (SIS.)  In 1996, I was asked to serve on the Proficiency Standards Teams which were being formed by management to come up with ways to rate performance of NWS employees, beyond what was already established in the annual GWPAS.  I was on the team which was tasked with coming up with HMT baseline performance standards.  In the end the whole thing was scrapped, as it was impossible to standardize performance nationwide, for offices with such diverse duties, responsibilities, and staffing.  Also, the NWSEO was not on board with employees being evaluated and rated in that way.

I was also a member of the NWSEO Regional Partnership Council (RPC) in Western Region and was union steward at my last station (Billings, MT.) The most beneficial thing I experienced at the local level was the LOT. What a great way to work with local management and represent the bargaining unit in workplace issues that affect them every workday.

In the mid-90s, I was asked by the NWSEO to become a trained mediator for the NOAA Mediation Cadre.  It was being set up as an Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) team to give NOAA employees another way to handle workplace problems through mediation.  I participated as mediator in several mediations before the cadre was dissolved around 2005 due to lack of funding by NOAA.  We didn’t mediate our own line offices, so my mediations were for National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) and NOAA Corps.  It was eye-opening to me to see that other line offices had the same problems between management and their employees as the NWS did.

I am thankful that throughout my career, the NWSEO valued my judgement enough to ask me to serve in positions which affected the work lives of employees then and into the future.  I was a NWSEO member for nearly 30 years when I was an NWS employee, and have remained a retiree member since then.

On a personal note, the NWSEO was a great help to me in the mid-2000s when there was a problem regarding the OPL position at my station.  The NWSEO filed a national grievance based on my case.  I want to say Richard Hirn was amazing, took NWS management to task, and obtained a great settlement for me that really worked out well.

Do you have anything to add about your convention experiences?

Although I did not make it to many conventions, I did attend the 1996 convention in Seattle, 2011 in Minneapolis, and 2012 in Las Vegas.  It was great to see old friends and meet new ones, as well as learn about the various ways the NWSEO was working for the bargaining unit employees nationwide.  I am hoping to attend the 2021 convention in Las Vegas as a retiree.

Are there some things you’d like to share that might surprise us about you?

I was known in the NWS for years as “The Woodle Woman,” as I created the cartoon slideshow “The Weather Woodles” (Weather Woodles) which has been used by the NWS for outreach since 1980.  I was presented with the NOAA Administrator’s Award in 1996 for it.

In 1993, I met Dr. Ted Fujita at a WPM/WCP (Warning Preparedness Meteorologist/Warning Coordination Meteorologist) conference in Miami.  I was so excited to meet him that when I shook his hand, I blabbered, “I’m SO GLAD to meet you, Dr. Fajita.”  He thought it was funny I had called him a fajita and laughed and laughed.  I was mortified!

Although I am retired from the NWS, I work part time for an FAA contractor, augmenting ASOS observations at the Tulsa Airport.  It keeps my hand in weather, and for an aviation enthusiast,   spending time at an airport isn’t work, it is pure joy! I really ENJOY working occasional mids!

---------

NWSEO recognizes and congratulates Carolyn Willis and all of our Lifetime Members.

We hope feature stories like this will encourage NWSEO Members to get to know each other from across the nation, connect even more, and together, support each other in the work of NWSEO and in strengthening our membership.

Please submit your Member Spotlight suggestions and comments to Christy Fox, mediarelations@nwseo.org.

(June 2, 2021) On May 27, 2021, NWSEO filed a grievance over failure to provide relocation expense reimbursements for Lead Forecaster and IT Specialist vacancies in Alaska.  In late April, management issued a vacancy announcement through the Merit Assignment Program (MAP) for a GS-13 Lead Forecaster position at the Alaska Aviation Weather Unit.  Additionally, a month later, management issued another vacancy announcement through the MAP for a GS-13 IT Specialist position at the Alaska Region Headquarters, Systems Operation Division, IT Branch (ITB) in Anchorage, AK.

Both MAP vacancy announcements stated that relocation expenses would not be reimbursed.  This is a violation of Article 39, section 1 of the NWS-NWSEO Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) which states in part that “NWS will reimburse relocation expenses in accordance with 5 USC 5724.”  Such MAP relocations are in the interest of the agency and not primarily for the convenience of the employee.

Additionally, this is a violation 5 U.S.C. § 2301(b)(1) Merit System Principles, and 5 U.S.C. § 2302(b)(4), (5), (6) and (12), Prohibited Personnel Practices. NWSEO was informed that relocation reimbursement was not offered in the announcement because management planned to select local candidates in order to avoid payment of relocation expenses.  Limiting recruitment of candidates in order to avoid paying relocation expenses is a non-merit factor and constitutes a violation of merit system principles which include that recruitment should be from qualified individuals from appropriate sources, solely on the basis of relative ability, knowledge, and skills, after fair and open competition.  The violation of this merit system principle is also a prohibited personnel practice.

