Outside the Union

Generation 2004 is growing in Delegations! Be a part of the process, join us!

Elections, Newsletter - 2022-02-22, Outside the Union

In 2018 Generation 2004 first ventured into the uncharted territory of Delegations with the aspiration to understand and share the problems and challenges in Delegations for all categories of colleagues.

We have increased our representation in the Commission Staff committee from 1 seat to 3 seats in the 2021 election and we are progressing to produce a competent team of staff representative candidates for the European External Action Service (EEAS) staff committee as well. Continue reading Generation 2004 is growing in Delegations! Be a part of the process, join us! →

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

EEAS, Elections, Electoral reform, Local Staff Committee, Outside the Union

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!

EPSO, Events, Internal Competitions, Newsletter - 2021-12-02, Outside the Union, Staff Categories

*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

Brussels, Elections, Geel, Ispra-Seville, Karlsruhe, Local Staff Committee, Luxembourg, Newsletter - 2021-12-02, OSPs, Outside the Union, Petition, Petten, Promotions, reclassification, Social Dialogue, Staff Categories, Working conditions

*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

Brussels, Elections, Geel, Ispra-Seville, Karlsruhe, Local Staff Committee, Luxembourg, Newsletter - 2021-12-02, Outside the Union, Petten

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?

EEAS, Elections, Outside the Union, return to the office-new normal, Teleworking

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?

Local Agents, Newsletter - 2021-11-17, Outside the Union, workplace bullying and harassment

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?

Brussels, Elections, Electoral reform, Geel, Ispra-Seville, Karlsruhe, Local Staff Committee, Luxembourg, New HR strategy, Newsletter - 2021-10-12, Outside the Union, Petten

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?

COVID-19, Health, Outside the Union, return to the office-new normal, Teleworking

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

EEAS, Local Agents, Newsletter - 2021-05-21, Outside the Union

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 →