National Weather Service Employees Organization - Overview

Overview

NWSEO is the only organization with the ability to lobby Congress and the Administration to preserve NWS jobs, promote better working conditions and career promotions for NWS, and participate in collective bargaining. The diligent work of the NWSEO produced these top five recent accomplishments to enhance the working conditions of National Weather Service employees.

1. Launched a successful communications campaign to keep the National Weather Service fully funded for the remainder of FY11. NWSEO communications included working with media on a national level, letter-writing campaigns to key legislators, and the creation of the Protect the National Weather Service Facebook group (with over 70,000 members) to support fully funding the NWS. These efforts helped maintain critical weather forecasts and warnings.
2. Saved the CWSUs from consolidation, preserving aviation safety and NWS jobs. NWSEO spent over $200,000 in this five year 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
3. Securing back pay for overtime for nearly 200 NWS employees. Securing FLSA Non-Exempt status for more than 180 NWS employees. The NWS has agreed to pay two years’ lost overtime wages and liquidated damages for those employees, as well.
4. 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.
5. Secured the National Weather Service Health Club and Wellness Services Fee Reimbursement Program – NWS employees can have their health club membership fees reimbursed through this NWSEO negotiated program.