EASA

The European Aviation Safety Agency is based in Cologne (Germany)

Planning the new cycle of social dialogue

In accordance with the Framework agreement on Social Dialogue within EASA and following the EASA/U4U meeting on 15 September 2023 (The Link n°102), it was agreed to launch a new cycle of Social Dialogue meetings.

On 23 October, another meeting was held between EASA and U4U, attended by a representative of the Staff Committee, with the main aim of planning the second round of social dialogue.

The meeting began by confirming that the various agreements reached during this cycle of U4U/EASA social dialogue meetings had been correctly applied, particularly with regard to the evaluation and reclassification exercise, for which the administration and the Staff Committee had worked together to achieve positive results. Against this background of change, U4U nevertheless asked for a joint committee to be set up to monitor the evaluation and reclassification exercise, in order to take stock of the exercise, reflect on its results and make recommendations for the future. The administration has agreed to set up this monitoring committee.

As reported at the last meeting, the results of the exercise to assess the direct and collective expression of employees, together with the 2022 employee survey, have made it possible to define the topics to be addressed at the forthcoming social dialogue meetings.

U4U has identified 7 key concerns of EASA staff to be discussed in the forthcoming social dialogue with a view to reaching concrete agreements:

1. The workload of EASA staff: U4U’s aim, in conjunction with the administration, is to obtain additional human and financial resources, since the inadequacy of the Agency’s human resources has finally been recognised by the Commission. However, U4U is concerned about the creation by the Member States of a task force within the agencies to assess the needs of each of them and will pay even more attention to the interim report due in December 2023;
2. The conditions for reimbursement of tuition fees at international schools in Cologne: U4U’s aim is to re-evaluate these conditions for new arrivals, without penalising those who have already arrived;
3. Career development: U4U works to promote mobility between European agencies;
4. Career prospects within EASA: U4U advocates an in-depth reflection on concrete career prospects, giving priority to the identification of needs in order to allow internal movements in full transparency;
5. Internal communication within EASA: U4U recommends improving communication with staff, who are calling for greater transparency on decisions taken and the context in which they are taken;
6. Teleworking: U4U suggests revitalising management to better understand the decentralisation of work;
7. Working conditions: U4U proposes an audit of working conditions to enable the administration to commit to concrete improvements.

At the end of this social dialogue meeting, it was agreed to launch the new cycle of U4U/EASA social dialogue meetings at the end of 2023 to address the issue of workload and reimbursement conditions for international schools, in accordance with the framework agreement on social dialogue within EASA.

Don’t forget that this social dialogue cannot take place without you: your feedback is valuable to us.

Together we can solve the problems of the present, improve our future, and move forward together!

Our organisation will continue to defend staff and the European public service.

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Given the social tensions that have existed for some time at the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) in Cologne, U4U has focused its efforts on improving the situation through intensive social dialogue between November 2022 and July 2023. 

In our last article published last June (The Link n°100), we informed you of the 7 main points on which U4U had reached an agreement with the EASA administration and the follow-up.

Since then, and as agreed, a meeting between EASA and U4U was held on 15 September 2023, in the presence of a representative of the Staff Committee, with the aim of assessing the progress made in the implementation of the previous cycle of social dialogue, which ended in July 2023, discussing the results of the direct and collective expression of the staff, which took place on 1 June 2023, and finally defining the procedures for verifying the number of U4U members, which guarantees its representativeness within the EASA social dialogue.

It seems that the various agreements reached during this cycle of U4U/EASA social dialogue meetings have been correctly applied so far, particularly with regard to the evaluation and reclassification process.

The results of the exercise to evaluate the direct and collective expression of employees proved to be constructive and, together with the employee survey conducted in 2022, helped to define the topics to be addressed in future social dialogue meetings.

The two main demands that emerge from the various reports of the Direct and Collective Expression exercise and the staff survey are:

1. The workload of EASA staff: U4U is working with the administration to obtain additional human and financial resources, as the Commission has finally recognised the inadequacy of the Agency’s human resources;
2. The conditions for the reimbursement of tuition fees at international schools in Cologne: U4U’s aim is to re-evaluate these conditions for new arrivals, without penalising existing students.

