*Point C of the dedicated factsheet contains voting instructions* Luxembourg local staff committee (LSC) has two, yes two(!) general assemblies (GAs) in the space of a week. You may recall that the Luxembourg LSC held a general assembly fairly recently, in May 2022. The purpose of that May GA was to vote on two proposals to change the electoral system for the LSC elections (due to happen in November 2022). One proposal was from Generation 2004 and one from Ensemble Luxembourg. While everyone agrees that the current (2016) system needs to be changed, it has proven difficult to find consensus on how exactly it should be changed. Here’s our analysis of the May proposals. Unfortunately, our May proposal did not pass, and neither did the other one. Continue reading Yet another Luxembourg general assembly? What is going on?
Luxembourg
Council request to further reduce spending on staff
*Update 22.03.2023: see our article on the latest council request to reduce spending on staff. *Update 21.09.2022 : all representatives OSPs met with the Cabinet on the Commission response to the Council.* Continue reading Council request to further reduce spending on staff
A new electoral system in Luxembourg – so close yet so far
Regular readers of our newsletter might remember that Generation 2004, together with several other trade unions, has tried to change the electoral rules for Luxembourg in the past – and it did not work out. But we are used to fighting long up-hill battles, so of course we tried again in the recent general assembly in Luxembourg.
Unlike last time, we did not arrive at a consensus with the other trade unions to present just one common proposal: instead, staff was presented with two proposals! Please read the summary of our proposal, including a comparison with the other proposal (it includes links to the full text of both proposals). Continue reading A new electoral system in Luxembourg – so close yet so far
General assembly in Luxembourg to change the electoral rules – please vote!
*Update: neither of the proposals was successful.* On Monday, 16 May 2022, colleagues in Luxembourg will meet in a General Assembly to change the electoral rules for Luxembourg. This is not a new topic: Generation 2004 has considered for a long time that the current rules are flawed. We tried to change the rules in 2019, but missed the required 2/3-majority (not by much, though). We have learned from this and have incorporated the feedback received into our new proposal. Continue reading General assembly in Luxembourg to change the electoral rules – please vote!
Luxembourg: transport infrastructure will be lovely … once it’s finished!
*Update 09.09.2024: The state subsidies for the purchase of a personal means of transport have been extended.* We have the perfect spring transport storm for some of you: trains, roads, trams and back to the office 2 days a week[1]. The infrastructure work is ongoing all over but the benefits will not be felt for a while. Let’s start with cross-border travel.
Firstly France: work on the A3, the main France-Luxembourg road, has just started this week and is set to last for 5 years in total, so in early 2027, Continue reading Luxembourg: transport infrastructure will be lovely … once it’s finished!
Core time in Luxembourg: mixed messages
*Update 14.09.2022: OP and ESTAT requested and received exceptions (‘derogations’) similar to those they had previously.*
So, we’re back to work again for an obligatory one day a week [1]: this is all very similar to the last time this happened, in September 2021. The core time for DGT, Eurostat, CNECT, DIGIT, EAC, MOVE/ENER, ESTAT, OIL, OP, PMO and DG SANTE in Luxembourg remains as it was, at least for the moment: no changes there … so far. The issue is that the soon-to-be-implemented Working time and hybrid working decision (WTHW) [2] setting out the proposed ‘new normal’ is a ‘one size fits all’ plan. Continue reading Core time in Luxembourg: mixed messages
Let’s walk together!
Generation 2004 cares about your wellbeing.
To prove it, in the last two years alone we have organised several initiatives offered by colleagues to staff, and have pushed for policies in this area:
organised a training on burnout prevention,- initiated a series of group coaching sessions,
- raised awareness and made proposals to address issues related to digital overload and the right to disconnect.
Housing costs in Luxembourg: recognition?
*update 01.04.2022 Corporate Management Board meeting of 30 March 2022 – Flash note: ‘12 actions are being proposed to increase the attractiveness of Luxembourg as place of employment’*
Colleagues in Luxembourg are facing today (well … for over a decade really) house prices that are in no way comparable to those in Brussels, although they receive the same salaries. In the words of DG HR: “This […] has been subject to criticism by some staff members whose place of employment is Luxembourg, who have argued that it does not properly reflect differences in the cost of living between Brussels and Luxembourg.” Continue reading Housing costs in Luxembourg: recognition?
Promising and selling unicorns
*This article was published in November 2021 in response to promises made during Brussels, Karlsruhe and Ispra elections. Here are the Karlsruhe 2021 results.*
On allowances to cover the additional costs of teleworking and other promises
It is election time for many sites of the Commission and there are two unmistakable signs for this:
- Your inbox is filling with largely indistinguishable e-mails asking to vote for union X or union Y, because they have done SO MUCH for you in the last year (although for some of them, you cannot remember ever having seen any action or results).
- The e-mails contain a hodgepodge of measures that they are demanding, often defying any sense of reality: unicorns, rainbows, a guaranteed lottery win …
Wake-up call for the administration – Voter apathy and low voter turnout
The local staff committee (LSC) elections for outside the Union, Ispra/Seville and Brussels have all had to be extended (see below).
For outside the Union the issues raised are long standing. Continue reading Wake-up call for the administration – Voter apathy and low voter turnout
