Outside the Union

It’s really simple after all: introduction to the staff representation for colleagues in Delegations

All colleagues in Delegation, (including Commission colleagues), must vote  in April 2022, even those who already voted in December 2021. All  colleagues in Delegation have the unusual situation of participating in two elections (levels 1 and 2: see ‘the staff representation structure and elections’ table below). EEAS Colleagues will have their EEAS staff committee election at the end of 2022. [1] Continue reading It’s really simple after all: introduction to the staff representation for colleagues in Delegations

New competition – same old story!

*Update 08.07.2022: you can also take the same action (apply and appeal the rejection) for the 2022 internal competitions. We are also organising training for August 2022.*

Another Internal Competition has just been announced which is exclusively open to Temporary Agents (TAs), i.e. mainly cabinet staff (‘parachutage’?) as well as our JPP ”Jeunesse dorée”. Oops HR did it again Continue reading New competition – same old story!

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 … 

Continue reading Promising and selling unicorns

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

How should Teleworking evolve in Delegations after Covid?

Many of you wonder, since there is no legal basis for teleworking in Delegations, what will happen when the pandemic is over?

Will we still have Teleworking in Delegations?

Will we finally follow the rest of the Commission: teleworking has already been in force in Headquarters and other EU sites for more than 10 years! Continue reading How should Teleworking evolve in Delegations after Covid?

Do you think harassment or bad managerial behaviour improved in 2020?

The mediation service has published its 2020 annual report showing that the number of cases reported is much lower compared to previous year(s).   One cannot help but wonder:  is that because harassment/bad managerial behaviour really improved, is it because colleagues are fed up with the ineffectiveness of the available harassment fighting procedures, or is it simply a partial story: it does not show how many cases never started because the other side refused to engage. (Yes, mediation is voluntary and the mediation service can do nothing when only one side is willing.) Continue reading Do you think harassment or bad managerial behaviour improved in 2020?

2025 where are we now?

Commission-wide, Generation 2004 has 33% of the vote as of June 2024. Some context: there are eight ‘local’ staff committees (LSCs) and one additional non-LSC staff committee which we mention in the table below.

The 8 LSCs are sometimes called ‘sections’ since all together they contribute to the Commission-wide Central Staff Committee (CSC): Brussels, France, Geel, Karlsruhe, Luxembourg, Outside the Union (CLP-HU) and Ispra and Seville (yes, a shared LSC). Continue reading 2025 where are we now?

Hybrid teleworking in delegation – how is it implemented?

Generation 2004 has taken the initiative to survey around 40 delegations and the feedback shows that nearly 25% of respondents have either no, or close to no, possibility of teleworking. While teleworking has been an effective mode of work since 2009 [1] for Brussels and other EU workplaces, there is still, as of today (12 years later!) not even a draft decision for teleworking for delegations. Continue reading Hybrid teleworking in delegation – how is it implemented?

Deadline extension: LA employment-conditions reform

Generation 2004 is glad to inform you that the deadline for Local agents to decide whether they would like to accept the new Local Agent conditions is now extended to 31 December 2021.

If you wish to have any questions, please feel free to contact us. Continue reading Deadline extension: LA employment-conditions reform

UPDATE on teleworking in delegations – adapting work practice to a new reality

Generation 2004 wish to update you on teleworking in EU Delegations.

In January 2018, the European External Action Service (EEAS) started a teleworking pilot project in four Delegations. This was possible also thanks to the proactive role of Generation 2004 members who worked closely with the EEAS and the Commission (‘COM’) on this file. By the end of 2019, the number of Delegations covered by teleworking increased from 4 to 24 (out of 143 Delegations and Offices). In the pilot phase, colleagues had the opportunity to apply for occasional teleworking, subject to the approval of their hierarchy. Some Delegations have excluded local agents (LA) assistants and secretaries which is an issue of concern to be addressed. Continue reading UPDATE on teleworking in delegations – adapting work practice to a new reality