R&D Day: follow-up
Dear members,
On Thursday 5thSeptember we held our R&D Day at Villa Borghi. It was a good occasion to meet colleagues willing to share their views on the role our trade union should play in our working lives. We would like to share with you a mind-mapwe have prepared and a summary of some of the main conclusions:
1. "Hot topics": the idea that every key-point of our working life will be followed by a particular person (or a small team) is still valid and we are convinced this is the right way to work. Over the last year we have been working on the following principal topics:
Correction Coefficient:Paul Nauwelaers
Grantholders/AC FGIV scientific profiles: Robert Kenny - Salvatore Tirendi - Hans Nieman
European School:Hans Nieman
Career/Mobility:Gianfranco Selvagio
Newcomers:Clemens Wittwehr
Individual rights: Gianfranco Selvagio
IT + bureaucracy: Davide Auteri – Robert Kenny
4. Services: apart from R&D "traditional" activities such as language courses, training for open competitions (new courses coming soon…stay tuned!) and the R&D Cafès organised in the past months on different topics, you'll see us around with some new "events" dedicated to newly-recruited people and “old” colleagues.
Does all this stop here? NO! Our “to do list” will be ready and available in the upcoming weeks but we always need your input and suggestions! Only in this way can we be YOURstaff representatives. Tell us what's going on in your institutes, units and offices and important issues that concern you: we'll do our best to represent you and to raise your voice to make your rights count. So don't forget that our office is always open (building 63) and please feel free to pass by for more information, to give us your feedback or just for a chat!
On Thursday 5thSeptember we held our R&D Day at Villa Borghi. It was a good occasion to meet colleagues willing to share their views on the role our trade union should play in our working lives. We would like to share with you a mind-mapwe have prepared and a summary of some of the main conclusions:
1. "Hot topics": the idea that every key-point of our working life will be followed by a particular person (or a small team) is still valid and we are convinced this is the right way to work. Over the last year we have been working on the following principal topics:
Correction Coefficient:Paul Nauwelaers
Staff Regulations:Paul Nauwelaers - Davide Auteri
JSIS:Davide AuteriGrantholders/AC FGIV scientific profiles: Robert Kenny - Salvatore Tirendi - Hans Nieman
European School:Hans Nieman
Career/Mobility:Gianfranco Selvagio
Newcomers:Clemens Wittwehr
Individual rights: Gianfranco Selvagio
IT + bureaucracy: Davide Auteri – Robert Kenny
The names indicated are those persons who have been mainly involved in these topics during the last year, but other volunteers are being added to the topics already given and on other issues (for example Ispra Site facilities and environment): don’t hesitate to let us know if there’s something YOU would like to follow: the more we are, the better we can work!
2.Communication: this element is and will remain a key-point for us. We’ve done our best in the last months to improve this aspect (e.g. by the several lunch break R&D Cafés, messages to our members, polls, etc..) but a lot more must be done. We are planning to employ new tools in order to be more effective and especially to get systematic feedback from you as R&D members.
3.Identity: staff not involved in trade union’s activities aren’t always able to understand the difference between the functions of unions and the Local Staff Committee, and sometimes also between the unions themselves. We hope you as R&D members could always trust our positions and can clearly recognise the R&D trademark behind our actions, both at individual and political level. But it’s time to clarify what we offer and what we do. This naturally leads to the final point… 2.Communication: this element is and will remain a key-point for us. We’ve done our best in the last months to improve this aspect (e.g. by the several lunch break R&D Cafés, messages to our members, polls, etc..) but a lot more must be done. We are planning to employ new tools in order to be more effective and especially to get systematic feedback from you as R&D members.
4. Services: apart from R&D "traditional" activities such as language courses, training for open competitions (new courses coming soon…stay tuned!) and the R&D Cafès organised in the past months on different topics, you'll see us around with some new "events" dedicated to newly-recruited people and “old” colleagues.
