No Xy Lo
La lettre du Syndicalisme Refondateur
xyloglossie : n.f. [pédant, humour] nom parodique donné plaisamment à la langue de bois
ÉDITO
Representativeness: It’s up to you !
Dear colleagues,
dear friends,
Ever since you so clearly demonstrated your trust in us we have strived to create a new kind of trade union movement based on , sincerity, learning from each other , dialogue and proximity. Your numerous comments (which we invite you to continue sending us) show us that we're on the right path.
However, in order to continue listening to you, to warn you of the challenges and the dangers, to represent you and to defend you, we must make the transition from a recognised organisation to a representative organisation. The essential criterion for becoming a representative organisation is the number of members, so everyone of you has to step forward and be counted in order to build up U4U.. A first administrative meeting to address this issue will take place at the end of February.
The moment of truth is here. And no ducking the real issues between us. Promise? Promise!
Join U4U, a new kind of trade union movement based on real and dialogue and close contact with its members
The
annual membership fee (5€ or 50€) should be paid to our treasurer,
Jean-Paul Soyer, account number 377-0085561-44 with the message: U4U 2010.
The results of the CCP poll could not be clearer …
The CDR, as it was conceived and as it is now applied, is a bitter failure, for which we are all paying a heavy price. And now that you finally have had your say, your verdict is clear . The CCP has just polled some colleagues. Here are some of the results:
For 92% of colleagues, the 2009 appraisal and promotion procedure was neither fair nor transparent. The exercise was distorted by decisions taken by the DG in advance (79%).
The criteria for allocating performance levels and promotion points are neither clear nor transparent (89%).
The role of the evaluator is inadequate (81%).
The appeal procedures do not give the necessary guarantees (78%).
Finally, the role of staff representation must be reinforced in the next CDR exercise (73%).
Your clear rejection of this iniquitous system could not be clearer.
40
colleagues will be leaving on early retirement, with no reduction in
their pension rights, in the framework of the 2009 exercise. There
were 180 requests. A new exercise will be launched in 2010.
RELEX
recently published 33 Head of Delegations posts simultaneously.
In this exercise, the Commission decided, alone, to derogate all the rules currently in place for filling these positions, even though the proposition for the creation of a new External Action Service isn't expected before April 2010. Furthermore, this derogation from the rules has never been negotiated with the unions, contrary to the arrangements governing the social dialogue.
The joint committee responsible for advising on vacancy notices has adopted a divided opinion, which has had the unfortunate effect of not allowing the procedure to be suspended. And this is how it has become possible for the recruitment procedure for the Head of Delegation post in Kabul to be launched.
Has the Commission already abandoned the theory that this is a European Union Service, even before beginning negotiations with the Council?
During the
last Staff Committee meeting, certain unions proposed increasing
contributions to the JSIS on the pretext of a, as yet undetermined,
structural deficit. Our representatives opposed this move.
Our proposals include: work related illness should be separate from the normal sickness scheme and should be financed solely by the employer; we should set up a new scheme for dependents, also separate from the normal sickness scheme. Last but by no means least, our organisation is against any move to increase the contribution rate in line with salary levels.
The JSIS is financed by a flat rate of deduction based on the gross salary. The current system therefore already is proportional to income level and is fair to all..
U4U will keep you informed about this sensitive file.
The new system of
EPSO competitions will apply as from March 2010. All new competitions
will be open to the nationals of the new Member States. Each year, EPSO
will organise a cycle of AD, AST and linguists competitions as well as
specialised competitions.
In March, EPSO will launch a first competition for AD5 administrators with five specialities: public administrator, law, audit, IT and economy. 323 successful candidates are foreseen for this competition.
The linguistic competition will be launched in September (336 successful candidates) and that of ASTs in December (726 successful candidates).
Together, the CCR and EPSO will organise competitions for AD5 and AD7 staff in the research domain, applying the new EPSO formula. 240 successful candidates in total are foreseen for these competitions, which will be specific to the nuclear research area.
U4U is negotiating an agreement with the School of National Administration (ENA) in France so that our members can benefit from a specially adapted and good quality training.
We
will keep you informed.
More than €1000 was
collected during the European evening organised by U4U with the USHU and
the USCES-CdR in partnership with the Confederation SFE. This amount
will be dedicated to the families of our colleagues in Haiti.
More than 200 colleagues came to the European evening organised by U4U with the USHU, the Confederation SFE and the USCES/CdR to listen to the orchestra in which our colleagues played (Les Zopportunistes), to taste the mezzes and to meet new friends.
The staff at EUROCONTROL is faced with an Administration that is planning to pare down its numbers. The number of attacks on the Statute, brutal decisions and debatable practices are too many to count.
In this context, U4U is working towards a united union action and is already making proposals to organise the defence of staff interests. A local branch is now opening.
A regular information letter addressed to staff has already published 3 issues, and a campaign for memberships is starting.
Real life:
Comfort in the Office
Impressions of a newcomer
It's Spartan, too Spartan for me. The basic ingredients for a dignified office life are refused us.
Bottled water, crockery, coffee machine and kettle, milk, coffee, tea bags, washing-up liquid, little treats: all of them have to be brought to the office. It's quite a nuisance for those new to our shores. It might mean some extra expense in private companies, but isn't that part of an employers hospitality towards its employees?
Not at the Commission: Member States' money is well guarded here. A far cry from the cocoon that newcomers imagine when they hear the magic word "Commission"…
Doting Father
One of my colleagues has just become a Daddy for the first time. He is radiant. We are all delighted for him.
As in Belgium, he has a right to 10 days of holiday, with the difference that here he can decide to take those days at the right time to suit him and his new family. I've seen so many people who could only take a day here or a day there of this precious time, with the result that they're distanced from their new reality, adding stress to more stress …
My colleague doesn't shirk his responsibilities, he comes to the important meetings, checks his messages, stays in contact with his team, all with flexibility. He has all the joys of his new paternity as well as being in a position to control his workflow.
This is priceless, so reminiscent of that famous Grail, inaccessible to most companies, that is a proper work /life balance.
Join us ! Membership 5€ (donor members 50€)
Participate in our actions, contribute to our projects, let your voice be heard !
Editeur: G. Vlandas Responsable de la rédaction: R. Mohedano-Brèthes Équipe: J.-P. Soyer, F. Andreone, F. Linton, J.L. Noir, N. Pascall, S. Vlandas
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