National Weather Service Employees Organization

NWSEO Recruitment

There is strength in membership. Click here for information and tools to keep NWSEO strong and effective.

About NWSEO

• The forecasters, technicians and support personnel of the National Weather Service, the nation's official source for weather forecasts and warnings;


• The attorneys in NOAA's Office of General Counsel, who are responsible for enforcing laws that protect the nation's environment and natural resources;


• The civilian crews of the "Hurricane Hunter" aircraft based in Tampa, Florida;


• The technicians who track and command the nation's weather satellites from Wallops Island, Virginia; and


• The hurricane researchers and other scientists and support personnel at the Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory in Key Biscayne, Florida.

NWSEO Working for You:
The Top 5 Accomplishments of 2011

NWSEO works hard to improve working conditions and the quality of NWS services. The diligent work of the NWSEO produced these top five accomplishments in 2010-2011:  

1. Saving the CWSUs from consolidation – a culmination of a five year lobbying effort by NWSEO to preserve both aviation safety and NWS employee jobs. NWSEO spent over $200,000 in this lobbying effort and obtained the support of the Senate Commerce Committee, the House Science Committee and the House and Senate Commerce, Justice and Science Appropriations Subcommittees
2. Securing back pay for overtime for nearly 200 NWS employees. Securing FLSA Non-Exempt status of an additional 165 NWS employees. The NWS has agreed to pay two years’ lost overtime wages and liquidated damages for those employees, as well.
3. Winning an appeal to bargain to increase staffing at Anchorage WFO by 10 positions - this directs the National Weather Service to bargain with NWSEO over a proposal that would increase staffing at the Anchorage WFO by ten positions.
4. Securing special projects designed to increase aviation safety, which include increased NWS personnel at the CWSU and WFOs in New York City, Atlanta, and Chicago.
5. NWSEO secured an agreement that upgrades to a GS -8 every Administrative Support Assistant at field offices around the country. The GS -8 upgrade includes approximately one million dollars in extra pay and benefits to the lowest paid NWS employees each and every year from now on.

The Top 20 NWSEO Accomplishments

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NWSEO Cares: Medical Leave Donations

NWSEO Members have always been generous with leave donations for co-workers in need.

If you are able to donate leave time, please complete the Donor Leave Transfer Application and submit it to your ASA. If you would like to learn more about the Leave Transfer Program, including a full list of participants, click here. NWSEO thanks you for your generosity and care!

NWSEO Store

You can purchase NWSEO Merchandise such as mugs,
t-shirts, and branch magnets at the NWSEO Store.

Labor Management Forum

The Department of Commerce Labor Management Forum

Management Issues

Management Issues
(December 8, 2011) NWSEO often tackles problems repeatedly from the same managers. Now, an updated color-coded branch list can be used to identify and inform members of potential problem managers.  While circumstances may change over time, the current list highlights areas to warn members of the possible implications to their career and morale if they bid on these offices.

PREVAILING CONDITIONS
Top Story

Please click here to sign our petition asking NOAA and the DOC to Restore Funding to the NWS.

NWSEO Members Helping Members
Information on the Leave Transfer Program

(May 11, 2012) NWSEO Members have always been generous with annual leave donations for co-workers in need. This is a tremendous gift to those who may soon exhaust or who have exhausted their leave due to medical issues. NWSEO member Debbie Winston in Cheyenne, Wyoming is on medical leave and in need of leave donations. (MORE)

Senate Commerce Committee Tells NWS to Keep the ITOs

(May 10, 2012) The Senate Commerce Committee has officially objected to the NWS's plans to eliminate the ITOs - In a recent letter from the Commerce Committee to the Senate Budget Committee, the Committee Chairman Senator Jay Rockefeller (D-WVA) wrote: (MORE)

NWSEO asks Eligible Members to participate in the 2012 Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey

(May 7, 2012) NWSEO is asking members to take part in the 2012 Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey (FEVS) administered by the Office of Personnel Management. (More)

Wonder why the NWS is broke?
NOAA is Looking to Hire a Magician to Develop Leadership Skills

(May 3, 2012) NOAA is putting its faith in magic. The organization released a Request for Quotation on May 1 for a magician to work at their June 12- 14 leadership training conference.
There’s no magic behind the numbers, but some are wondering if this is how NOAA makes their money disappear.

Today’s article in Government Executive highlights this most recent act of wasteful spending.
http://www.govexec.com/management/2012/05/noaa-seeks-magician-training-conference/55565/  

National Weather Service Plans Dangerous Personnel CutsDespite Funding and Support from Congress for NWS Positions

(May 3, 2012) In late April, both the House and Senate Appropriations Committees approved an increase in NWS funding over FY 12 with specific statements supporting the ITO position at WFOs nationwide. (More)

Why is the National Weather Service Broke? A look at the funding numbers.

“Report to the President on Negotiation Over Permissive Subjects of Bargaining:  Pilot Projects”

(May 3, 2012) The National Council on Federal Labor-Management Relations has issued the “Report to the President on Negotiation Over Permissive Subjects of Bargaining:  Pilot Projects”.  The report is now available on the Council web page at:  www.lmrcouncil.gov.  It is located on this page under the “What’s New” and “Latest Information” sections. 
A direct link to the report is:  http://www.lmrcouncil.gov/meetings/handouts/President.pdf

NWSEO Recruitment Drive

Member Letter on Recruitment

http://www.cbs58.com/news/local-news/Possible-NWS-Cuts-Could-Affect-Pubic-Safety-147461535.html

Letter sent to Non-members

Thank you to the House and Senate for Recognizing the Importance of funding the ITO position and the NWS Mission

