AS we promised a couple of days ago, EPO coverage is going to increase in terms of pace and depth. Next week we intend to look deeper inside the institutional corruption and also the granting of patents that never should have been granted. In the mean time, over the weekend perhaps, we wish to organise the Wiki based on themes, in order to make it simpler to navigate. The uninitiated should be able to promptly appreciate just how abusive the EPO has become.
Mr Battistelli and Mr Kongstad have hailed “Union recognition talks” as the solution to the social conflict in the Office. SUEPO was sceptical from the beginning, for several reasons. One is that the prior reforms that caused the current problems are explicitly excluded from the present and future discussions. Another very fundamental reason is that any agreement or contract is meaningless if it cannot be enforced. We have already seen Mr Battistelli violates even rules he himself established as soon as they no longer suit him, and invokes “immunity” in order to uphold illegal practices. Blind trust is therefore not an option. In this context the “Memorandum of understanding" proposed by Ms Bergot (PD43) is quite revealing. Quite early on it states that “The union officials shall be bound by the legal framework applicable by the EPO” – a framework that the President can unilaterally change as he sees fit. The ongoing accusations of (and investigations in) alleged harassment amongst SUEPO officials and staff representatives (!), apparently targeting the better-known SUEPO representatives, also show that Mr Battistelli is more interested in destroying SUEPO than in recognizing it.
Thus far Mr Battistelli has refused to take on board any opinions other than his own. He has notoriously refused to respect unanimous recommendations of the Internal Appeals Committee and of the Disciplinary Committee – if these were in favour of staff. He has repeatedly refused to accept findings of invalidity by the Medical Committee. By now SUEPO very much doubts that there can ever be social peace with Mr Battistelli as President. But if there could be a road to social peace, it would have to come through high level, independent mediation. SUEPO has repeatedly expressed its willingness to participate in a mediation process. Here we do so again.
Comments
Dr.Guinness
2015-10-24 19:23:46