For several years, Generation2004 has been pointing out that something is not working well with how EU institutions are treating their own staff. Along the way, we have consistently proposed constructive solution to reverse the path towards unhappiness of staff. However, it looks like the “establishment”, with support of some staff organisations doesn’t see the same and proceeds with its own agenda serving personal interests and personal egos. We believe however, that staff should be treated differently and, most importantly, it should be listened to. Needless to say, but most of our claims have been disregarded throughout time. Continue reading We said it all along; now it is official: EU officials unhappy
Working conditions
Generation 2004 stands by staff on standby
Are you sometimes asked to be available to work at short notice at night, at the weekend or during a holiday? If so, are you getting the right pay? Standby duty is a service when you guarantee to be available to work at short notice outside of the normal Commission working hours: Monday to Friday from 07.00 until 20.00.
Note that standby duty is being available to work. Actual work outside of normal working hours is called ‘out of hours work’ and is treated differently. Continue reading Generation 2004 stands by staff on standby
DG COMM presents Health and safety in the EC Representations at the LSC Brussels
Demonstration in front of the EC Representation, issue with the temperature in the office, accessibility for the people with reduced mobility… These are just few of the many, which briefly describe the health and safety of the working environment of the staff outside of Brussels. This was the subject of the Local Staff Committee Brussels (LSC) plenary session of 11 June 2019 which hosted: Continue reading DG COMM presents Health and safety in the EC Representations at the LSC Brussels
DG BUDG: the return of the collaborative workspace fad
Colleagues at DG BUDG are the latest victims of yet another Commission fait-accompli collaborative workspace project.
The administration arguments for the project are the usual promotion of communication between colleagues and enhancing collaboration and teamwork in the services. However, if on one side some jobs may benefit from such type of workspace, forcing it down the throats of everyone and without providing a strong rationale, makes us believe that this is just another cost reduction exercise to be pushed on staff at any cost and under no matter which pretext. Continue reading DG BUDG: the return of the collaborative workspace fad
Reimbursement scheme for public transport expenses in Commission Representations
In the framework of the position of the Brussels Local Staff Committee (LSC) approved in March 2018 regarding the future mobility in the Brussels-Capital region, based on a request by Generation 2004, a separate chapter dedicated to EC Representations was added. Staff in the Commission Representations falls under the competence of the LSC, thus the Commission should assure equal treatment of colleagues regardless of their place of work. In many Representations parking spaces are very limited, therefore, the LSC called upon the inclusion of the Representation colleagues into the reimbursement scheme for the public transport cost to come to work and to provide all Representations with service bikes. Continue reading Reimbursement scheme for public transport expenses in Commission Representations
Generation 2004’s position on pensions
*Update 21.03.2023 take advantage of the PMO events on pension rights and the transfer IN/OUT of pension rights*
As explained in our campaign manifesto, Generation 2004 defends the EU civil service but with a difference: we do not aim to defend the acquired rights at all costs. Instead we are in favour of equal pay for equal work. We do not want to open the staff regulations – although we have no doubt that this will happen again – but we try to promote concrete and realistic measures to go towards a more egalitarian treatment of all staff and pensioners. Continue reading Generation 2004’s position on pensions
Commissioner Oettinger on taxation of EU Officials
Last month, in her reply to President Emanuel Macron’s address Pour une Renaissance européenne (also in English at the site), CDU’s leader Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer (AKK) mentioned the need to end anachronisms and called for taxation of EU officials… This prompted an immediate reaction from Commissioner Oettinger who came out in the defence of staff and reminded Mrs. AKK that EU officials DO PAY taxes and, on top of it, they also pay a Special Solidarity Levy of 6 to 7%. Continue reading Commissioner Oettinger on taxation of EU Officials
Generation 2004 deals with harassment
*The Central Staff Committee (CSC) harassment/bullying survey [*] preliminary results were presented in the March 2022 CSC plenary. The HR diversity and inclusion (D&I) survey (March 2021, optional section on harassment) results were presented via EU Learn 19.05.2022 [**]. A summary is in April 2022 CSC plenary. * Continue reading Generation 2004 deals with harassment
Sick Leave before or after annual leave
Imagine you are off for a month over summer… You are having the holiday of a lifetime but it is coming to an end. You really cannot face going back to the office just yet, but you have no more annual leave. Isn’t it tempting to change your flight and call in sick for a couple of days? DG HR thinks you might be tempted and created a specific rule requiring a medical certificate for any sick leave before or after annual leave. Continue reading Sick Leave before or after annual leave
Generation 2004’s position on pensions
First, Generation 2004 welcomes the debate with Union for Unity (U4U) [1], which so far seems to be the only staff organisation in the ongoing electoral campaign in Brussels, besides Generation 2004, capable of coming up with clear and unambiguous positions on a range of topics. As far as pensions are concerned, we note the following interesting points made by U4U:
- U4U’s position is to defend acquired rights at all costs
- U4U argue that our pension scheme is fair to everyone
- U4U argue that our pension scheme is sound
- U4U recognises (end of their document) that “The worsening outlook for pay changes and career prospects and consequently the foreseeable decrease in pensions following the revisions of the staff regulations in 2004 and 2014 has already resulted in a fall in the contribution of active workers to the pension scheme (from 11.6% to 9.8% for employee contributions…)” [2].
