Meeting on Buildings, restaurants, cafeterias & return to the office

Elections, Events

We are living in crucial times, when we see our working conditions radically changing for the worse without the proper involvement of staff and their representatives.

This concerns in particular the ongoing move to hot-desking for thousands of staff during a pandemic that is now reaching its fourth wave. And the closure of most canteens and cafeterias, many of which will not reopen, according to the Office for Infrastructure and Logistics in Brussels (OIB) plans. Continue reading Meeting on Buildings, restaurants, cafeterias & return to the office →

The ‘new normal’: is this it? FAQs 28.10.2021

additional teleworking costs, FAQs, Newsletter - 2021-11-17, Open Plan Office, return to the office-new normal, Teleworking, Working conditions

*Update 13.03.2023 here are the results of our June 2022 survey!*

*This FAQ replaces the 11.10.2021 version*

28.10.2021 we had one more social dialogue meeting on the latest working time and hybrid working rules. HR stated that this is the last meeting on this topic. As before, there are many questions still outstanding on how this ‘new normal’ Continue reading The ‘new normal’: is this it? FAQs 28.10.2021 →

How should Teleworking evolve in Delegations after Covid?

EEAS, Elections, Outside the Union, return to the office-new normal, Teleworking

Many of you wonder, since there is no legal basis for teleworking in Delegations, what will happen when the pandemic is over?

Will we still have Teleworking in Delegations?

Will we finally follow the rest of the Commission: teleworking has already been in force in Headquarters and other EU sites for more than 10 years! Continue reading How should Teleworking evolve in Delegations after Covid? →

Do you think harassment or bad managerial behaviour improved in 2020?

Local Agents, Newsletter - 2021-11-17, Outside the Union, workplace bullying and harassment

The mediation service has published its 2020 annual report showing that the number of cases reported is much lower compared to previous year(s).   One cannot help but wonder:  is that because harassment/bad managerial behaviour really improved, is it because colleagues are fed up with the ineffectiveness of the available harassment fighting procedures, or is it simply a partial story: it does not show how many cases never started because the other side refused to engage. (Yes, mediation is voluntary and the mediation service can do nothing when only one side is willing.) Continue reading Do you think harassment or bad managerial behaviour improved in 2020? →

100% reimbursement of the laboratory tests of the annual medical visit

COVID-19, Health

*Update 16.01.2023 Luxembourg: if the laboratory tests are done via your GP you will be reimbursed at only 85%. If they are prescribed by the Luxembourg medical service they are reimbursed at 100%.* Original article: Generation 2004 is very happy to inform you of the positive outcome of an Article 90(2) complaint against the Office for the Administration and Payment of Individual Entitlements (PMO), confirming that staff are indeed entitled to 100% reimbursement of the laboratory test costs as part of the annual medical visit. As per our June article, we failed to understand why the annual medical visit Continue reading 100% reimbursement of the laboratory tests of the annual medical visit →

Correction of function group for Local Agents in Delegations – We need an action plan!

Elections, Local Agents, Working conditions

Stories on the ground

Story 1  LA Function Group IV recruited as  section secretary.  Later on the job task of the DMO (document managing officer) is added to the job description and this has been the situation for more than 2 years.  Management refused to discuss changing the post to Group III. Continue reading Correction of function group for Local Agents in Delegations – We need an action plan! →

The old guard and the Commission promotion exercise

Central Staff Committee, Newsletter - 2021-10-12, Promotions

Since its inception in 2012, Generation 2004 has been constructively critical of the Commission’s promotion exercise. We believe this exercise is flawed in several ways and that it should be reviewed and updated to a more transparent and fair system. We feel so strongly about this that we have taken the Commission to court over the matter. The court agreed with the Commission and issued a negative ruling for Generation 2004 Continue reading The old guard and the Commission promotion exercise →

2025 where are we now?

Brussels, Elections, Electoral reform, Geel, Ispra-Seville, Karlsruhe, Local Staff Committee, Luxembourg, New HR strategy, Newsletter - 2021-10-12, Outside the Union, Petten

Commission-wide, Generation 2004 has 33% of the vote as of June 2024. Some context: there are eight ‘local’ staff committees (LSCs) and one additional non-LSC staff committee which we mention in the table below.

The 8 LSCs are sometimes called ‘sections’ since all together they contribute to the Commission-wide Central Staff Committee (CSC): Brussels, France, Geel, Karlsruhe, Luxembourg, Outside the Union (CLP-HU) and Ispra and Seville (yes, a shared LSC). Continue reading 2025 where are we now? →

The ONE: is this the future of the European civil service?

Brussels, Luxembourg, Newsletter - 2021-10-12, Open Plan Office

*Update 24.11.2023: Can any of you send us a photo of the new flexible-working ‘toolkit‘ inside a locker?[*]*

*Update 22.02.2022: we’re hearing that colleagues are changing DG in order to avoid open space/hot-desking. Is this you? Get in touch, we’d like to hear from you!*

Original article: No assigned desk and a cold pasta Bolognese from the vending machine: is this the future of the European civil service? If you want a glimpse of the latest building being showcased as the future the administration is designing for the EU civil service, come with us and visit ‘The ONE’, aka L107. This, the future workplace of some 1700 Commission staff from next year, comes not long after the dynamic open spaces set up in DG BUDG, DG TRADE, and is soon to be followed by the new Publications Office (OP) (POST-Mercier) and the Jean Monnet 2 (JMO2). Continue reading The ONE: is this the future of the European civil service? →

The ‘new normal’: is this it? FAQs 11.10.2021

additional teleworking costs, FAQs, Newsletter - 2021-10-12, Open Plan Office, return to the office-new normal, Teleworking, Working conditions

*This FAQs is superseded by 28.10.2021 version*

We had the second of a proposed two social dialogue meetings on the implementation of working time and hybrid working yesterday (Monday 11.10.2021). HR agreed to a third meeting: there are many questions still outstanding Continue reading The ‘new normal’: is this it? FAQs 11.10.2021 →