As a result of Management’s actions, an unknown number of qualified GS-12 bargaining unit meteorologists and IT specialists have been harmed because they have been dissuaded from applying for this promotional opportunity; and the eventual selectee has been harmed by not having his or her relocation expenses reimbursed.

The Union demanded the vacancy announcements be extended and reissued with relocation expenses authorized, and the NWS will inform all unit employees by email of this re-advertisement.  In addition, if a non-local candidate is selected in the interim, he or she shall be granted reimbursement of his or her relocation expenses and an additional Lead Forecaster vacancy at the Alaska Aviation Weather Unit and IT Specialist vacancy in the Alaska Region Headquarters IT branch should be properly announced. The selectees should be granted back pay retroactive to the date of the initial selections.

NWSEO is committed to fighting for fair opportunities for our employees. We appreciate all of our members who support our organization.

-NWSEO-

(April 7, 2021) Please meet NWSEO Lifetime Member, Martin Lee of Duluth, MN.  Mr. Lee, who retired from WFO Duluth after over 41 years of service, reflects on his time as an active member of NWSEO. He has been a NWSEO member since 1988.

Why did you join NWSEO?

It is an important investment in our careers!  I learned early in my career that NWSEO leaders work hard to respond to their members’ questions with regards to collective bargaining, work schedules and supporting our mission at the NWS.  I joined NWSEO to be a part of their effort and support my fellow colleagues.  They were appreciative and we were a great team.

NWSEO Leadership Roles

I served as a Steward at the time Modernization and Restructuring began in 1988 at Weather Forecast Office (WFO) Minneapolis, MN.  About four years later, I became the NWSEO Central Region Vice-Chairperson and worked with and learned from NWSEO leaders at that time: Alan Eros, Bill Sammler, and Dieter Crowley.  When I transitioned to the Regional Chair role,I served with outstanding Vice-Chairpersons: Bill Sammler, Dieter Crowley, John Pollack, Richard Kessler, Tony Hall, Teresa Keck Jim Sieveking and Jim Lee, who is now the current Central Region Chairperson.  Some of them have moved on to management roles as NWSEO helped advance many careers.

While I was the Central Region Chairperson, I worked to support employees’ needs, negotiate changes in working conditions and file grievances when necessary.  My last opportunity to serve in NWSEO was to serve as a member of the NWSEO Credentials Committee.  This credentialing work is an important part of the national convention and the smooth running of elections within the union.

Speaking of the national convention, my first NWSEO convention was in Minneapolis in 1992.  My last convention was 26 years later in Pittsburgh, PA in 2018. At these conventions, I had the opportunity to meet and network with NWSEO members from all around the country.

The NWSEO congratulates Mr. Lee on his retirement and his outstanding contribution, efforts, and incredible support of NWSEO.  He is an excellent example of how dedication to serving others can enhance your career.

NWSEO Spotlight articles allow members across the country to get to know each other, connect even more, and together, support each other in the work of NWSEO and in strengthening our membership.  Please submit your Member Spotlight suggestions and comments to Christy Fox at mediarelations@nwseo.org.

No one cares more for National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) employees than NOAA employees.

No one works harder for NOAA employees than NOAA employees.

We are NOAA employees.  We are NWSEO.

The NWSEO Celebrates Its MEMBERS

(March 30, 2021) The NWSEO Membership Services & Recruitment Committee are preparing for Membership Month, with enhanced resources for recruiters, an outreach list of all prospective members, templates, enrollment incentives and rewards.

NWSEO plans for more feature stories on each bargaining unit NWSEO represents. “The Spotlight & feature articles written about members have connected employees from across the nation, sharing work experiences, highlights and accomplishments. This type of connection has strengthened our union even more,” stated Membership Director Christy Fox.

And, did you know? NWSEO Stewards are permitted up to 15 minutes to meet with each newly hired employee assigned to their facility for the purpose of explaining the role and responsibilities of the NWSEO, under Article 6: Section 7 of the CBA. Please reach out to your MIC and request 15 minutes of official time for this.

RECRUITMENT * ENGAGEMENT * RETENTION

• Visit https://nwseo.org/recruitment-room/ for continuous updates over the next couple of
• Learn why others support the work of https://nwseo.org/why-i-joined-nwseo/.
• Nominate a NWSEO Member for the Spotlight
• Phone/Email Outreach Campaign, coordinated by the Membership
• All About Membership “Share Package” will be available to all NWSEO Stewards/Vice Stewards to include templates to use for outreach.
• Share the Value of NWSEO, the accomplishments and benefits of NWSEO with your co- https://nwseo.org/membership-benefits/.
• Learn How to Make Local NWSEO Meetings Interesting and Useful with your members, both in-person and
• Host a local meeting with your members (i.e. Google Hangout). Topics may include:
  • COVID updates, staffing restrictions, safety requirements,
  • The new CBA and its implications
  • Recruiting and retention efforts
  • Ongoing and potential upcoming changes in regional policies/processes
  • "The door is always open! We want to hear from our members!"

Reach out to your Regional and Vice Chairs, or your Membership Director if you have questions.

