Staff Regulations Reform

Full mobilisation to defend the weakest in Luxembourg

Contract Agents, Luxembourg, Newsletter #7 - Jul 2014, Staff Regulations Reform, z Newsletter article Print This Post

G2004 Newsletter # 7

See here the STRIKE NOTICE by all unions and OSPs (including the FULL and UNEQUIVOCAL support of Generation 2004) concerning the precarious and grave situation of our contract agent colleagues in Luxembourg; again something to be proud of dear Commission. But of course, when you get too high in the ivory tower, the view down below easily becomes obfuscated by clouds, fog etc … especially in Luxembourg!

Legal assistance in Luxembourg

Generation 2004 Luxembourg Section is happy to announce the arrangement with a lawyer who agreed to provide free legal advice to members. If you need help, please contact us:

Ius est ars boni et aequi … but not in the European Commission – IMPORTANT NEWS for AST/SCs

Administrators, Assistants, Certification, Newsletter #7 - Jul 2014, Secretaries and clerks, Staff Categories, Staff Regulations Reform, z Newsletter article Print This Post

G2004 Newsletter # 7

In January 2014 many AST colleagues surprisingly found their posts reclassified as AST/SC without any prior notice or justification. Not surprisingly, Generation 2004’s initiative to propose a template for an Article 90 appeal also adopted by a majority of the unions (see here) was received with enthusiasm and many AST colleagues used this opportunity to demonstrate to the Commission’s HR services their frustration and dissatisfaction.

The long-awaited reply to their appeal is now just out. Surprise, surprise, in their reply the HR services keep trying to convince us that the reclassification of posts is simply a technical detail which does not affect – de facto or de jure – the real situation of AST colleagues. Continue reading Ius est ars boni et aequi … but not in the European Commission – IMPORTANT NEWS for AST/SCs →

Commission President-Designate Juncker endorses raison d’etre of Generation 2004

Newsletter #7 - Jul 2014, Staff Categories, Staff Regulations Reform, z Newsletter article Print This Post

G2004 Newsletter # 7

From the preamble of our by-laws establishing G2004 as an EU civil service staff association, August 2012:

” Generation 2004 commits itself to […] b) strive for the implementation of the principle of “equal recognition for equal work”, including substantially equal professional and career perspectives, both financial and non-financial”

From the speech to the European Parliament of Commission President-Designate Jean-Claude Juncker, 15.7.2014, ” A N E W ST A R T F O R E UR OPE”, Political Guidelines for the next European Commission, Section 4 (” A Deeper and Fairer Market with a Strengthened Industrial Base)”: Continue reading Commission President-Designate Juncker endorses raison d’etre of Generation 2004 →

Report on career equivalence

Newsletter #8 - Oct 2014, Professional mobility, Staff Regulations Reform, z Newsletter article Print This Post

G2004 Newsletter #8

Those of you who were already working for the institutions at the time will probably remember the Commission report on the principle of equivalence published in 2011.

This report made a mockery of the impact of the 2004 reform by failing to compare the (still growing) gap between pre and post-2004 careers. Now that the 2004 staff regulations have come to an end, it would be worth doing a final assessment of the impact of this reform, in order to set the record straight. Moreover, the 2011 report made it clear that Continue reading Report on career equivalence →

Generation Edith Cresson: how to ensure beyond any reasonable doubt that none of the elite suffers any hunger-pains

Administrators, Newsletter #8 - Oct 2014, Professional mobility, Promotions, Staff Categories, Staff Regulations Reform, z Newsletter article Print This Post

G2004 Newsletter #8

Talking about privileged officials (some dare to call them “fat cats”, one wonders why), a transitional measure of the 2014 reform of the staff regulations that has received little attention thus far, is the creation of 2 new steps for AD12 and AD13 grades. AD13s, for instance, will now be able to reach step 7, instead of the maximum of step 5 before 1 January 2014. In financial terms, this will translate into a monthly salary almost €500 higher than what was possible before. As a result, the beneficiaries will be able to reach the same salary as an AD14 step 1 with no need for a promotion. They will mostly be senior AD12/AD13, many of them having already reached the end of career grade of A4/8 before the 2004 reform, in case they are not able to land upon a “Senior Expert” (see above) position. Continue reading Generation Edith Cresson: how to ensure beyond any reasonable doubt that none of the elite suffers any hunger-pains →