Does all this stop here? NO! Our “to do list” will be ready and available in the upcoming weeks but we always need your input and suggestions! Only in this way can we be YOURstaff representatives. Tell us what's going on in your institutes, units and offices and important issues that concern you: we'll do our best to represent you and to raise your voice to make your rights count. So don't forget that our office is always open (building 63) and please feel free to pass by for more information, to give us your feedback or just for a chat!
Cost of Canteen services
For the sake of completeness, we wish to provide you with the answer given by Mr Crandon – Head of Unit OIB Ispra – that was not disclosed in the message from the LSC.
We wish to make it clear that R&D Ispra does not support the position of the LSC President on this issue and you may also refer to our note sent last year to the attention of the President of the LSC after the position taken by a trade union in Ispra regarding a similar topic.
Contractual Agents: the effects of the Reform
Several Contractual Agents whose contract will end shortly contacted us to inquire about the possibility to work again for the Institutions once the reform has entered in force.
Most probably CAs whose contract ends in a period of time (6 months probably) close to the entry into force of the new staff regulations will have the possibility to keep their job and have another 3-year-contract. Former CAs who already had 3 years of contract within the institutions may have the possibility to work for other 3 years without taking part to a new EPSO test. Of course everything has to be settled in the negotiations related to new General Implementing Provisions (the rules governing the implementation of the Staff Regulations in each Institution) related to the recruitment of CAs. It is clear that these new regulations will only open possibilities, the agent must also fulfill the needs of the service, in other words, no contract extensions or renewals will be guaranteed.
Furthermore, it is expected that internal competitions may exceptionally be opened to Contract Agents FG II, III, IV but with tight restrictions (i.e. already having 3 years of service and with access only to certain kinds of competitions based on grade and function group). Only up to 5% out of the total amount of recruitments may come from these internal competitions.
Note that we give this information based on information currently known; more details and certainty will be obtained upon the revision of the General Implementing Provisions.
R&D Ispra will follow this file very closely in order to support the legitimate expectations of the Contractual Agents, and will be available to answer any questions you may have. In the meantime we recommend existing CA staff to discuss the options with their direct superior.
Reform: R&D Ispra analysis of the proposed agreement
With this message we want to provide you with our analysis and some reflections on the proposal/agreement on the reform from the point of view of the content rather than the form of the process that lead to it, since we believe that you will be more interested in what it means in practical terms than in the negotiations and the formalities as such.
Before going to the analysis we want to stress that we are by no means happy with the agreement and that it can be only considered as a "least bad" result as compared to what could have been the case. We shouldn't forget that the whole exercise was not meant to improve all benefits for staff or to "repair" the mistakes of the reform of 2004. No, it is just a money saving operation that was executed under political pressure from many Member States, which will in fact not really save so much money in the end. The Member States proposed a major deterioration of the staff regulations, e.g. by the elimination of the expatriation allowance; application of the levy to family and other allowances; cutting pension entitlements by as much as 20%; raising pension contributions by 36%; pension age up from 63 to 67; recruiting future secretaries and clerks on 20% lower salaries, just to mention a few of their demands. We agree with the sentiments of our colleagues of the European Parliament and we want to quote them here: "If it had not been by the firm stance of the EP all these measures would had seen the Official Journal. We feel we need to express our thanks to President Schulz, rapporteur Roth-Behrendt and JURI chair and shadow rapporteurs for their defence of a permanent, independent and competent European civil service."
In the light of this, it is realistic to at least have a look at the agreement in detail to be able to look at the real outcome, rather than focusing on emotions. Bear in mind that with the completely diverse population of staff, i.e. "old" before 2004 staff, "young" after 2004 staff, CA's, TA's, end of career, start of career, singe staff, staff with family, "expats", etc. it is impossible to find a compromise package that minimises the dissatisfaction of everybody to the same extent. For the Member States the old slogan "divide and conquer" seemed to be the strategy.