ENROLLMENT INCENTIVES AND MEMBERSHIP REWARDS

NWSEO offers a “New Hire Enrollment Incentive” through December 31, 2022. Any newly hired employee (NWS, NESDIS, Aircraft Operations Center (AOC), Atlantic Oceanographical and Meteorological Laboratory (AOML), NOAA Attorneys’ Guild (NAG) new hires) who joins NWSEO by Form 1187 (payroll deduction) within nine months of their start date, or during a New Employee course or its equivalent, will receive a $300 dues rebate. The $300 rebate check will be mailed to the new member’s home within seven (7) business days.

Enrollment Incentives for other new members and recruiters will also be continued through December 31, 2022. Any NWSEO member who recruits a fellow non-member (who is not eligible for the New Hire Enrollment Incentive) to join NWSEO by Form 1187, will receive a $50 gift card (of their choice). The new member will receive a $100 dues rebate mailed to his/her home within seven (7) business days and a $50 gift card (of their choice).

NWSEO Recruitment Travel Incentive. JULY 31, 2021 is the deadline. Any NWSEO member who recruits two (2) or more new members to join NWSEO using the 1187 form for payroll deduction (not by credit card) from August 1, 2019 to July 31, 2021, NWSEO will provide reasonable airfare*, 3 nights lodging, and approved group meals for the 2021 NWSEO National Convention in Las Vegas, NV October 18-19, 2021.

* In order for airfare to be reimbursed, you must be able to provide documentation that it is the lowest available airfare rate. Printed copies of airfares from Expedia or other travel sites will serve as documentation.

Let's make NWSEO stronger than ever!

-NWSEO-

Celebrating Women’s History Month

with NWSEO NESDIS Regional Vice Chair Arla Tillman

(March 24, 2021) We recently interviewed NWSEO NESDIS Regional Vice Chair, Arla Tillman. Ms. Tillman works at NESDIS in Maryland as a Physical Science Technician / Aerospace Engineering Technician.  Ms. Tillman has worked with NESDIS for over 24 years, and she continues to be instrumental in the growth and development of NWSEO membership.

How long have you worked for NESDIS?

I've been with NESDIS since 1997.  Prior to working for NESDIS, I was in the Air Force assigned to the 6th Space Operations Squadron as a Space Systems Operations Specialist.  Shortly after starting my career at NESDIS, despite the difficulty in working rotating shift work, l decided to persevere and go back to school and pursue both an undergraduate degree in Information Systems Management and a graduate degree in Computer Systems Management.

What type of work do you do?

As a Physical Science Technician/Aerospace Engineering Technician, I remotely command and control environmental satellites and prepare ground system equipment to communicate with satellites.  My job is to ensure satellite data is recorded inside as well as outside of our window to communicate with it and is delivered real-time to our civilian and military customers.   Our customers’ unique and specialized missions depend on the real-time data that they receive.

Being able to fix ground system and satellite anomalies comes with its share of challenges.  But I would not be who I am if I did not embrace challenges as development and learning opportunities.

Why did you join NWSEO?

I joined NWSEO because I felt that there is a need for solid representation for the bargaining unit in the organization.  In my experience, I have seen the residual effects of the lack of communication and understanding between employees and management.

In my formal training, I was taught that an organization's greatest asset is the employees.  Listening is a skill that must be cultivated. Hearing is the auditory ability to receive sound and is used in the process of listening.  When an employee feels as though they are not listened to and the platform to communicate and work collaboratively regarding the conditions that are causing difficulties in the workplace is ineffective, then the integrity of that organization’s greatest asset is compromised.  My goal and intention are to contribute to the collaborative effort by both management and the bargaining unit to create a working relationship that serves the greatest good.

What are some important gains women have made in NOAA/NESDIS?

When I came to NOAA- NESDIS in 1997, there had never been a woman supervisor in operations until 2016.  Since then, I've seen a greater representation of women in technical and science positions where representation was minimal or non-existent.

Who is the most influential woman you know?  In what ways does she inspire you?

This is a difficult question because there are three women that have tremendously influenced me for one particular reason that is very much of who I am today. That reason is because of the discipline that they have shown me and demanded from me. My mother, whom I have seen beat so many odds in her lifetime, is one of the most disciplined souls I know. I do not have enough writing space to capture this quality about her and how she instilled that in me. My college volleyball coach, Cookie Stevens. She is a champion who trained and coached champions. Thanks to her and her demand for athletes to be accountable and of a disciplined mind, body, and spirit, I was a part of a National Championship team that swept through and had an undefeated season at the state, regional, and national level. She inspired me to become a personal trainer and volleyball coach. The third woman is my violin instructor, Cynthia Mauney. Mrs. Cynthia (as I endearingly call her) has over 55 years of experience as a musician and has played as a free-lance artist as well as in prestigious orchestras globally. I have a motto that I follow that challenges me on days when I’m not so much in the mood to practice. It is “I practice every day that I eat”. I’m not missing any meals… so there’s that. My motto comes in quite handy because Mrs. Cynthia in her own structured and caring way, demands that I employ a sense of awareness and stay present when I play. She demands discipline and commitment to myself in my intention of the quality of sound that I wish to produce.

