Social dialogue on Temporary Agents

Contract Agents, Newsletter #38 - Dec 2019, Staff Categories, Temporary Agents Print This Post

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

Cost of living Luxembourg, Events, Newsletter #38 - Dec 2019 Print This Post

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 →

Follow up on the option to work 95% for family reasons

disability and special needs, Newsletter #38 - Dec 2019 Print This Post

Image by Gerd Altmann from PixabayFollowing the publication of our article on the option to work 95% for family reasons last October, Generation 2004 is happy to announce that there has been positive progress made on this subject.

From now on a 5% working time reduction will be systematically granted upon request when any of the three conditions apply: Continue reading Follow up on the option to work 95% for family reasons →

Generation 2004 is hiring a Secretary at the European Commission in Brussels

Vacancy Print This Post

For our daily work ‘For the many, not the few’ Generation 2004 employs a team of committed and hardworking colleagues.

If you are a Contract Agent FG II (in the Commission trade unions and staff associations are limited to employ CAs FG II for this type of post) you can join that team, as Generation 2004 is hiring for its headquarters in Brussels a full-time secretary. If you are not eligible but you know someone that is and that you believe could be interested in the job, please feel free to forward the message on. Continue reading Generation 2004 is hiring a Secretary at the European Commission in Brussels →

Playing Three-card Trick with voters? And the winner is … the Alliance?

Elections, Electoral reform, Local Staff Committee, Luxembourg Print This Post

In theory, you have the choice between 3 different lists in the elections for the Local Staff Committee Luxembourg. In practice, however, the true choice will be between 2 alternatives: Generation 2004 (list 1) and the ‘old’ trade unions (list 2 and list 3) who 15 years after the 2004 reform still continue to claim extraordinary privileges for the few chosen.

Chart 1

At a closer look, the picture is even worse. Both lists are dominated by the Alliance (‘Confederal Alliance of Free Trade Unions’) [*] of “independent trade unions”, which mean small, at the Commission level often non-representative organisations. (NB: A trade union or staff association is considered representative if it represents at least 6% of staff at Commission level.) Since only representative organisations have access to resources for their operation, non- Continue reading Playing Three-card Trick with voters? And the winner is … the Alliance? →

Option to work 95% for family reasons

Part-time Print This Post

Did you know that there is a “95% rule” in the staff regulations (Art. 55a(2)(d)) according to which you are entitled to work 95% with a full salary when faced with cases of serious hardship, to care for a dependent child until the age of 14?

It sounds good. However, in practice, this rule is hardly ever applied. Why? Because there is a cumbersome procedure to prove a “triggering event”, an “unforeseeable change in the applicant’s family-related circumstances” which justifies staff member’s eligibility for this working time reduction. Continue reading Option to work 95% for family reasons →

Repayment of exceptional costs

Education, European Schools Print This Post

Under certain criteria it is possible to be reimbursed for the costs of primary and secondary education of your children. This may be the case when they are not able to:

  • be in European School because of imperative educational reasons, or
  • attend a European School because of parents’ place of employment.

This year thanks to Generation 2004 efforts via the Local Staff Committee of Brussels the deadline for applications has been adopted in favour of parents and it is now the 15th of October 2019.

In the current season, reimbursements refer to the school year of 2018-2019. Please read more about it here. Take particular care for the eligibility when ask for the reimbursement.

We said it all along; now it is official: EU officials unhappy

Newsletter #37 - Sep 2019, Pensions, Promotions, Staff Regulations Reform Print This Post

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 →