The analysis of the agreement was presented and discussed in the R&D Ispra meeting of Thursday 27 June open for all our members and with their valuable input we arrived at the following interpretation (see link). In the agreement there are many elements that continue with the deterioration path started with the 2004 reform. However, there are also some improvements (i.e. 6 year contract agents with also possibilities of internal competitions; automatic payment adjustment clause (method); increase of salary grid and recruitment level for AST/SC; increase of promotion rate of AD5 - AD7 colleagues; insertion of clause supporting the European Schools) and flexible working-time arrangements.If the agreement will be accepted by the EP, the task for the staff representation will be to try to minimise the negative impact of the application of the new rules and to continue with the defence of the EU and its staff.
Before going to the analysis we want to stress that we are by no means happy with the agreement and that it can be only considered as a "least bad" result as compared to what could have been the case. We shouldn't forget that the whole exercise was not meant to improve all benefits for staff or to "repair" the mistakes of the reform of 2004. No, it is just a money saving operation that was executed under political pressure from many Member States, which will in fact not really save so much money in the end. The Member States proposed a major deterioration of the staff regulations, e.g. by the elimination of the expatriation allowance; application of the levy to family and other allowances; cutting pension entitlements by as much as 20%; raising pension contributions by 36%; pension age up from 63 to 67; recruiting future secretaries and clerks on 20% lower salaries, just to mention a few of their demands. We agree with the sentiments of our colleagues of the European Parliament and we want to quote them here: "If it had not been by the firm stance of the EP all these measures would had seen the Official Journal. We feel we need to express our thanks to President Schulz, rapporteur Roth-Behrendt and JURI chair and shadow rapporteurs for their defence of a permanent, independent and competent European civil service."
In the light of this, it is realistic to at least have a look at the agreement in detail to be able to look at the real outcome, rather than focusing on emotions. Bear in mind that with the completely diverse population of staff, i.e. "old" before 2004 staff, "young" after 2004 staff, CA's, TA's, end of career, start of career, singe staff, staff with family, "expats", etc. it is impossible to find a compromise package that minimises the dissatisfaction of everybody to the same extent. For the Member States the old slogan "divide and conquer" seemed to be the strategy.
The analysis of the agreement was presented and discussed in the R&D Ispra meeting of Thursday 27 June open for all our members and with their valuable input we arrived at the following interpretation (see link). In the agreement there are many elements that continue with the deterioration path started with the 2004 reform. However, there are also some improvements (i.e. 6 year contract agents with also possibilities of internal competitions; automatic payment adjustment clause (method); increase of salary grid and recruitment level for AST/SC; increase of promotion rate of AD5 - AD7 colleagues; insertion of clause supporting the European Schools) and flexible working-time arrangements.If the agreement will be accepted by the EP, the task for the staff representation will be to try to minimise the negative impact of the application of the new rules and to continue with the defence of the EU and its staff.
Strike on 26/6
At this moment the technical reading of “the proposal” for the amendment of the Staff Regulations is going on and we don’t know yet what the outcome will be. It looks like the current proposal may be subject to further changes. Though we think that a detailed understanding should be the basis for the decision to strike or not, R&D Brussels (under umbrella of the Front Commun Intersyndical) calls for a strike tomorrow. We, R&D Ispra, haven’t made an in depth analysis of the consolidated compromise yet, but considering the limited time we express our loyalty to the position of R&D Brussels. As already communicated in previous messages the decision to strike or not is totally yours. At this link you may find the full text of the proposed modifications of the staff regulations that could be of help for you to decide.
Our consideration on a possible strike
We have received several questions from members on the position of R&D Ispra considering the message of Vice President Šefčovič and the strike notice that was issued by the trade unions. Based on what Šefčovič said R&D Ispra thinks that it is worthwhile to wait for the final texts and the outcome of tomorrow’s trilogue before calling for a strike. If a final agreement is along the lines explained by Mr Šefčovič we believe that it is – although certainly not ideal - a realistic and acceptable compromise. If however, the devil is indeed in the detail and the final texts deviate significantly and negatively from what is on the table now, the option for a strike is still open.
We’ll keep you informed in the following days.
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