At the end of the social dialogue meeting on 15 September, it was agreed that these two topics would be launched during the new cycle of U4U/EASA social dialogue meetings, probably in late 2023 or early 2024, in accordance with the framework agreement on social dialogue within EASA.

Finally, U4U can now confirm, by means of a bailiff’s report dated 15 September 2023, that, in accordance with the framework agreement, it has the necessary membership threshold within the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) to be considered a representative of the staff and therefore entitled to participate in the social dialogue. 

This social dialogue cannot happen without you. Direct expression is proof of this, but so is your feedback. Together we can solve the problems of the present and improve our future, and together we will move forward! Our organisation will continue to act in defence of staff and the European public service.

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Regulation Agencies : progress at the EASA

The question of how social dialogue works at the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) in Cologne has been on the agenda for some time. 

The social situation in Cologne appears to be very difficult and has been for a long time, and in October 2022 the staff committee resigned en masse in protest. This is a relatively unprecedented situation within the European civil service and deserves our full attention and, if possible, very rapid responses. U4U has focused its efforts on improving the situation through intensive social dialogue.

Initially, U4U actively campaigned for a quick re-election of the staff committee. It was important for the staff to continue to be represented at both trade union and statutory level (staff committee and joint committees). This re-election was all the more necessary in a tense social climate. The absence of the Staff Committee would have deprived staff of one of their voices in defence of their collective interests. So the new elections in February 2023 led to the appointment of a new Staff Committee within EASA. On this occasion, U4U presented a list of candidates.

In this context of tension, the role of staff union representatives has become even more important.   U4U has therefore engaged in social dialogue to defend the interests of its staff, because EASA, in principle, also needs the social dialogue, which is essential for its smooth running, to be supported by representative bodies, trade unions and staff committees. At the request of the Agency’s management in November 2022, and in accordance with the framework agreement governing relations between EASA and our union, our organisation conducted lengthy negotiations with the EASA administration between November 2022 and April 2023 on all the major issues (promotions, school contributions, improving the social climate and dialogue, surveys, new issues such as harassment, teleworking, social climate, etc.), on which we acted and obtained convincing results that improved the situation.

U4U has focused on 7 themes, which have been agreed and will be implemented this year:

• Rapid re-election of the Staff Committee
• Examination of the 3 agreements concluded between EASA and the U4U local section in Cologne, in particular the evaluation/promotion exercise, the implementation of which has been significantly improved.
• The defence of colleagues who will not be promoted in 2022 in respect of 2021 and who were promised that they would be promoted this year.
• The defence of colleagues under administrative or disciplinary investigation for whom it has been secured that the investigations will be carried out by independent investigators.
• Setting up an exercise in direct and collective employee expression, with a view to subsequently initiating social dialogue with a view to improving the social climate.  The results of this exercise and the employee survey will first provide ideas for improving the social climate in Cologne and then define the issues to be addressed in future social dialogue meetings.
• At the end of this social dialogue exercise, the social partners will draw up a list of issues to be discussed at local level.
• Finally, the revision to improve the framework agreement on relations and social dialogue between the trade unions and the administration.

The scope and ambition of this social dialogue, which is due to end at the end of June, can be measured after the social dialogue meeting attended by the Staff Committee, on the basis of the evaluation exercise of the direct and collective expression of employees and the “staff survey”. This innovative exercise in direct staff expression, which recently took place in the Barcelona Agency (F4E), proved to be constructive and could serve as a model for other departments.

This situation once again raises the question of the European Commission’s supervision of Community bodies and, in particular, of the governance of these bodies of which the Commission is a part.

Together we can solve the problems of the present and improve our future, and together we will move forward! Our organisation will continue to defend staff and the European civil service.