Reference links

As an assistant coach at the University of Southern California: https://usctrojans.com/sports/womens-volleyball/roster/coaches/cookie-stevens/131

Cookie Stevens: https://www.miamiherald.com/sports/college/state-college-sports/article181527356.html

Cynthia Mauney: https://www.tortoiseclimbing.net/Recordings/HaSfL/PhaseI/Strings/Cynthia-Mauney.php

NWSEO continues to collect feature stories and testimonials of members from all over the country.  To nominate a colleague or participate in these features, write to NWSEO Membership Director Christy Fox at membership@nwseo.org.

Celebrating Women’s History Month

with NOAA Attorneys Guild Regional Vice Chair Lauren Smoker

(March 17, 2021) We recently interviewed NOAA Attorneys Guild (NAG) Regional Vice Chair, Lauren Smoker of Juneau, Alaska to learn more about her experiences serving as a regional leader.  Ms. Smoker has worked as an attorney for over 26 years, and she is one of the top women leaders in NWSEO.  She is engaging and influential with an optimistic spirit and has achieved effective results in many areas, including recruitment.

How long have you worked for NOAA Attorneys Guild?

I’ve been with NAG since its beginning in 1995!  I became a steward in the late 1990s and Vice Chair for NAG in 2012.

What type of work do you do?  What projects are you working on?

I’m an attorney for NOAA and I provide legal advice to the Alaska Region of the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS).  I help the NMFS and the North Pacific Fishery Management Council develop fisheries management strategies that comply with legal requirements.  NMFS and the Council manage commercial and recreational fisheries off Alaska out to 200 nautical miles from the coast.  I’ve worked on Bering Sea crab regulations (i.e., Deadliest Catch), salmon issues, and programs that allocate fish harvesting privileges for pollock, Pacific cod and flatfish to large catcher processor vessels operating in the Bering Sea.

Why did you join NWSEO?  Why do you support the work of NWSEO?

I was hired by NOAA General Counsel (GC) in 1990 and I saw and was subjected to various management decisions that would have benefitted from employees’ input.  Marguerite Matera and Beth Mitchell, two attorneys with NOAA in the mid-1990s, put forth the idea of forming a union to allow employees an opportunity to work with management to improve working conditions and advance the mission of the office.  I knew right away that what they were proposing was a wonderful idea and that it would make NOAA GC a great place to work.  And it has!

Any experiences you’d like to share serving as Regional Vice Chair?

Being a part of NAG has always been important to me, from being a member, to being office steward, and now to being Regional Vice Chair.  But becoming Regional Vice Chair has allowed me to participate in the larger mission of NWSEO, and I’ve learned so much.  It has been a great experience getting to know the National NWSEO leadership as well as stewards and vice stewards from across the agency.  I look forward to the convention every year because I get to see friends I’ve made over the years and learn about all the terrific work NWSEO is doing for its membership and NOAA.  It has also allowed me to learn more of what NAG is doing for our entire bargaining unit, and to be part of those efforts.

What are some important gains women have made in NOAA NAG?

Well, the formation of NAG was due in exceptionally large part to Marguerite and Beth!  Women have served in many roles, on negotiation teams, projects, being stewards, vice stewards, Regional Chair and Regional Vice Chair.  Gender equality is very strong in NAG, and I see that continuing.

Who is the most influential woman you know?  In what ways does she inspire you?

This is such a great question because it makes me think of all the women who have supported and inspired me throughout my life.  I remember the woman who lived down the street from me who was my friend and became our Pennsylvania county’s first female judge and is the reason I went to law school.  I remember my female friends and work colleagues over the years who have helped me through life by making me laugh, providing a shoulder to cry on, or a trusted person to commiserate with.  But the most influential woman in my life without doubt was my mom, Marion Rogerson.  She was amazingly optimistic, loved to laugh and have fun, took people for where they were at, not where she thought they should be, and was always there for me.  I’ve always been inspired by my mother, and even though she passed away nine years ago, I’m still learning from her example.

NWSEO continues to collect feature stories and testimonials of members from all over the country.  To nominate a colleague or participate in these features, write to NWSEO Membership Director Christy Fox at membership@nwseo.org.

(March 5, 2021) This morning, NWSEO President John Werner and Executive Vice President JoAnn Becker signed the 2021 NWS-NWSEO Collective Bargaining Agreement together with NWS leaders Dr. Louis Uccellini, NOAA Assistant Administrator for Weather Services; Mary Erickson, Deputy Assistant Administrator National Weather Service; and David Murray, NWS Chief Negotiator.

The contract will now be submitted for Agency Head Review at the Department of Commerce level, where the Agency has 30 days to approve or disapprove the agreement.  The Agreement may only be disapproved by the “agency” head (actually, a designee of the Secretary of Commerce) if it contains a provision or provisions that are contrary to law.  The Agreement will go into effect once Agency approval is received.

