(December 18, 2023) On November 17, 2023 NWSEO entered into a grievance settlement with the management of the Aircraft Operations Center (AOC) over the work schedules for bargaining unit employees in the AOC’s Heavy Section. The employees at the NOAA Aircraft Operations Center are one of four bargaining units of employees represented by NWSEO elsewhere in NOAA, outside of the NWS.
Management had unilaterally canceled the flexible schedule of bargaining unit employees in the Heavy Aircraft Maintenance Section on January 13, 2023 in violation of the contract, which gives the employees the right to flex their hours around core hours when not supporting active flight operations.. NWSEO filed a Union Grievance over the unilateral change on February 7, 2023. After the initial arbitration hearing but before any decision was issued from an Arbitrator, management restored the flexible schedule in compliance with the contract. Management then agreed to settle the unresolved grievance by agreeing to provide each affected bargaining unit employee in the Heavy Aircraft Maintenance Section with a four hour time off award. The affected employees have now returned to flexible scheduling as negotiated in their collective bargaining agreement, which allows for a better work-life balance again.