The Four Winds Member News
House Appropriations Committee approved significant funding increases for NWS, NESDIS and for the Aircraft Operations Center
(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.“
Read the full article and more news within the links below.
Release for NWS Employees
New CBA - It's Official!
NWSEO National Convention News
Announcing 2021 NWSEO Convention Training Workshops
(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 18th & 19th, with the workshops held on the afternoon of the 18th. 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.
Up-to-date news and information regarding the 2021 NWSEO National Convention will be posted on our website at https://nwseo.org/convention/.
Read the full article within the link below.
Media Relations
Welcome to the NWSEO Media Center
The goal of NWSEO Media Relations is to assist you with your media needs and provide answers to questions you may have. Here you will find press releases, weather images, and an archive of NWSEO news articles. If you need to interview an expert source on national or local level or would like someone to talk to your group regarding weather, this is the place to find weather specialists.
If you need additional information, please contact NWSEO Communications at mediarelations@nwseo.org or call 202-907-3036.
Learn why others have joined NWSEO and benefited from the work of our professional organization.
"Member Spotlights" and "Membership Matters" articles are
included in this section.
Why I Joined NWSEO - Member Testimonials
NWSEO Four Winds Member News, Convention & Media Relations Archives
Labor Management Forum
The Department of Commerce Labor Management Forum
National Academy of Public Administration Report for the NWS and U.S. Congress
(May 13, 2013) The National Academy of Public Administration published its report for the National Weather Service and U.S. Congress on its website today. Follow this link to view the full report and Project Results.