“This is a landmark occasion for NWSEO and NWS.  We are on the threshold of a new dawn for federal workers with the new administration and a renewed focus on protecting the federal workforce.  We hope this signing marks a pivotal moment in the national NWSEO and NWS relationship and results in an even more productive, transparent and collaborative relationship.  Working effectively together will allow us to develop the needed synergy to ensure we remain the juggernaut of weather, water and climate services!” said President Werner.

We are grateful for the contributions of our members who participated and helped in our successful negotiation efforts.  We thank all NWSEO members for the support for this new contract.  Your NWSEO membership makes a difference in determining the future for our Workforce and the Agency.

If you are not currently a dues-paying member and would like to join our professional organization, please contact Christy Fox at membership@nwseo.org for more information.

(February 19, 2021) NWSEO continues to collect nominations for our “NWSEO Member Spotlight,” showcasing the work, dedication and talents of our members, inspiring others and connecting all of our union members.

Meet Paul Fike, Former Steward and Lead Forecaster at the Aviation Weather Center (AWC) in Kansas City, MO, who retired at the end of January 2021 after over 36 years of service!

What sparked your interest in a career in weather?

My interest in meteorology started when I was 8 years old.  I grew up in the southern suburbs of Chicago, Illinois.  On January 26, 1967, a blizzard dumped 23 inches on the Chicago area.  It remains the most snow that I have ever seen from a single storm and triggered my interest in meteorology.

What is your history working with the NWS?

I started working with the NWS at the National Severe Storms Forecast Center (NSSFC) in August 1984.  If you asked me in graduate school where I wanted to work, it would be NSSFC.  I was also fortunate to work alongside my best friends for the first 10-12 years of my career.  I met them in graduate school at St. Louis University.  I also worked with former classmates from my undergraduate days at Northern Illinois University.

At NSSFC, I started in the National Public Service Unit and was promoted to Severe Local Storms Unit (SELS) Assistant forecaster in February 1987.  In February 1992, I was promoted to the Convective SIGMET Unit which was part of the National Aviation Weather Advisory Unit (NAWAU).  The SELS portion of NSSFC moved to Norman, OK and became the Storm Prediction Center (SPC).  NAWAU became the AWC and remained in Kansas City.  I was promoted to AWC Lead Forecaster in August 1996 as part of the charter group of AWC Leads.  I held that position until my retirement on January 30, 2021.

Describe the most interesting/unusual experience in your work.

I always found my work interesting since every day is different.  When you are forecasting on a national scale, there is always something to look at.  I was a magnet for computer problems when I worked.  On one occasion at 1 AM, the lights went out, but the computers stayed up.  A few seconds later, the lights came back on, but the computers all went down.

Why did you join the NWSEO?

I joined the NWSEO due to the role that NWSEO plays in stating our case before Congress during budget deliberations.  NWS management is confined to supporting the President’s budget.  NWSEO has been an advocate for the NWS employees to the members of Congress who are making decisions on our future budgets.

Briefly discuss your leadership roles and your active participation within our union.

I was the first NWSEO steward for the AWC.  I think my term started in 1995 and ran until 2001.  During my tenure, three major events stand out: a budget crisis at the start of my tenure; the creation of the Collaborated Convective Forecast Product (CCFP); and the move of AWC from the federal building in downtown Kansas City to its present location which it shares with Central Region Headquarters and the NWS Training Center.  The budget crisis showed the importance of your customers as advocates before Congress during tough budget times.  The CCFP still exists today and is now known as the Traffic Flow Management Convective Forecast (TCF).  As steward, I worked with management on the impact and implementation of the CCFP.

I also was the national NWSEO representative on the NWS Strategic planning team.  Later teams were able to complete this task.  I was the NWSEO team lead for the Graphical Forecasts for Aviation (GFA) team in the 2000s.  Through the hard work of team members and the forecasters, we were able to successfully implement the graphical AIRMET (G-AIRMET) in 2008.  In 2010, AWC and NCEP Central Operations shared a Department of Commerce Silver medal for this accomplishment.  Since 2010 until my retirement, I was a team lead or a representative on teams working on the planning and transitioning from N-AWIPS to AWIPS 2 at the national centers.  I have also been NWSEO representative on AWC Local Office Team (LOT) Working groups.  I received Regional Isaac Cline awards in 2013 and 2020 for Program Management and Administration.

Current NWSEO Executive Vice President JoAnn Becker and current AWC Steward Shari Mutchler were team members who worked with me on the GFA project.

Would you recommend joining/supporting NWSEO to others and if so, why?

My reason for initially joining the NWSEO is still valid today.  With uncertain budgets ahead, the importance of NWSEO being an advocate for NWS employees is just as great if not greater today.  I would recommend joining the NWSEO to support those efforts.

If you could improve one thing about your job, what would that be?

