Working conditions

The ONE: the latest casualty of the hot-desking policy of the Commission

Health, Newsletter - 2021-03-04, Open Plan Office, return to the office-new normal, Social Dialogue, Working conditions Print This Post
A silent revolution, without the involvement of staff and staff representatives.

One year ago, on Friday 13 March 2020, we were all told to go home and start teleworking. No one would have imagined at the time that by now the vast majority of staff would still be doing compulsory 100% telework.

However, while we are sitting at home doing our best to continue delivering on our objectives in spite of all the difficulties created by the pandemic, in our empty buildings things are moving fast. A silent revolution, already well under way, pre-Corona, continues full steam ahead: from DG BUDG, to DG TRADE, to the new Publications Office (OP) (POST-Mercier), to the Jean Monnet 2 (JMO2) and now rue de la Loi. Continue reading The ONE: the latest casualty of the hot-desking policy of the Commission →

CPPT: keeping up the good work to safeguard the health and safety of staff

Health, Newsletter - 2021-02-03, Open Plan Office Print This Post

The Committee for prevention and protection at work (CPPT) recently agreed on the need to request more detailed information – including technical data and the proof that staff have been consulted and agreed with the project – before giving an opinion on two requests to transform office space into an open-plan environment. Continue reading CPPT: keeping up the good work to safeguard the health and safety of staff →

Office-space reorganisation in DG Trade: the latest

Newsletter - 2021-02-03, Open Plan Office, return to the office-new normal Print This Post

In an article published on 18 December 2020, we informed you about the reply to Generation 2004’s November note to Ms Weyand, Director-General of DG Trade, requesting clarification on their plans for an office-space reorganisation.

We welcomed this reply, however at Generation 2004 we are aware that the devil is often in the detail,  Continue reading Office-space reorganisation in DG Trade: the latest →

Update to special-leave-for-parents petition

Childcare, COVID-19, Health, Newsletter - 2021-02-03, Petition, Surveys, Teleworking, Working conditions Print This Post

Further to our June 2020 article From the special-leave-for-parents petition to the social dialogue meeting and the closure of the corresponding petition for special leave for parents of young children in August 2020 with 2121 signatures, we continue to do what we can to ensure that your voice is heard and that parents of young children are not simply left to get on with it.  Continue reading Update to special-leave-for-parents petition →

2021 appraisal and promotion/reclassification exercises conference

Events, Promotions, reclassification, workplace bullying and harassment Print This Post

Recording of the conference.

2021 is fast approaching and with it are the appraisal and promotion/reclassification[1] exercises (Indicative timetable: 7-9 January 2021 ​Launch of self-assessments). It is crucial to understand these important administrative processes because they dictate how your career will progress.

Generation 2004 organises a conference to explain these two processes and offer tips on how to prepare your self-assessment and your one-on-one interview with your reporting officer. Continue reading 2021 appraisal and promotion/reclassification exercises conference →

Return to the office well out of sight

COVID-19, Health, Newsletter - 2020-12-18, PMO, return to the office-new normal, Social Dialogue, Teleworking, Working conditions Print This Post

As we have done since the very beginning of the COVID‑19 pandemic, we at Generation 2004 continue to closely monitor developments and their repercussions on our working conditions, as well as the health and well-being of staff. In November we participated in two social dialogue meetings with DG Human Resources and Security (DG HR) to discuss all the issues pertinent to the health emergency.

Continue reading Return to the office well out of sight →

Local agents update

Local Agents, Newsletter - 2020-12-18, Outside the Union, Staff Regulations Reform, Working conditions Print This Post

Implementation of the new package for local agents (LAs)

While the administration commits to get the large number of EU Delegation exceptions (‘derogations’) ready for a decision by February 2021, it means the entire package will not be available for LAs to decide until then. In this latest update to this ongoing issue, Generation 2004 urges all LA colleagues to ensure that they fully understand the entire package before they make their decision as it is likely to be irreversible. Continue reading Local agents update →

Home-office equipment dilemma: zero clarity

additional teleworking costs, COVID-19, IT kit for telework, Newsletter - 2020-12-18, PMO, Teleworking, Working conditions Print This Post

Following the announcement by Commissioner Hahn and DG HR of a move to help staff equip their home Offices, many of you contacted Generation 2004 to enquire about the two different schemes mentioned. Yes, you read that correctly, the Commission has set up one scheme for the (partial) reimbursement of a screen and an office chair (purchase deadline 31 December [1]) and is developing a more comprehensive second scheme for 2021 [2].

Generation 2004 was pleased that the Commission is at last taking steps in the direction we have been advocating for since the start of the COVID‑19 crisis: support staff under the compulsory teleworking arrangements by improving ergonomics at home.

Continue reading Home-office equipment dilemma: zero clarity →

Office-space reorganisation: reply from DG Trade

Administrators, Assistants, Contract Agents, Health, Newsletter - 2020-12-18, Open Plan Office Print This Post

Generation 2004 sent a note to Ms WEYAND, Director-General of DG Trade on 4 November 2020 to request clarification on their plans for an office-space reorganisation.

We were contacted in relation to plans to move only assistants/secretaries and clerks (ASTs/AST-SCs) and Contract Agents (CAs) into shared Offices.

Continue reading Office-space reorganisation: reply from DG Trade →

Teleworking from abroad: Survey results are out

Newsletter - 2020-12-18, Staff Regulations Reform, Surveys, Teleworking, Working conditions Print This Post

Generation 2004 asked you for your opinion on this topic in a 10-question survey over 5 weeks October-November 2020 and 1 500 of you responded. The short answer to our question of whether you want to be able to telework from abroad is a resounding ‘YES!’: 93% (1 393) of those who responded would like to have that option available.

Though it must be noted that there are several different versions of ‘yes’ proposed and it was possible to select more than one of them: Yes, for a limited period like summer, Christmas etc./Yes, in exceptional situations like COVID‑19./Yes, permanently.

Continue reading Teleworking from abroad: Survey results are out →