National Academy of Public Administration publishes its report,
“Forecast for the Future: Assuring the Capacity of the National Weather Service”
May 13, 2013 print copy
(May 13, 2013) The National Academy of Public Administration (NAPA) 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.
Congress directed the National Weather Service to contract with an independent organization to evaluate efficiencies that can be made to NWS operations. The National Academy of Public Administration was selected. A five-member panel conducted the seven-month study of the NWS’s current operations and structure, as well as the challenges the agency will face moving forward.
From page 39 of the NAPA study:
While staffing levels have been relatively constant over the past decade, in the last three years, the NWS has realized personnel losses at a greater rate than it has been hiring. If this trend continues, the NWS is in danger of losing a significant segment of the workforce and will not be able to renew itself at a sustainable rate unless it revises staff functions and allocations across programs and offices.
From page 42 of the study:
The Panel finds that while change to the staffing model is warranted, the NWS has not completed sufficient analysis of the alignment and function of staff across the organization for effective and efficient delivery of weather, water, and climate products and services. Such an analysis should be detailed and take into consideration the realities of operating in the current constrained fiscal environment, as well as how to meet current and future needs. It is important to include the National Weather Service Employees Organization in this analysis process as discussed further in the report.
Congressman Nolan asks leadership to reject furloughs to NWS
“that will have negative impacts on employees and readiness."
(May 9, 2013) Congressman Richard Nolan (D) Minnesota wrote the following letter strongly urging Deputy Secretary of Congress Rebecca Blank and Acting Undersecretary Kathryn Sullivan to reprogram NOAA funds towards the NWS and to reject the furloughs “that will have negative impacts on employees and readiness… Furthermore, I respectfully ask your agency leadership to do right for the working men and women who are stretched far too thin due to chronic understaffing at the NWS.”
Rep. Nolan's reprogramming request letter
NWSEO needs You!
$100 Rebate for New Members valid until May 24, 2013
May 9, 2013 print copy
(May 9, 2013) NWSEO is continues its work to prevent the furlough of NWS employees and to save the ITO position. The union has recently made great headway in communicating the message that furloughs put the agency’s mission at risk while saving little money in the NWS budget. Key members of Congress have been given more than 100 pages of documentation of the important role of the ITO. It is NWSEO members who have pulled together to help get these messages out. We appreciate your response to surveys, your phone calls to Congress and work with your local media.
NWSEO’s bargaining power and influence is a direct result of the number of NWS employees who have joined the union’s ranks. We urgently need your continued membership support in these efforts. Therefore, NWSEO is offering a $100 to any new member who joins NWSEO by 1187 for payroll deduction by Friday, May 24, 2013.
If you are not a member, we need you. Please don’t hesitate another day. Attached is an 1187 form to join our professional organization of men and women. The 1187 form for payroll deduction can be faxed to Peter Nuhn at 202-600-2145. Only through solidarity of the workforce and the financial support that it brings will NWSEO be able to protect your paycheck.
If you are a member, please encourage your coworkers to join. Just a reminder, because your recruitment efforts strengthen our professional organization, NWSEO will provide airfare, lodging, and group meals for the 2013 convention to any member who recruits two new members to join our professional organization using the 1187 for payroll deduction from November 14th 2012 through July 31, 2013. The name of the recruiter must be on the 1187. The 2013 annual convention will be held at the Vinoy Renaissance Resort @ Golf Club in St. Petersburg, Florida on Sunday and Monday, September 22 and 23, 2013
NWSEO – Helping our Own through the Voluntary Leave Transfer Program
Two NWSEO members are in need of medical leave donations. (George) Michael Lammers, the OPL at GLD in Goodland, Kansas, is in need of donated medical leave time after suffering a brain injury. Mike is a long time union member and served as a Met Instructor at the NWSTC a few years ago. He is approved and on the list for leave transfer donations. Debbie Winston, from Cheyenne, Wyoming is also in Leave Transfer program and in need of donated leave time for an autoimmune disorder.
NWSEO Members have always been generous with annual leave donations for co-workers in need. If you are interested in donating leave for Mike or Debbie, you may complete the 630A Form at this link:
http://www.opm.gov/Forms/pdf_fill/opm630a.pdf
Please make sure the form is signed by you and that George Michael Lammers or Debbie Winston is named as the recipient and then submit it to your ASA.