AWC has been able to successfully transition to remote operations during the pandemic.  It is a major accomplishment and revolutionized the way we work.  About 2/3 to 3/4 of our staff is working remotely.  I would like to get past the pandemic and have everyone back on station when it is safe to do so.  The camaraderie of the staff is diminished during remote operations.

On a national scale, I am hopeful that a new Collective Bargaining Agreement can be agreed to soon.  I appreciate all of the work that the negotiation team has done on this.  I am a believer in Quality Through Partnership.  I like when management and NWSEO are able to work together to solve problems.  I realize that this is not always possible, but I would like to see more of that not just in NWS/NWSEO, but in the world today.

What is the best place you’ve traveled to and why?

My nephew was married in Hawaii on December 31, 2006 on the island of Kauai.  I was able to travel to Hawaii for the wedding and the combination of his wedding and enjoying the beauty of Hawaii with family made for a memorable vacation.

Tell us something that might surprise us about you.

When I enrolled at the University of Illinois in 1977, I was signed up for a pre-pharmacy curriculum.  However, before the fall semester began, I changed my mind and decided that I wanted to become a meteorologist.

NWSEO extends its warmest congratulations to Mr. Fike on his retirement and greatly appreciates his time and contribution to the NWSEO Member Spotlight.  After supporting the work of NWSEO since 1988, we welcome Mr. Fike as a Lifetime Member of our union.

NWSEO publishes feature stories like this as a communication tool for NWSEO Members to get to know each other from across the nation, connect even more, and together, support each other in the work of NWSEO and in strengthening our membership.

Please submit your Member Spotlight suggestions and comments to Christy Fox at mediarelations@nwseo.org.

(February 5, 2021) Congratulations to newly retired NWSEO Member David Saale of Kansas City, MO after serving 30 years in the NWS.  Originally from Chillicothe, MO, Mr. Saale served in the Field Artillery Unit of the Army during 1976-79 in Augsburg, Germany.  He began his career with the NWS National Logistics Support Center (NLSC) shortly after working for a printing company in the Kansas City area.   Mr. Saale joined NWSEO in 2008 when he first met former Executive Vice President Bill Hopkins and General Counsel Richard Hirn in their visit to NLSC.  “Richard Hirn and Bill Hopkins were very professional and shared with me that this would be a smooth transition and it was.  My NWSEO contacts have always been helpful with any questions or problems that I inquired about,” he stated.  Mr. Saale served as NLSC steward from 2008 until his retirement on January 2021.

In recent months, Mr. Saale contributed to a massive effort where NLSC shipped over 300,000 masks to NOAA federal employees.

When asked, would you recommend joining and supporting NWSEO to others; if so, why?  Mr. Saale replied, “Employees should step up and support the work of NWSEO.  I encourage employees to aid the only union with the ability to participate in collective bargaining for NWS employees (as well as NESDIS, AOC, AOML, OGC), creating better working conditions for all.”

The NWSEO salutes Mr. Saale and his great support of NWSEO membership and active involvement.

We hope feature stories like this will be a communication tool for NWSEO Members to get to know each other, from across the nation, connect even more, and together, support each other in the work of NWSEO and in strengthening our membership.

Please submit your Member Spotlight suggestions and comments to Christy Fox at mediarelations@nwseo.org.

Submit forms by Wednesday March 31, 2021

(January 26, 2021) The NWSEO negotiated NWS Health Club and Wellness Services Fees Reimbursement Program allows NWS employees to be reimbursed up to $300 per year as a health club membership dues rebate.  This rebate also covers certain weight loss and smoking cessation programs.  In order to be eligible for the programs, it is important that the correct forms are submitted to your supervisor no later than March 31, 2021.  Complete information on the program is available here: Health Program Guidance

To take advantage of this important benefit, employees will need to submit the following to their supervisor:

Form A to Enroll must be submitted between February 1, 2021 and March 31, 2021 to receive benefits for 2021.

Form B to Receive Reimbursement must be submitted before March 31, 2021 for reimbursement for the prior year 2020.  Employees must submit Form B, Self-Certification Usage CD-326 and proof of payment for membership/services to their supervisors no later than March 31, 2021.

Note: New NWS employees or existing employees unable to apply during the open season due to prolonged absences may apply within 14 days of returning to or entering service.

If you have any questions, please contact NWS Management and Organization Division, via email at daphne.love@noaa.gov or by phone at 301-427-6939.

Remember, this health club and wellness benefit is available to you solely because of the work of NWSEO.  It is just one more way to demonstrate the strength and benefits your membership provides.

 Thank you for your membership and the support it brings to our professional organization.

-NWSEO-

(January 11, 2021) Active NWSEO membership is the lifeblood of our professional organization.  It is through the strength of our members that NWSEO is the only organization with the ability to lobby Congress and the Administration to help save jobs and programs, promote better working conditions, enhance career opportunities, and participate in collective bargaining for the bargaining units we represent.  Your membership and willingness to be an active NWSEO member have certainly helped propel each of our units to be world-class within the U.S. Federal Government, DOC and NOAA.

