Southern Region MIC Blatantly Ignores Labor Laws
NWSEO Files Grievance
Birmingham Grievance
(June 21, 2013) NWSEO filed a grievance with Dr. Louis Uccellini after learning that the Birmingham WFO Meteorologist in Charge implemented a non-AWS rotational schedule, terminating the office’s Alternative Work Schedule. MIC Jim Stefkovich dismissed ongoing scheduling negotiations with the office union steward and unilaterally made the changes on June 7. Additionally, he then scheduled the office steward to a string of midnight shifts followed by another string of midnight shifts for pay period 14.
According to the CBA, the MIC cannot make these changes in employment conditions without negotiating with NWSEO. In addition, Federal Employees Flexible and Compressed Work explicitly prohibits Federal agencies from terminating an alternative Work Schedule without the agreement of the union or an order from the Federal Service Impasses Panel.
“Time and again, our stewards are working to ensure that your employee rights are protected and to promote better working conditions; they take on this responsibility with no compensation,” said NWSEO President Dan Sobien. “The system does not work when managers resort to intimidation tactics and woeful violations of labor laws to get their way in a negotiation.”
The Birmingham office now has a RED status on the NWSEO Management Issues list, a color-coded branch list, which can be used to identify and inform members of potential problem managers.
“National Weather Service employees dedicate their careers to protecting the lives and property of others. They do it out of dedication to the mission and a love for their work. It is the critical role of NWSEO to look after these employees and to protect the quality of their employment,” said Sobien. “When we hear about a manager who tries to manage employees by bullying them, we feel it is our responsibility to alert potential employees who may be interested in working in that office, hence the Red status.”
NWSEO is demanding that the NWS reinstate the journeyman seven-person AWS and compensate any forecaster who lost premium, overtime, or other pay opportunities, as a result of the change, with back pay and interest. The union also demands that the successive back-to-back schedule for the steward be cancelled, and that the MIC face disciplinary action, specifically a downgrade from supervisory status.
-NWSEO-
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