Here are a few facts about donated medical leave and the Voluntary Leave Transfer Program that you might find beneficial if you are considering donating leave or if you are in need of donated leave time:
OPM regulates that only annual leave may be donated. You cannot donate sick leave.
Leave donors can specify a member of the Leave Donor Program whom they’d like to receive their donated leave time by completing form OPM-630A .
Any leave that is not used is returned back to the donor.
A person does not have to wait until their leave is exhausted before applying to be a recipient of the Leave Transfer Program. They must present medical documentation showing they anticipate that they will be on unpaid status for at least 24 hours.
Before a person can accept any donated leave, they must complete the required paperwork, have it processed, and receive notification that they are accepted as a recipient of the Leave Transfer Program. It can take two weeks to process the paperwork, so applicants should apply as soon as they realize the condition is expected to exhaust their leave.
Department of Commerce leave rules come straight from OPM. There are no agency specific rules. If you would like to learn more about the Leave Transfer Program, including a full list of participants, visit: http://www.wfm.noaa.gov/policies/leavedonor_info.html.
If you know of an NWSEO member in need of a medical leave donation and would like us to inform members on the NWSEO.org website, please have them contact NWSEO at mediarelations@nwseo.org.
NWSEO thanks you for your generosity and care!
For additional information, please visit:
http://hr.commerce.gov/Practitioners/CompensationAndLeave/DEV01_006149
-NWSEO-
Furlough Press Kit
Furlough News Release
Furlough Speaking Points
Contact your Senator and Congressional Representative
Call or email your State Senator.
Call or email your Congressional Representatives.
While NOAA proposes furloughs,
Congress approves DOJ reprogramming request to keep employees on the job.
Speaking points on NWS furloughs included.
April 25, 2013 print copy
(April 25, 2013) Congress approved a reprogramming request presented by the Justice Department of $239,500,000 (almost 1% of their budget) Wednesday that will prevent furloughs of emergency employees at the FBI, ATF, U.S. Marshalls and Bureau of Prisons. This occurs with the backdrop of NOAA sending an all hands email to its employees informing them of their plans to furlough every employee for four days because of the agency’s unwillingness to reprogram under $18 million dollars (about .36% of their total budget).
“I am delighted to see how much the Department of Justice values their emergency employees” stated Dan Sobien, NWSEO President. “Congress has offered to approve reprogramming for the National Weather Service, but we have yet to see NOAA’s commitment to their life-saving mission or to the dedicated emergency essential employees who work carry out that mission.”
An April 12 letter from Congressman Frank Wolf, of the House Appropriations Committee, urges Dr. Rebecca Blank, Deputy Secretary of Commerce, to “ensure that the NWS has the funding necessary to adequately forecast the weather.”
If the agency is to continue its life-saving mission and support to emergency personnel, it must have fully staffed offices during summer’s severe weather months, as well as during the unforeseen events such as Thursday’s fuel barge explosions in Mobile, Alabama or last week’s fertilizer plant explosion in Texas. Staffing shortages will also compound delays in national air space. “There is public outcry about flight delays caused by FAA furloughs driving down commerce and delaying travelers,” said Sobien. “Imagine what will happen when the NWS furloughs compounds this.”
National and local media are expressing interest in NOAA’s proposed NWS furloughs. NWSEO encourages you to work with your local media on the projected impacts to your office. Member outreach to their local television meteorologists and print reporters have been very effective in getting our message across to the American public and to members of Congress. Below are some speaking points on the proposed furloughs. It is important to develop local speaking points, as well, that highlight the types of weather and severe weather in your region and how the furloughs would affect your office’s ability to carry out the mission of saving lives and property.
Speaking Points - National Weather Service Furloughs
The National Weather Service Employees Organization represents all nonsupervisory employees of the National Weather Service at Forecast Offices, River Forecast Centers, and specialized forecasting centers across the country.
These employees, are mostly designated as “emergency/essential,” and will be among the 12,000 employees of NOAA who will be furloughed this summer for four days, during the height of the severe storm and hurricane seasons.
Few are aware that NOAA has already made dramatic reductions in staffing at the NWS even before sequestration. Almost 10% of critical NWS positions are currently vacant.