Welcome to Candyland: an in-depth look at how DG HR is attempting to circumnavigate the statute as far as the so-called “blockage of careers” is concerned

Administrators, Newsletter #8 - Oct 2014, Staff Categories, Staff Regulations Reform, z Newsletter article Print This Post

G2004 Newsletter #8

You may remember that in our June newsletter we had expressed the hope that the Commission would make positive use of the new provisions in the staff regulations, which (justifiably) limit the career progression of AD12+ staff without any management responsibility. This should come as no surprise when at present; these two grades on their own consume a whopping chunk (see graphs below) of the Commission’s global monthly/annual pay packet!

We had suggested, or rather dreamt naively, that the ‘saved’ promotions should be used to benefit the career-development of post-2004 staff whose careers have been systematically wrecked by the 2004 reform and existing promotion practices. Continue reading Welcome to Candyland: an in-depth look at how DG HR is attempting to circumnavigate the statute as far as the so-called “blockage of careers” is concerned →

First meeting of OSPs with our new Commissioner – Kristalina Georgieva

Newsletter #9 - Nov 2014, Staff Regulations Reform, z Newsletter article Print This Post

G2004 Newsletter #9

On Friday 21 November, all unions and staff associations (OSPs) were invited to a first meeting with the new Commissioner in charge of personnel (as well as budget) – Vice- President Kristalina Georgieva. Several members of her cabinet including the head – Mrs Mariana Hristcheva – were also in attendance.

The meeting was a very cordial and positive event, with Mrs Georgieva proving to be a warm and open person as well as a good, attentive and patient listener.

She (and her staff) appear to have “hit the ground running”, demonstrating an excellent grasp of staff issues and engaging into some serious discussion on a number of concrete matters, beyond the usual pleasantries which normally characterise such initial meetings. Continue reading First meeting of OSPs with our new Commissioner – Kristalina Georgieva →

More than a Ray of Light: a debrief on the post-2004 conference

Newsletter #9 - Nov 2014, Staff Categories, Staff Regulations Reform, z Newsletter article Print This Post

G2004 Newsletter #9

You will remember the call launched by Generation 2004 on the 10th anniversary of the 2004 staff regulations reform (see here p. 1 and here p. 3) for all unions and staff associations (OSPs) to come together in a conference which would analyse in a holistic manner the post-2004 problem and ideally come out with a set of proposals intended to improve the situation and career perspectives of post-2004 colleagues. Continue reading More than a Ray of Light: a debrief on the post-2004 conference →

Open letter to European Council President Tusk

Administrators, Assistants, Newsletter #10 - Dec 2014, Secretaries and clerks, Staff Regulations Reform, z Newsletter article Print This Post

(Please find original version in PL on p 6 of G2004 Newsletter #10)

Dear President Tusk,

On behalf of Generation 2004 – an inter-institutional EU staff association – we would like to congratulate you upon taking up your post as President of the European Council. Continue reading Open letter to European Council President Tusk →

Post-2004 redress: a Ray of Light???

Newsletter #7 - Jul 2014, Staff Regulations Reform, z Newsletter article Print This Post

G2004 Newsletter # 7

You will remember that on 06 May we had amicably “challenged” all other unions and staff organisations (OSPs) to a “serious debate leading to concrete, common proposals which address the post-2004 problem” (see also here).

Along this line, you will also remember that in our May newsletter, we announced a conference for 20 June 2014, intended to tackle the post-2004 problem and which would ideally bring together all unions and OSPs together with YOU – the staff. Continue reading Post-2004 redress: a Ray of Light??? →