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Progress at EASA

U4U has signed a framework agreement with the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) in Cologne on the basis of a long-term social dialogue, which has led to the results described below. In addition, the exercise of direct and collective expression of staff organised on 1 June in Cologne, as well as in Barcelona in 2022, will lead, after analysis of the results, to a new round of social dialogue with the EASA administration.

EASA REGULATORY AGENCY: Where are we?

U4U has focused on 7 themes, which have been agreed and will be implemented this year:

The scope and ambition of this social dialogue, which is due to end at the end of June, can be measured after the social dialogue meeting attended by the Staff Committee, on the basis of the evaluation exercise of the direct and collective expression of employees and the “staff survey”. This innovative exercise in direct staff expression, which recently took place in the Barcelona Agency (F4E), proved to be constructive and could serve as a model for other departments.

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Direct and collective staff expression

1st of June 2023: Let’s all take part in the exercise of direct and collective staff expression!

27/05/2023

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Social dialogue meetings conclusions U4U/EASA

Following the resignation of the Staff Committee representatives within EASA in October 2022, the Management contacted U4U to initiate a cycle of Social Dialogue meetings with reference to the Framework Agreement signed between EASA and U4U on 12 January 2018. 

Let us recall that the resigning Staff Committee representatives cited the difficulties encountered in conducting social dialogue and the deteriorating internal climate in the Agency.

U4U and EASA administration have respected the framework agreement they signed, which governs social dialogue at EASA and has been approved by the Staff Committee.

Together with the EASA management, U4U agreed the topics and the agenda to be followed. Nearly 10 meetings were held to discuss a large number of issues on which U4U with EASA management tried to reach agreement and succeeded in doing so.

U4U asked and obtained from the EASA Administration, the organisation of a new Staff Committee election.

 Below are the joint conclusions reached by U4U and EASA:

1. Teleworking
   • The agreement of 14 June 2022 between U4U Cologne and EASA has been respected.
   • The establishment of the Working time and Hybrid working Joint Committee by EASA was confirmed. Its effective implementation depends on the appointment of its members by the new Staff Committee elected in March 2023.  U4U and the EASA management intend to make the necessary preparations for adoption as an ED Decision.
   • The existence of special cases: special attention will be paid to their treatment, taking into account the existing agreement, the Staff Regulations, EASA Management Board Decisions, and the jurisprudence.

2. International Schools
   • The agreement between U4U Cologne and EASA of 12 July 2021 was generally respected. However, U4U requested and obtained an extension of the advance payment of tuition fees made by EASA.
   • Comment: While the agreement is broadly appropriate today, notwithstanding the maintenance of the agreement for the most senior employees, the increase in new parents may lead to the need to revisit this issue. The clause included in the agreement provides for a review in the longer term, which will provide an opportunity to consider whether the situation of new colleagues can be improved.
   • At the request of U4U, the Administration is ready to examine individual cases on social grounds.

3. Promotion/reclassification

In the light of the information provided during the social dialogue, the promotions granted were generally in line with the methodology laid down in the agreements between the social partners of 12 July 2021 and 8 July 2022. However, due to the absence of promotions for one year (2020), U4U considers some cases were not sufficiently taken into account. Nevertheless, 4 Articles 90(2) have been lodged, which will be thoroughly assessed and in case the complaints are justified the Administrative Board will reconsider and add the complainants to the list of reclassification, as is usual.

In addition:

• There is agreement on :
  • The increase of the budget for promotions, all other things being equal in budgetary terms, to catch up with the promotions not granted in 2020 and this, over a period of 5 years at the latest. EASA has responded positively to U4U’s request to accelerate the catching up in less than 5 years;
  • Maintaining the initial budget for promotions in line with the available budget;
  • Reserving 5% of this budget for appeals.

• The JRC will continue to receive 5% of the total promotion budget.

