The NWS Negotiation Team is gearing up for the third session of negotiations, June 6 through June 8.
Issues planned for discussion include:
Rights of Employees (Article 5)
This Article expresses the agreed to rights of bargaining unit employees and responsibilities of management related to those rights. Examples of rights typically included in Employee Rights Articles are the right to be free from discrimination, to seek to consult with a representative and the right to be free from unlawful personnel practices among others.
Government Housing (Article 30)
This Article expresses the procedures for operating and maintaining Government Housing, which both NWS and NWSEO define as “any government-owned or leased employee living quarters administered by the National Weather Service.”
Employee Assistance Program (Article 35)
This Article expresses the services offered to NOAA employees under the Employee Assistance Program (EAP). NWSEO has proposed to change this Article to read: “Employee Assistance Program and Employee Assistance,” and has proposed including new sections to require additional services not provided by EAP.
New Articles proposed by NWSEO that will be bargained include:
Facilities (New Independent Article proposed by NWSEO)
The new article contains 27 sections of proposals that outlines new requirements on topics ranging from cleaning supplies, amenities and services in all facilities, closed-door offices for NWSEO representatives in all facilities, to allowing “personal tablets, laptops and cellphones” in operational areas.
Communications (New Independent Article proposed by NWSEO)
This is a new Article, proposed by NWSEO to establish new rights to utilize modes of communications to bargaining unit employees. For example, it would require that “Management provide NWSEO access to all Agency newsletters for inclusion of Union material, including but not limited to “NWS Insider”.” NWSEO also proposes that “The Union shall have the right to send out all-hands e-mails to NWS employees, using the Government e-mail system.” As proposed by NWSEO, management would have no right to review NWSEO material that NWSEO submitted for inclusion in NWS newsletters or through the email system.
