14% of Weather Service staff slots vacant -- union

摘要

The National Weather Service is operating with nearly 14 percent of its staff slots unfilled after years of hiring freezes, according to the agency's union. In the past, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has declined to say exactly how many vacancies exist at the Weather Service, but the NWS Employees Organization recently did its own count, tallying empty positions at every office. It counted 548 openings. Of those vacancies, the union says 396 are "emergency essential," meaning they would usually be filled with employees who must report to work in extreme weather such as hurricanes, floods and blizzards. They include meteorologists, hydrologists and electronic technicians who keep equipment like radars working.