Forecast offices around the country have serious staffing shortages. These already understaffed offices cannot withstand employee furloughs. On any given day, the forecast offices are only staffed for benign weather; even when fully staffed there are customarily only two forecasters on duty most hours of the day and night who have responsibility to issue scheduled forecasts and to protect an average of 3 million people by keeping an eye for severe weather.
Forecast offices around the country have serious staffing shortages. These already understaffed offices cannot withstand employee furloughs. On any given day, the forecast offices are only staffed for benign weather; even when fully staffed there are customarily only two forecasters on duty most hours of the day and night who have responsibility to issue scheduled forecasts and to protect an average of 3 million people by keeping an eye for severe weather.
When there is a storm, they call the staff in. Employees who are in a furlough status cannot, by law, be called into work on a day designated for furlough. As our union's President was quoted in the Washington Post recently, "you can furlough Federal employees, but you can't furlough the weather.”
What is equally important is that the planned furloughs of NOAA employees, including the thousands of NWS employees who are designated “emergency essential,” is
not financially necessary. A four-day furlough of the 12,242 NOAA employees will save only $17.8 million out of a $5 billion dollar budget. Put this in perspective for the reporters with one of the following analogies:
The savings of these furloughs is a mere 36 cents per $100 to NOAA’s budget. If you were going to buy brakes for your car, would you buy the brakes guaranteed to work 100 percent of the time for $100 or would you opt for the breaks that might fail 4 days out of the year and cost $99.64?
NOAA is opting to take the risk at the expense of the American public to save a mere 36 cents for every hundred dollars of the budget.
OR
The savings of these furloughs is a mere 36 cents per $100 to NOAA’s budget. If you were going to buy a security system for your home, would you buy the one with 100 percent coverage for $100 or would you opt for the model that leaves windows of risk four days a year and cost $99.64?
NOAA is opting to take the risk at the expense of the American public to save a mere 36 cents for every hundred dollars of the budget.
The savings at the NWS will only be $6.6 million of a $1 billion budget. Thus, the harm to employees (who have not had a raise in three years) and adverse impact on the agency's mission far outweigh the minimal savings. And there are plenty of other funds that can be used to cover these furloughs through reprogramming (which has been encouraged by both Chairman Wolf and Ranking Member Fattah of the House CJS Appropriations Subcommittee). NOAA plans to distribute $710.5 million in outside grants this year – of that, only $95.85million in grants have been awarded to date. NOAA is currently soliciting applications for 21 grants totaling $59 million on www.grants.gov.
Finally, as far as has been publicly announced, NOAA is the only entity in the entire Department of Commerce that plans to furlough its employees.
Weather-Ready Nation Roadmap 2.0 is path forward for NWS
Weather Ready Nation 2.0 pdf document
Weather Ready Nation Link
Questions or comments on Roadmap 2.0 can be directed to NWS.Roadmap@noaa.gov.
April 23, 2013 print copy
(April 23, 2013) On Wednesday, April 24, 2013, in partnership with the National Weather Service Employees Organization (NWSEO), the NWS will release the Weather-Ready Nation Roadmap 2.0. The updated Roadmap blends an understanding of social and physical sciences and lends itself to building community resilience in the face of increasing vulnerability to extreme weather and water events. I’m confident that this updated version of the Roadmap will empower emergency managers, first responders, government officials, businesses, and the public to make faster, smarter decisions to save lives and protect livelihoods.
The WRN Roadmap 2.0 incorporates comments from the 2012 National Academy of Sciences study, NWSEO, NOAA and NWS leadership, NOAA employees, the Weather Enterprise, and the public. This updated version is more inclusive of NWS international activities in underlying concepts, objectives, and goals across the entire document. It reiterates a commitment to working with the Weather Enterprise and the plan provides the agency an ability to meet new challenges over the coming years through a flexible and agile business structure. In addition, there are more details that capture the National Centers for Environmental Protection’s (NCEP) role in Impact-Based Decision Support Services (IDSS) in contributing to a Common Operating Picture across the NWS.
Following the loss of more than 1,000 lives and $55 billion in damage from powerful tornadoes and other storms in 2011, this Roadmap puts the NWS on a path to measure its efforts based on the extent to which people responded effectively to its warnings, and not solely by the accuracy and timeliness of its forecast.