NWSEO dues via payroll deduction (Form 1187) are set at one percent (1%) of your salary to a maximum of $24.30 per pay period, as of January 3, 2021 (Pay Period 1).  This minimal increase of 24 cents per pay period over 2020 reflects the Federal salary increase of one percent for 2021.  As directed by the President’s Executive Order signed on December 31, this salary increase applies to all areas, with no additional increase allocated for locality pay.

If you pay by credit card, monthly dues for 2021 are $52.65.  Semi-annual dues for 2021 are $315.90 and annual dues are $631.80.

Thank you for your service and continued membership support!

(January 9, 2021) Please meet NWSEO Lifetime Member, Suzanne Sims of Tucson, Arizona.  Ms. Sims reflects on her time as a member of NWSEO, which began in 1995.

1. Briefly tell us what sparked your interest to pursue a career in weather?

My father was a meteorologist.  He got his MS from the University of Wisconsin and worked as a meteorologist at Fort Huachuca when I was growing up in Southern Arizona.  There was always a NOAA Weather Radio in the house, and rain gages being measured, and my father taught me how to identify different cloud types at an early age.  My parents actually met at the University of Arizona, in the Atmospheric Sciences department when my father was a research scientist, and my mother was Dr. Louis Battan’s secretary. Dr. Louis Battan is well known for his research on radar meteorology and cloud physics.  So, when I ended up studying there, the professors knew my parents and welcomed me aboard.  In other words, my career in weather was sort of predetermined.

2. What is your history working with the NWS?

I began my career in February 1990 as a Met Intern at Weather Service Office (WSFO) Phoenix.  In 1994, I was promoted to a Journey Forecaster position in Sacramento, then transferred to neighboring Monterey in 1998. I was promoted to Lead Forecaster a year later and worked in Monterey until I retired at the end of February 2020.  After retiring, I immediately returned to my home state of Arizona, and now live in Tucson.

3. Describe the most unusual/interesting experience in your work.

During the first summer of my career, I got the chance to take a flight on one of the Hurricane Hunter planes during the Southwest Area Monsoon Project (SWAMP) as NOAA and National Severe Storms Laboratory (NSSL) researchers studied monsoon thunderstorms in Mexico.  It was also during that summer that I took the weather observation that closed down Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport when the temperature hit 122 degrees. The density altitude charts only considered temperatures as high as 120 degrees then but were modified by the following summer to account for temperatures as high as 130 degrees.

4. Why did you join NWSEO?

I joined NWSEO in 1995 when a government shutdown and a possible furlough loomed.  I should have joined much earlier in my career.

5. Briefly discuss your leadership roles and your active participation with our union.

I served as branch steward and vice-steward at both the Sacramento and Monterey offices. I became Western Region (WR) Chairperson in 2013 and served in that role until this past October.  I was also on the NWS Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) Negotiations Team.

6. Would you recommend joining and supporting NWSEO to others; if so, why?

Absolutely! Being part of NWSEO gives bargaining unit employees a means to steer the course of the NWS by participating in local, regional and national teams, and providing feedback on future contracts.  Join NWSEO!  Go to conventions, get involved, and run for office!  Honestly, the most rewarding aspect of my career was serving as WR Chair.  Relationships that I fostered in that role directly helped employees in WR, and our Regional Labor Council actually got important things accomplished within our region.

7. If you could improve one thing about the job you held, what would that be?

As stated previously, I should have joined NWSEO earlier in my career.

8. What is the best place you've traveled to and why?

Hawaii!!  The Big Island and Kauai are my favorites of the Hawaiian Islands, but they are all wonderful.

9. Tell us something that might surprise us about you.

Up until recently, I had never watched the TV show Lost.  I read somewhere that it was the perfect show to binge-watch during a pandemic, and since I had never seen it, I gave in.  It is now my latest TV obsession.  Don’t tell me how it ends, though...I’m now in the final season.

The NWSEO congratulates Ms. Sims on her retirement.  We are grateful for her service and tremendous support of NWSEO membership and the Political Action Committee (PAC) funding and also for participating in the NWSEO Spotlight article.

NWSEO recognizes and congratulates Suzanne Sims and all of our Lifetime Members.

We hope feature stories like this will encourage NWSEO Members to get to know each other from across the nation, connect even more, and together, support each other in the work of NWSEO and in strengthening our membership.  Please submit your Member Spotlight suggestions and comments to Christy Fox, mediarelations@nwseo.org.

January 1, 2021 pdf

Dear NWSEO brothers and sisters,

As we take a moment to reflect on this past year, truly a year of disbelief, I’ve considered our top milestones in 2020.

NWSEO COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENTS

This has been a record year for contract negotiations.  First, the NESDIS Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) was ratified by the NESDIS union members and signed by the parties.  This is a big accomplishment for Chairman Hugh Sharkey, Aaron Savage, Jake Cherrix, Stan Abney, Zach Dornhagen and Arla Tillman.