• The rules of the agreements on careers must be applied taking into account the Staff Regulations, the Management Board Decision and jurisprudence. Any deviation must be limited and duly justified. In addition, U4U has requested and obtained:
  • a self-referral capacity, which will allow it to examine cases of non-promotion for which no appeal has been lodged. This self-referral of eligible staff for promotion is limited to a maximum of half the number of promotions provided for by the 5%.
  • the creation of a new Joint Committee to monitor compliance with the agreements between the union and EASA administration on promotions over a maximum of 5 years. This agreement provides for the rectification of situations that deviate from what has been agreed in the monitoring and analysis of promotions
  • the establishment, at the end of the promotion exercise, of a common list of “promotion priorities” for the cases of eligible colleagues who appealed and were not promoted during the promotion exercise performed in 2022, for example because of insufficient budgetary resources. This list contains 9 names based on 3 criteria: seniority, merit and specific sensitivity. The eligible colleagues will be considered with priority for promotion if they maintain their performance (meets expectations or exceeding)

• Appeals for non-promotion (Art. 90(2)) should be carefully analysed and any refusal should be duly justified.

• Monitoring of the promotion process:
  • U4U requested and obtained the confirmation from EASA of a Joint Committee to be established to monitor the promotion process and to evaluate the exercise;
  • U4U demanded and obtained the setting up of meetings to present the promotion proposals of each directorate to the staff representatives. EASA intends to take into account the duly justified comments of the staff representatives or duly justify their refusal. Then, after the publication of the official list of promotion proposals and the introduction of appeals, the JRC meets to examine these final proposals, the appeals and the cases of self-referral;
  • U4U has asked for and obtained the intention from the Administration to pay more attention to “substantive reasons” in the Article 90 process

• U4U requested and obtained EASA’s intention that from this year onwards, the JRC chairmanship be renewed.

• A negotiation took place on individual cases including those of staff representatives.

 The above was agreed for immediate application.

 The next steps agreed:

1. The meeting of 20 March 2023 allowed the organisation of the calendar and the modalities of the Direct Expression of the Staff Exercise. This exercise will take place on 1 June in the morning during working hours.
2. A social dialogue on the improvement of the framework agreement has started and adopted. This document will be presented at the new Staff Committee.
3. Following the direct expression of employees on 1 June 2023, a social dialogue meeting will be held, before summer break, in the presence of the Staff Committee to discuss the responses to the staff survey and the direct expression.
4. The topics for the next Social Dialogue meetings will be determined at the last meeting.

 Patrick Ky, Executive Director and Georges Vlandas, U4U President

26/05/2023

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Election 2023 of the Staff Committee

Dear colleagues,

U4U would like to congratulate you for the establishment of the new Staff Committee within EASA amid a currently tense social climate. This context makes the role of staff representatives and their cooperation all the more important.

U4U has actively campaigned for the swift re-election of the Staff Committee, as it is in the interest of the staff to be represented at both trade union and statutory level (Staff Committee and Joint Committees). This swift re-election was essential primarily for the staff, although EASA also needs that the social dialogue, which is essential for its smooth running, is supported by the institutions, the trade unions and the Staff Committee.

In accordance with the framework agreement governing relations between EASA and the trade unions, today only U4U, our organisation is currently engaged in difficult negotiations with the EASA administration on important issues for the staff (promotions, school contributions, improving the climate and the social dialogue, investigations, new issues such as harassment, teleworking, etc.). In light of this, it seeks support from the Staff Committee in this social dialogue process in order to bring it to a successful conclusion. We must be strong together, in the face of the Administration. We have an obligation to honour our part of the Framework Agreement, our commitment to the staff and to the institution. If we do not respect this agreement, we will lose the credibility of the staff representatives and therefore of the whole staff.

At the end of this social dialogue, the Committee will be consulted on the results, as it should be.

Together we can solve current problems, together we can improve our future and together we will move forward!

Thank you in advance for your interest, your commitment and your work with and for the staff.

U4U stands ready to meet with the Staff Committee to report on the content and progress of the discussions.

Yours sincerely,

Georges Vlandas, President

Please find herebelow the list of U4U candidates for the upcoming staff committee elections. This list is sent in accordance with the agreement between the president of U4U in Bruxelles and the relevant authorities in EASA.