As employees of the NWS, I encourage you to read this document from cover-to-cover and recognize how we all, both individually and collectively, make a difference every day in creating a Weather-Ready Nation. From 2009-2012, NOAA’s NWS delivered lifesaving weather forecasts and warnings for an unprecedented spate of record-breaking weather: more than 770 major tornadoes; 70 Atlantic hurricanes and tropical storms; 6 major floods; 3 tsunamis; historic drought in much of the United States; prolonged heat waves; and record snowfall and blizzards across the country. Constant improvements in our forecasting capabilities and the expertise of our meteorologists and hydrologists nationwide have enabled NWS to deliver warnings often with greater lead times and accuracy than ever before.
The Roadmap ensures the NWS remains relevant and timely in the provision of services and data to customers on impact based decisions related to weather. As the process of implementing actions within the Roadmap continue, aspects will be incorporated into execution plans like the NOAA/NWS Annual Operating Plan, ongoing WRN Goal Planning, NOAA and NWS Research Plans and other appropriate mechanisms. The Roadmap is intended to be a living document and further refinements will be made as necessary. The active link will be available on April 24.
Proposed Furloughs and ITO reductions –
NWSEO working to keep employees at their life-saving work
April 17, 2013 print copy
April 12 letter from Congressman Frank Wolf
(April 17, 2013) NWSEO President Dan Sobien, Executive Vice President Bill Hopkins, and Southern Region Chair John Werner are in Washington DC this week, meeting with DOC, NOAA and NWS leadership in an effort to prevent the furloughs and keep the ITO positions at 122 weather forecast offices across the country.
“NOAA’s proposal to furlough the emergency essential employees in the midst of hurricane season combined with their plan to eliminate the ITO position as AWIPS 2 is implemented is ludicrous,” said NWSEO President Dan Sobien. “We understand that sequester means tough financial decisions – but the agency is looking in the wrong place at what is clearly the wrong time. Many forecast offices are already understaffed – reports show over 200 more vacancies than in 2010. It’s a sad fact that if NOAA continues to cut the numbers our mission will be degraded."
NOAA Acting Undersecretary Kathy Sullivan informed employees of the proposal via email April 15. The action comes despite Congress’ willingness to reprogram funds to avoid furloughs. Last month, Congress added an extra $17 million to the NWS budget this fiscal year to mitigate sequestration impacts on personnel. An April 12 letter from Congressman Frank Wolf, of the House Appropriations Committee, urges Dr. Rebecca Blank, Deputy Secretary of Commerce, to “ensure that the NWS has the funding necessary to adequately forecast the weather.”
NWSEO representatives are quoted in the following articles regarding the furlough proposal that appeared this week in the
Washington Post, Government Executive, and Philadelphia Inquirer.
NWSEO General Council Richard Hirn met with Congressman Frank Wolf on Tuesday, April 16. He used the meeting as an opportunity to show that the impact on employees and harm to agency operations far outweighs the budget savings.
The Administration has, once again, proposed to eliminate the ITOs in the FY 14 budget. Mr. Hirn will be preparing a letter to the Appropriations Committees next week about this and the other issues in the NWS budget request. We are currently taking a survey of all NWS ITOs to update the arguments on the importance of their role at each WFO, especially in light of the AWIPS 2 installation.
“Congress knows the ITO plays a critical role to WFO operations,” said Richard Hirn. “We will work with them again this year. It is the support of our members who saved these jobs last year, we’re going to go full force and do it again.”
-NWSEO-
No one cares more for National Weather Service employees than
National Weather Service employees.
No one works harder for National Weather Service employees than
National Weather Service employees.
We are NWSEO.
April 17, 2013 - Philadelphia Inquirer/Philly.com
April 16 - Government Executive
Four Furlough Days at NOAA Lawmaker Offers Budget Help by Charles Clark
April 15 - Washington Post - Capital Weather Gang
Furloughs Proposed for the NWS, NOAA by Jason Samenow
Congressman Wolf Urges Adequate Funding of NWS
Letter from Congressman Wolf
(April 15, 2013) Please read the April 12 letter from Congressman Frank Wolf, chairman of the Commerce, Justice, and Science subcommittee of the powerful House Appropriations Committee. In his letter, Congressman Wolf urges Dr. Rebecca Blank, Deputy Secretary of Commerce, to “ensure that the NWS has the funding necessary to adequately forecast the weather.” Please post this letter on your union bulleting boards.
