Luxembourg staff has voted for a new Local Staff Committee (LSC) and the results of the elections have been published. Three lists were competing for the favour of voters: Generation 2004, Union Syndicale Luxembourg (USL) and a composite list made up by 6 entities, one of which (RS) is already a grouping of trade unions and staff associations (OSPs) naming themselves “Ensemble Luxembourg” (EL). Continue reading Luxembourg has elected a new Local Staff Committee
On the functioning of the Brussels LSC
As you may know, Generation 2004 scored highest in the last Brussels local staff committee elections with 30% of votes. It was not only a big surprise to the administration, but foremost to the other trade unions. Despite the huge gain in votes and representativeness and due to preferential votes to smaller trade unions, G2004 did not obtain due number of seats in the Local Staff Committee Brussels (LSC). The new President Continue reading On the functioning of the Brussels LSC
The new booking tool NEO – Sustainable travel?
On 1 July 2019, the Commission launched a new online booking tool called NEO. The goal is to help staff in booking their missions. In practice, NEO is the furthest thing from offering sustainable travel.
First things first. In theory, you see options of logging in and choosing between air and rail transport. In practice, the search function finds a considerable number of train stations, available for selection. However, for many, if not most of these train stations, NEO does not offer any rail connections whatsoever, which leaves us wondering why this is the case. Continue reading The new booking tool NEO – Sustainable travel?
Social Dialogue in the Executive Agencies: State of play
Several rounds of bilateral discussions were held over the last few months between the Directors of the six Executive agencies (EAs) and the EC Trade Unions (TUs); and, between the Staff Committees (SCs) of the EAs and the EC TUs with the objective of paving the way for the introduction of the long-awaited social dialogue. On 19th June, representatives of all three groups of stakeholders (EAs Directors, EAs’ SCs; and, EC TUs) sat around the same table for the first time, although EAs’ SCs were invited only as observers and at the very last minute. Continue reading social dialogue in the Executive Agencies: State of play
Acquired rights… and acquired disadvantages
You surely have already heard about acquired rights. All of us acquire one or the other right in the course of our professional life. For example, you acquire pension rights according to the accrual rate applying to you [1]. You also acquire the right to follow a certain career path on the event of your recruitment, which follows some selection procedure such as an open competition. This procedure determines, in which part of the EU “caste system” you end up. Your qualifications, experience and abilities only count to the extent that you fulfil some minimum criteria to gain admission to the respective selection procedure. It also will not matter that much what tasks you will carry out in the end. Possibilities for breaking out of your own caste are rather limited. Continue reading Acquired rights… and acquired disadvantages
Will the Commission ever become a ‘Workplace of the Future’?
New Ways of Working in Public Administration
The European Commission (EC) has approved a Communication on a modern and flexible workplace of the future. The Communication is based on more than two years of analysis, consultations and exchanges. The last report draws conclusions from these analyses and proposes a set of principles and recommendation for the future workplace in the EC. Continue reading Will the Commission ever become a ‘Workplace of the Future’?
Commissioner Oettinger visited Luxembourg
On 9 October 2019, Commissioner Oettinger visited Luxembourg in order to talk to Mr Asselborn, Minister of Foreign Affairs Luxembourg, and discuss with him the follow-up of the Georgieva-Asselborn-Agreement[1] about the reallocation of 250 posts from Brussels to Luxembourg. The Commissioner took this opportunity to meet also the Board of the Local Staff Committee and representatives of OSPs in Luxembourg for a one-hour meeting before his meeting with Mr Asselborn. Continue reading Commissioner Oettinger visited Luxembourg
2019 pay rise: 2.0% + 0.3%
As mostly every year (yes, we still remember the great salary freeze brought upon us by the 2014 staff regulations reform and a bunch of irresponsible bankers) December is a good pay month. In this month, we all get the adjustment of the nominal net remuneration of European officials in Brussels and Luxembourg, calculated according to the method to maintain a parallel development of purchasing power with the national civil servants in the Member States. Continue reading 2019 pay rise: 2.0% + 0.3%
Social dialogue on Temporary Agents
The Decision on Temporary Agents (TAs) has been reported to the next Commission.
Last May, Director of HR.B ‘Talent Management & Diversity’, C. LEVASSEUR presented and hastily pressed for approval of the draft decision on TAs at the European Commission (EC), a proposal setting out new selection procedures and working conditions. The initial draft decision was not a mere update of the current GIPs for the purposes of the service, but a radical change on our institution’s HR policy. Continue reading social dialogue on Temporary Agents
Lunchtime seminar on correction coefficient for Luxembourg
Following our previous article on the introduction of a correction coefficient in Luxembourg, Generation 2004 organized a lunchtime conference on this topic in Luxembourg. Colleagues from Isprad and from Zimbabwe joined in via videoconference.
The presentation focused on the specific situation of Luxembourg, i.e. Continue reading Lunchtime seminar on correction coefficient for Luxembourg
