z Newsletter article

Summer holiday checklist (Tips)

building closures, Health, Leave, Newsletter - 2023-07-20, Standby duty, Teleworking, Working conditions Print This Post

*Update 24.07.2023 Luxembourg national legislation now includes the right to disconnect, though the situation on the ground needs some work.* *For those of you who remain in the office keeping the Commission standing (thanks!), please check out the heatwave instructions for dealing with hot Offices and the list of buildings to be temporarily closed under Buildings Energy Saving Together (BEST) 2023[1]. Read our related article on how these closures undermine the insistence that working from home is voluntary.*

With many of us now looking forward to enjoying some well-deserved leave over the summer, we remind you that annual leave is your time to do with as you will. It is not there for you to catch up on work still needing done, it is not there for you to ‘clear your feet’ with projects, it is not there for you to monitor what is or is not happening back in the office. Being reachable all of the time is draining, contributes to burnout and can allow bullying/harassment to continue round the clock and unabated. Take this time for you and leave the office behind! Continue reading Summer holiday checklist (Tips) →

Another intermediate salary update – but beware the end of the year

Newsletter - 2023-06-30, Working conditions Print This Post

*Update 13.12.2023 some 2000 (of the lowest-paid) colleagues have seen their salary drop in December.* Original article: We hope you had a positive surprise when looking at your June payslip; following the intermediate update last year (after decades without them), inflation is still so high that Eurostat’s calculations lead to a small update this year. While of course every little bit of help is welcome, the update value of 1.7% is clearly not enough to deal with the (still) sky-high inflation. Continue reading Another intermediate salary update – but beware the end of the year →

Be aware of lost money for a pension transfer-in

Assistants, Contract Agents, Newsletter - 2023-06-30, Pensions, Secretaries and clerks, Temporary Agents Print This Post

*Update 06.11.2025 here is the link to retirement info on staff matters.*

 Original article: Are you (relatively) new in the institutions? Have you worked somewhere else before and acquired pension rights in another pension scheme? Then you have surely heard about the possibilities to transfer your pension rights from your previous scheme into the EU pension scheme, a so called “transfer-in”. In an older article, we already informed you about the conversion coefficients that play a crucial role in determining how many years Continue reading Be aware of lost money for a pension transfer-in →

The competitions are in dire straits

EPSO, Institutions, Newsletter - 2023-06-30 Print This Post

We’ve written a lot already about the issues related to the remotely-proctored EPSO competitions. When we first raised these issues on your behalf with EPSO[1] and its management board in December 2022 (and in April 2023), we anticipated that they would be addressed (whyever wouldn’t they be, right?). However, to our surprise (and disappointment), not much was done. To add insult to injury, the very same issues we highlighted then continue to be present, even across different providers, in the internal competitions: a situation we find both frustrating and scandalous. Nevertheless, the response continues to be unsatisfactory: ‘everything is fine’ (January, February and May). Continue reading The competitions are in dire straits →

Newsletter editorial – 30-06-2023

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Welcome to the seventh edition of the Generation 2004 newsletter of 2023. We start with the time-sensitive first: Contract Agent colleagues have 5 working days to request to be included on the reclassification list (this makes the deadline end of Monday 03.07.2023 for most). Staff in agencies demonstrated 06.06.2023 in Brussels and we were there to show our support. We shine a light on the lack of transparency in decision-making e.g. how a transfer in might have no impact on your pension or how to gather the information you need when you want to leave. We are pleased to see that Parliament has had a change of heart on salaries lower than the Luxembourg minimum wage: will the Commission one day follow suit? We  consider the proposed changes in the European Schools and look for volunteers. We explain the recent salary update and provide a summary of the ongoing EPSO rollercoaster ride and invite you to share your experience in our survey.

So, that’s it for this this edition, thanks to all of you for your support, ideas and feedback: please keep it coming!

Take care and enjoy reading!

European Parliament requests changes in European Schools governance

European Schools, Newsletter - 2023-06-30 Print This Post

*Update 18.03.2024 See European Parliament REPORT on the system of European Schools: state of play, challenges and perspectives.* Original article: Any colleague with children in European Schools realizes how many aspects need to be improved, but also looks with concern at any proposals for change. 

The European Parliament took the initiative to launch a study on the European Schools in 2021. This was a follow-up to their 2011 report and subsequent European Parliament resolution. Various stakeholders were consulted, including students, parents and the European Commission.   Continue reading European Parliament requests changes in European Schools governance →

Generation 2004 supports staff in agencies

Agencies, Contract Agents, Newsletter - 2023-06-30 Print This Post

The staff of the Executive agencies of the European Commission (currently CINEA, EACEA, HADEA, Eismea, ERCEA and REA) have seen their working conditions deteriorate over the years.[1] Colleagues in the agencies are facing staff reductions while the budgets that they manage increase regularly. All this in a context of precariousness and limited career and mobility possibilities! Continue reading Generation 2004 supports staff in agencies →

Minimum wage in Luxembourg for contract agents – Parliament shows the way

Contract Agents, Luxembourg, Newsletter - 2023-06-30 Print This Post

*Update 04.01.2024, our Contract Agent petition at the European Parliament is still open, please sign it!* *Update 01.09.2023: the social minimum wage for Luxembourg is now 3085.11 EUR gross (or 2570.93 EUR for unskilled workers).*

Original article: In March we wrote about a glimmer of hope for Contract Agents in Luxembourg, who are earning less than the national minimum wage and need a special allowance just to touch this very minimum. The problem is that the Commission includes a number of EU allowances when comparing the salaries to determine the amount of this special allowance (see Commission decision C(2015) 4907 and the administrative notice 07-2017, March 2017): most notably, the expatriation allowance is included in the calculation. Continue reading Minimum wage in Luxembourg for contract agents – Parliament shows the way →

Reclassification: 5 working days to appeal!

Contract Agents, Newsletter - 2023-06-30, reclassification Print This Post

For all contract agent (CA) colleagues not proposed for reclassification and who feel the reason is not related to performance but to other reasons: change of unit/department, parental/maternity leave, change of line manager, personal conflicts etc. you can file an appeal in Sysper. Check out our instructions and  how to draft your text and the template below. Check Ares(2021)2467829 – 12/04/2021 CSC note on CA 3a (page 3) for average reclassification speeds and note that CA 3b staff cannot be reclassified meaning that, frustratingly, no matter how good your appraisal, there are no rewards associated with it.

Continue reading Reclassification: 5 working days to appeal! →

End of service: informed decisions please!

allowances, Contract Agents, Newsletter - 2023-06-30, Temporary Agents, Working conditions Print This Post

*Update 09.01.2025 Please be aware of the end of contract admin and that the payment of the EU unemployment allowance (the extra, supplementary part) is not automatic: it must be requested and the deadline is very short: ‘within eight days after your contract ends, submit a formal application for EU unemployment allowance’ (p.7, Practical Guide, August 2023).* Continue reading End of service: informed decisions please! →