(April 19, 2012) Funding for the ITOs has just been restored in the bill released by the House Commerce, Justice and Science Appropriations Subcommittee at this morning's "mark-up" meeting. In fact, the Subcommittee has funded the NWS at more than the President's budget request. (More)

Senate Appropriations Subcommittee takes NOAA to the Woodshed - Saves ITO jobs

(April 17, 2012) The Senate Commerce, Justice and Science Appropriations Subcommittee, today, approved by a vote of 17 to 1, a FY13 funding bill that rejects the NWS's request to eliminate ITOs at 122 WFOs. The bill also strips NOAA of all responsibility (more)

April 17, 2012 - CBS 58 Milwaukee

NWS cuts could affect public safety

April 16, 2010 Dayton Daily News: Proposed Weather Service Changes could cut $10M
Plan cuts $10 partly by restructuring jobs linked to warning technology

April 10, 2012: Proposed Budget Cuts to NWS may Delay Warnings
WSHM - CBS 3 in Springfield, Mass.

Budget Cuts to National Weather Service Revealed

(April 5, 2012) The official "budget justification" is submitted to the appropriations committees. The Administration's own document concedes that these reductions will result in less accurate and timely warnings of tornados, floods, severe thunderstorms, hurricanes and tsunamis.(More)

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, April 3, 2012

Plan to cut National Weather Service workers denounced

Washington Post, March 29, 2012

National Weather Service Budget Cuts Misguided, Misplaced

NWSEO 37th Annual Convention in Las Vegas, NV
is November 13 and 14, 2012 (A Tuesday-Wednesday Event)

(March 28, 2012) The 37th annual NWSEO Convention will take place on Tuesday and Wednesday, November 13 and 14, 2012 at the New York-New York Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada. A Steward Training session for new stewards will be held on Monday, November 12 at the hotel. (Info and Reservations)

Spring Council Meeting Update
NWSEO Restructures – Adds Two New Regions
NWSEO Meets with Ranking member of CJS subcommittee Congressman Fattah– Highlights the Importance of ITO Positions at each WFO

(March 23, 2012) The NWSEO National Council met in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on March 10 and 11. Highlights of the meeting include a meeting with Congressman Chaka Fattah and the restructuring of NWSEO to add two new regions. (More)

Lubchenco Faces Bipartisan Criticism from House Appropriations Committee Over ITO Cuts –
And Answers “I don’t know” to Virtually Every
Question about NWS Operations.

(March 21, 2012) NOAA’s plan to eliminate 122 ITO positions came under attack during a hearing on NOAA’s FY 13 budget request on Tuesday, March 20. The Chairman of the Commerce, Justice and Science Appropriations Subcommittee, Frank Wolf (R-VA) and the Ranking Member of the Subcommittee (most senior Democrat) Chaka Fattah (D-PA) both expressed their objections to eliminating the ITOs during their questioning of NOAA Administrator Jane Lubchenco. (More)

Philadelphia Inquirer, Anthony Woods reports:
Weather Service worries about White House's proposed cuts to it's budget

NWSEO Files Grievance and Unfair Labor Practices for NWS’s Refusal to Fill Vacant Positions;
Files ULP for NWS Refusal to Bargain over AWIPS 2 Deployment

(March 20, 2012) NWSEO working full force to keep ITOs employed and ensure vacancies are filled. Last week, the union filed two Unfair Labor Practices and one Union Grievance regarding the agency’s refusal to follow federal statutes and the collective bargaining agreement (CBA). (More)

NOAA: We issued tornado warnings for March Outbreak, not NWS

(March 15, 2012) Former NOAA Director of Communications and External Affairs Justin Kenney instructed Department of Commerce leadership to give credit to NOAA and away from the National Weather Service for issuing warnings for tornados which struck the Mid-West, Mid-South and Ohio Valley earlier this month, killing 36 people. The email exchange (More)

NWSEO Executive Vice President Bill Hopkins and ITO John Holsenbeck on Lubbock ABC Station.

NOAA/NWS Leadership Storms out of Meeting
After NWSEO Refuses to assist in Developing a Plan to Eliminate ITO Positions

(March 8, 2012) NWSEO President Dan Sobien, Vice President Bill Hopkins, union counsel and several ITOs met with NOAA Deputy Administrator Kathryn Sullivan, NWS Director Jack Hayes, and other members of the NOAA and NWS leadership team to discuss the Administration’s proposal to eliminate the 122 Information Technology Officers at the WFOs. (More)

Critical Infrastructure Problems Plague
National Weather Service during Tornado Outbreaks

(March 2, 2012) Meteorologists testing the Advanced Weather Interactive Processing System, version 2 (AWIPS2), at the NWS Weather Forecast Office In Omaha Nebraska  experienced potentially life threatening  technical issues and missed critical information as they disseminated warnings.(more)

NWSEO Response to NWS Proposal to Not Fill ITO Vacancies (View the Letter)

printable copy

Greenwire Article: Agency, union spar over tornado-warning upgrades in deadly storms' wake
Emily Yehle, E&E reporter
Published: Thursday, March 1, 2012

NWSEO Works to Save ITO Positions - Here’s How You Can Help

(February 17, 2012) NWSEO is working full pace to protect the ITO positions at WFOs. The President’s proposed FY2013 budget reduces the NWS budget by nearly $40 million. Because of this, the NWS plans to eliminate 98 ITO positions at WFOs, while moving 24 ITO positions to regions. We have yet to hear the details about those proposed regional positions. (More)

Protect the ITO Position Press Kit

Fact Sheet - Speaking points

Spanish Version Fact Sheet

News Release

White Paper - Detailed report on the ITO position

Contact your Senator and Congressional Representative

Media Coverage

News Coverage of President's Obama's 2013 Budget and the ITO Positions