April 5, 2013 Congressional Quarterly Roll Call
Reporter: Kerry Young
Tough Budgeting Places National Weather Service In an Uneasy Orbit
NWSEO-developed Pilot Projects Enhance Decision Support in Six Locations
April 5, 2013 print copy
Decision Support Pilot Projects Fact Sheet
(April 5, 2013) Six pilot projects, developed by NWSEO and negotiated with the exceptional labor relations of former NWS Director Jack Hayes, are strengthening community preparedness and response to extreme weather and weather events. NWSEO is the driving force behind the six community-based projects that launched in 2012 under the NWS’s Weather-Ready Nation initiative. They enhance NWS work with public and private partners to help communities make the fast, smart decisions required to save lives, property and to protect the environment in weather emergencies. This is a great example of labor and management working together to improve the safety and well-being of the American public.
NWSEO members serve in key roles on these projects which have already shown proven results in the first year. They are located in: Washington DC; New Orleans, La.; Fort Worth, Texas; Silver Spring, Md.; Tampa, Fla.; and Charleston, WVa.
The Decision Support Pilot Project fact sheet provides information on improvements in decision support for specific events in 2012 due to these projects.
-NWSEO-
Member News Archives
April 4, 2013
April 4, 2013 print copy
March 28, 2013
NWSEO Response to NOAA-wide hiring freeze
NOAA- wide hiring freeze
March 21, 2013
March 21, 2013 print copy
March 18, 2013
Washington Post- National Weather Service cutting back on hiring, spending.
March 15, 2013
March 15, 2013 print copy
March 14, 2013
NWSFreezes Lead Forecaster Promotions
Union Files Grievance
Copy of Grievance sent March 13, 2013
March 14, 2013 print copy
March 7, 2013 Philadelphia Inquirer
Weather and Politics by Tony Wood
March 6, 2013 Washington Post
Sequester could ultimately affect severe-weather forecasting by Josh Hicks
Bloomberg
Weather balloons seen at risk of being grounded by U.S. cuts by Kathleen Miller
March 1, 2013
Sequester Update: NWSEO needs your help to fight the Furloughs
Dues Rebate Extended to March 15
March 1, 2013 print copy
Washington Post
Washington Post: Sequester hits federal agencies. Now what for federal employees? by Joe Davidson
Climate Central: Budget cuts may degrade weather, climate forecasting by Andrew Freedman
February 25, 2013
February 25, 2013 print copy
Form A must be submitted between January 1, 2013 and February 28, 2013 to receive benefits for 2013.
Form B must be submitted between January 1, 2013 and February 28, 2013 for reimbursement for the year 2012.
National Weather Service Health Club and Wellness Services Fees Reimbursement Program is available here.
February 22, 2013
NWSEO Member Sharon Payne Needs Medical Leave Donations
You Can Help with the Voluntary Leave Transfer Program
February 22, 2013 print copy
February 13, 2013
NWSEO’s Work Paves Way for Funding Support
February 13, 2013 print copy
February 7, 2013
Dr. Louis Uccellini is pegged as the Director of the National Weather Service
February 7, 2013 print copy
February 5, 2013
February 5, 2013 The Guardian (UK)
"Outspoken" US Manager finds himself in the firing line
William Proenza to appeal his dismissal following comments on budget cuts, as US weather service denies link
February 4, 2013
National Weather Service Health Club and Wellness Services Fees Reimbursement Program
Stay Healthy and Receive a $300 Rebate - Forms must be submitted by February 28, 2013
February 4, 2013 print copy
January 31, 2013
NWSEO Member Needs Medical Leave Donations
You Can Help with the Voluntary Leave Transfer Program
January 31, 2013 print copy
January 8, 2013
Webpage of Remembrance
www.spc.noaa.gov/Racy.
January 7, 2013
National Weather Service
Health Club and Wellness Services
Fees Reimbursement Program - Stay Healthy and Receive a $300 Rebate
January 7, 2013 print copy
The Four Winds 2012 Archives
2012 NWSEO Four Winds Newsletters and Member News Archives
The Four Winds 2011 Archives
2011 Four Winds Newsletters and Archives
The Four Winds 2010 News Archives
Change of Address and Email Address Form
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Lisa Luciani, Director of Communications, so that we can update our records. In addition to your mailing address, providing us with your current personal email address also helps us to keep you informed. It only takes a minute and ensures that you'll receive all of the NWSEO news.
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