Eric SIVEL, Julie MALATS, Angel David MANCEBO PAJARES, Daniela DEFOSSAR, 5 – Linda BRUSSAARD, Jose ROMERO GARCIA, Gabriele FELSTERL, Hasna AGHARAS, Tanguy DE POTTER, Marita ROTH, Francis JOUVARD

Please vote for them all : you will have to tick all names on the electronic ballot.

Flyer showing all the candidates       Presentation of each candidates

Urgent issues that our elected team will have to tackle :

	Review the procedures of the evaluation/promotion process in order to improve the rules.
	U4U’s positive response to EASA’s request for a discussion on career opportunities.
	Next social dialogue: moral harassment and underperformance & professional incompetence (implementation of the future Commission IR).
	Social dialogue to be held on the internal climate at EASA, based on the existing Staff Survey but also on the Direct Expression of Employees exercise to be carried out in order to find solutions to reduce tensions.
	Investigations: – independent inquiry into the circumstances of So’s death (ongoing) – request for an independent investigator relating St case (to be launched)
	Revision of the Framework Agreement between U4U/EASA in order to improve the functioning of the social dialogue and to better specify its themes and the respective places of U4U central and local.

Lettre au DG Hololei concernant le dialogue social à l’EASA (Jan 2023)  Réponse du DG (Feb 2023)

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Death of a colleague

Regulatory Agency EASA in Cologne: 6 months after the death of a colleague, still no news

A colleague working at EASA was found dead in her home 11 days after her sick leave had ended, with no one questioning her fate during those 11 days. The EASA Staff Committee and our union immediately called for an administrative enquiry to examine possible responsibilities. To date, the staff has not received any official information. Once again, the director promised that the investigation would be opened.

This event occurred in the context of a deteriorating social climate within the agency, which led to the resignation of the staff committee.

U4U has contacted the EASA management and the Commission in order to establish a calm and fearless internal climate within the Agency, which is necessary for the re-election of the Staff Committee. This body is essential for the smooth running of the Agency and for the defence of the staff. A social concertation will be held in the short term to try to improve the situation and establish a climate of trust without which the Agency cannot accomplish its mission properly. If this concertation fails, it will be up to the Commission to get involved.

Our Institution is aware that it can no longer passively watch the multiplication of malfunctions within the regulatory agencies, which in fact implicate it and even engage its responsibility. It has promised to become more actively involved in the administrative boards of these agencies. This is positive, but the Commission must not underestimate the current crisis. It must therefore act very quickly to show that things are changing.

U4U will follow this issue closely

21/11/2022

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Letter to Mr LEARDINI Pascal

Dear Secretary General

Further to our meeting on 1 June, we would like a further working meeting to be held as soon as possible to take stock of the functioning of social dialogue at the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and also the situation at the other regulatory agencies, in particular Alicante (EUIPO) and Barcelona (F4E). In the latter agency, an innovative exercise called “Direct expression of personnel” recently took place. This exercise could serve as a model for other services.

The situation in Cologne remains very difficult and has been for a long time: staff are asking many questions and the Staff Committee itself has resigned en bloc in protest. This is an unprecedented situation within the European civil service and it deserves our full attention and, if possible, very rapid responses.

These difficulties persist over time, and despite our efforts, it will not be easy to improve the situation. New elections for the Staff Committee are planned, but the situation has deteriorated to such an extent that, for the time being, their holding is uncertain. A final social dialogue meeting will be held with the Agency’s management and myself on 19 December 2022.

This situation once again raises the problem of the European Commission’s supervision of Community entities, and in particular the governance of these entities, of which the Commission is a part.

We would therefore like to take stock of this issue at a working meeting, at your earliest convenience, but as soon as possible.

You will find attached (above) an article published in our periodical “The Link”, as well as the text sent by the coordination of the Staff Committees of all the regulatory agencies.

I remain at your disposal should you require any further information.

Thank you for your interest in this matter.

Georges Vlandas, President U4U & Annabelle Menéndez Vallina

01/12/2022