z Newsletter article

Time credits leave

Leave, Newsletter - 2020-06-02 Print This Post

*Update 16.05.202 since this is a version of part-time the number of days of annual leave is reduced proportionately.*

Original article: For many of us, the coronavirus crisis means we cannot visit our relatives back home, in particular older members of our families. Some of them suffer from isolation and anxiety and badly miss our support. Once the crisis calms down, we will need to catch up with them and make sure that they go back to a normal life as quickly as possible. Of course, we can use our regular leave days for that purpose. However, if your annual leave days are not sufficient, there is a little-known possibility offered by the staff regulations to supplement them: time-credit leave. Continue reading Time credits leave →

Newsletter editorial – 14 May 2020

COVID-19, Editorial, Newsletter - 2020-05-14 Print This Post

Welcome to the 14 May 2020 Generation 2004 Newsletter.

Many hundreds of colleagues have signed our petition for a coronavirus special leave for parents with young children. We thank those who did enormously! Especially to those that, not having young children, have shown their support by signing it. In this issue of our Newsletter we call again on colleagues who have not done so, to sign this petition and help us show the Commission Administration that good intentions are not enough and that objective and concrete measures must be taken as fast as possible.

We also cover the grave situation regarding the removal of the Luxembourg based CHAFEA executive agency and its surrounding social dialogue, or rather Social Monologue, also simply known as the Monologue, due to its rather thin social component…

Finally, we revisit the  subject of compensation for standby work; had first covered it in the September edition of our Newsletter.

Stay safe and do not hesitate to contact us if you feel we could be of assistance.

Newsletter editorial – 5 May 2020

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Welcome to the 5 May 2020 Generation 2004 Newsletter. COVID-19 is still capturing our near full attention! However, while many report on progress of the pandemic and its related crisis, at Generation 2004 we are busy trying to improve conditions of staff during these difficult times: read here a summary of what we have been doing. In more detail among other things we asked DG HR and DIGIT to review the rules on what equipment can be taken home from the office during the mandatory teleworking and also asked for refund of privately bought IT equipment acquired by staff to be able to fulfil their duties during this stressful period. We also took a close look at the Commission plan to return to the office (aka “Operation Return”) and launched a petition to request immediate and effective help for parents in distress. Even if you do not have children, please sign it in solidarity with the many colleagues nearing a breaking point.

In more specific, but still somewhat COVID-19 related news we sent a note to DG COMM to ask for the yearly rotation exercise to be suspended during the COVID-19 crisis. We also too the chance to ask for a review of the whole rotation exercise, which, 12 years after its introduction, has apparently not aged too well.

Finally, in COVID-19 free news, we took a close look at the Local Agents social dialogue which is currently going on at the EEAS, and we are hiring a Secretary for our team in Brussels.

If this is not enough, please rest assured that there is more great content on our website for you to explore!!!

Meanwhile, stay safe and stay home!

Sign the petition on a coronavirus special leave for parents with children

Childcare, COVID-19, Newsletter - 2020-05-05, Teleworking Print This Post

After receiving complaints from many colleagues, Generation 2004 decided to launch a petition to pressure the Commission to help colleagues who have to telework and, at the same time, educate and take care of young children. This situation puts additional stress on families and is not sustainable for longer period. Continue reading Sign the petition on a coronavirus special leave for parents with children →

‘Operation Return’: Action plan for the gradual return to the office

COVID-19, Newsletter - 2020-05-05, return to the office-new normal Print This Post

We all agree that our colleagues deserve to have the most up-to-date information on the COVID-19 situation and on how our return to the office will look like. The administration reassured us that in Brussels we would not start returning to the office before 25 May 2020. Unfortunately, no dates were given for the return in the remaining European Commission (EC) sites, EC Representations or EU Delegations, in which the situation may vary from country to country. Continue reading ‘Operation Return’: Action plan for the gradual return to the office →

“Nihil de nobis, sine nobis!” at the EEAS Social Dialogue

Local Agents, Newsletter - 2020-05-05, Outside the Union, Social Dialogue, Staff Categories Print This Post

Two rounds of social dialogue bilateral discussions between Director Francoise Collet of the European External Action Service (EEAS) and the Trade Unions (TUs) and staff associations (SAs) of the EEAS and the European Commission (EC), as well as one round with the Director General Gianmarco Di Vito (EEAS) were held through videoconference from our homes during the confinement. Continue reading “Nihil de nobis, sine nobis!” at the EEAS social dialogue →

Covid-19 – we are raising your problems with the Administration

COVID-19, Newsletter - 2020-05-05 Print This Post

While we are at home teleworking, Generation 2004 has not stopped working hard for you. During the past few weeks, we have engaged a lot with DG HR to raise awareness of your problems under the current confinement. In this article, we would like to inform you about the current state of play, what DG HR is planning, where we still see room for improvement and, most importantly, what we are doing about it. Continue reading Covid-19 – we are raising your problems with the Administration →

Teleworkers need help

additional teleworking costs, COVID-19, IT kit for telework, Newsletter - 2020-05-05, Teleworking Print This Post

Mandatory teleworking has become the rule for thousands of colleagues in the Commission and it is likely to remain so for weeks if not months to come. Generation 2004 fully supports this measure in the interest of public health and the protection of staff, but we are also concerned that the measure may place a disproportionate burden on some staff. Continue reading Teleworkers need help →

“Generation 2004 stands by staff on standby” yet again

'voluntold', Newsletter - 2020-05-14, Standby duty, Working conditions Print This Post

*Update 16.01.2025 unfortunately, we’re unable to find anything written, so this is an unwritten rule, stated in a committee meeting in late 2024. Those of you well enough to work but not well enough to do ‘voluntary’ standby duty (DGT, for example) can be (temporarily) excused from standby: get in touch with the Medical Service. Again, the mental gymnastics needed to continue to insist that this unpaid standby duty is ‘voluntary’. This is especially frustrating when we see that this time doesn’t even count towards the time already ‘gifted‘ to the Commission (which we believe to be the tip of the iceberg.

Continue reading “Generation 2004 stands by staff on standby” yet again →