All NWS Employees will move to Google UMS
NWSEO and NWS Collective Bargaining Complete
printable copy
(December 12, 2011) NWSEO and NWS completed their collective bargaining obligations on the UMS migration late Thursday, December 8. All NWS employees will move to the Google UMS system on Monday, December 12, 2011.
NWSEO’s work in this collective bargaining agreement focused on protecting our members’ privacy. While NWSEO is encouraged that your privacy will be respected, we suggest you log out of Google Apps anytime you are not using one of its functions. When checking your email on a smart phone, we recommend that you use the gmail webmail feature as opposed to the gmail app. It is also recommended that you do not sync your email accounts with Google Apps. Some have suggested that it would be wise to create a new account on your personal computer and use that account only for checking your gmail.
NWSEO negotiated the following relevant language for Google UMS. Additionally, NWSEO was verbally promised that unless subpoenaed, Google may not view or collect data on you per their contract with the Department of Commerce.
Google Apps for Government Misuse Policy
Introduction
The purpose of this policy is to protect NOAA employees from the consequences of inadvertent misuse of government resources, specifically NOAA’s Unified Messaging Service / Google Apps for Government (GAfG).
1) No personal information, browsing history or files on any personally owned device such as home desktop, tablet, laptop, phone, or other communications device that accesses or syncs with Google Apps will be observed or changed in any way by NOAA or DOC.
2) Neither NOAA nor DOC will track or retain search information, browsing histories or files outside the browser from a personally owned computer operated outside the NOAA network, even if that information is inadvertently associated with a NOAA Google Apps for Government ID.
3) Using a personally owned device for personal activity while it is not connected to a NOAA network, even if simultaneously logged in to Google Apps for Government, will not be the basis for any NOAA or DOC sanction or disciplinary action as long as the use does not violate any
other law.
4) Using or installing Google Apps for Government will not reduce, forfeit, or otherwise limit anyone’s right to use or store information on their personally owned device or personally owned computer networks. However, all relevant legal requirements and existing NOAA and DOC IT policies governing user conduct and the use of IT resources (e.g., rules about sending emails, sharing files, sensitive data, posting to NOAA sites, etc.) will apply when using Google Apps for Government.
The NWSEO Facebook community includes discussions on the Google UMS migration. There is a wealth of information from members’ experiences with Google Apps on this page. If you are not already a member of the NWSEO Facebook community, please join. To join this group, you will need a Facebook account. Then, search the National Weather Service Employees Organization and request to join the group. Once your membership is verified, you will be added to this closed group.
-NWSEO-