Next, the contracts for the NOAA Attorneys Guild (NAG), Aircraft Operations Center (AOC) and Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory (AOML) were opened for renegotiation.

Last, the Federal Service Impasses Panel (FSIP) took jurisdiction over the NWS contract negotiations and adjudicated the 29 contract articles in dispute.  The NWS contract ratification vote on the imposed contract was conducted electronically, with the NWS NWSEO members overwhelmingly rejecting the contract by a vote of 91% to 9%.

A new dispute arose when NWSEO requested the parties return to the table to renegotiate the NWS contract.  Management would only negotiate over the four articles agreed upon prior to the FSIP taking jurisdiction and NWSEO demanded to negotiate the contract in its entirety.  The matter was taken to arbitration.  Arbitrator Greenburg ruled NWS breached negotiations ground rules and ordered NWS back to the bargaining table to renegotiate over 17 articles.  The arbitrator however, ruled the NWS is not obligated to renegotiate provisions imposed by the FSIP.  NWSEO is appealing this portion of the ruling.  In the meantime, NWS management must maintain the status quo by honoring the 2001 CBA.

OUR FIRST VIRTUAL NATIONAL CONVENTION

The 2020 NWSEO National Convention was a successful virtual one-day event.  Over 150 members registered for this event.  NWSEO President Werner, NWSEO Executive Vice President JoAnn Becker and NWSEO Secretary-Treasurer Chris Jacobson facilitated informative sessions, reports, and new business.  NWSEO awarded the prestigious 2020 Kip Robinson Award to Karleisa Rogacheski.

The 2021 NWSEO National Convention is scheduled in person (fingers crossed) for October 18-19, 2021 at Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas, NV.  Look for information on steward training in the upcoming 2021 Notice of Convention.

STRONG MEMBERSHIP PERSISTS DESPITE COVID, RETIREMENTS, PROMOTIONS & SEPARATIONS

NWSEO welcomed 122 new and renewed members during 2020. From our larger bargaining units, Central Region leads in total number of new members with 24, followed by Eastern Region with 21 new members for the year.  NWSEO members from the agencies (NWS, NAG, AOML, AOC and NESDIS) have invited and encouraged growth of our union and together, current NWSEO membership is now at 1,591 members.

NEW NWSEO WEBSITE

2020 saw the launch of a much needed new and improved NWSEO.org website.  Our website is an important resource for employees, media contacts, elected representatives, and the public.  The new NWSEO.org has been a challenging effort due to the massive content of the former website, which contained over 1,000 pages of important information.  We continue to work to improve this new website for our members.  New features were added to the website to improve the user experience including:

• Mobile/tablet device friendly site
• Search feature to make it easier to locate important information
• Subscription service for website updates
• Improved NWSEO store
• Password-protected section for NWSEO Officers

IMPROVED MEMBER ENGAGEMENT

Member feedback is valued and important, and we have taken several opportunities to survey our membership on important issues in 2020.  We reached out to HMTs about the OPL dispute to gain their feedback.  We surveyed members for their feedback on the new NWSEO website, convention location and various work/life issues.  We will continue using surveys to collect feedback from members in 2021.  Please help us gather your input by responding to our surveys and ensure your voice is heard.

RECRUITMENT INCENTIVE REMINDERS

NWSEO CONVENTION TRAVEL INCENTIVE.  Any NWSEO member who recruits two or more new members to join NWSEO using the Membership Form 1187 for payroll deduction (not by credit card) from August 1, 2019 to July 31, 2021, NWSEO will provide reasonable airfare, 3 nights lodging, and approved group meals for the 2021 NWSEO Convention at the Caesars Palace, Las Vegas, NV on October 18-19, 2021.  The name of the recruiter must be on the submitted Form 1187 in order for them to receive recruitment credit.

NEW HIRE ENROLLMENT INCENTIVE.  NWSEO offers a New Hire enrollment incentive through December 31, 2022.  Any newly hired employee (NWS, NESDIS, AOC, AOML, NAG) who joins NWSEO by Form 1187 (payroll deduction) within nine months of their start date, or during a New Employee course or its equivalent, will receive a $300 dues rebate via check mailed to the new member’s home address within 7 business days.

MEMBER REWARDS FOR BOTH NEW & LONG-TIME MEMBERS.  Any NWSEO member who recruits a fellow non-member to join NWSEO by Form 1187, will receive a NWSEO t-shirt and a $50 gift card (of their choice).  The new member will receive a $100 dues rebate mailed to his/her home address within 7 business days and a $50 gift card (of their choice).  This enrollment incentive expires December 31, 2022.

CHEERS TO 2021

With the challenging 2020 year behind us, let’s push forward with hope, courage and renewed vigor to make 2021 the best year ever for NWSEO members.  It’s through your talents, efforts, and dedication that the bargaining units NWSEO represents are so widely trusted and respected by our partners, peers, Congress and the public.  Wishing you and yours all the best for a safe, healthy, and prosperous New Year!

Warm Regards,

John Werner
President, National Weather Service Employees Organization