Summary: Elodie Bergot (PD Human Resources) circulates a message regarding the overwhelming call for strike action at the European Patent Office

THE EPO cannot withstand Battistelli. That's rather clear at this point, based on yesterday's ballot (which we covered very briefly last night). We actually knew the results 3 hours before the article from The Register, but there was no official source. Now there is and we want to accurately document this for future record.

No less than 5 people (yes, that's right) sent us the letter from Bergot, in addition to those telling us the results, but we wanted to get it all organised for publication as this is an historic moment. One comment said last night that "Result of ballot: 55% of ask[ed] staff voted for strike. Far more than membership of both unions combined."

"If someone is interested about the results of the ballot at the EPO," said another person: "4062 voters (60%), of which 3701 in favor of the strike (91%). I notice that none of the above values is a "minority"."

It's likely that everyone who voted already found out the outcome last night. "Congratulations EPO," added another person. This is a big win for the staff, but not for the management, which is subservient to Battistelli. As one person told us at 7 last night: "The results of the vote at the EPO: 4062 voters (60%), of which 3701 in favor of the strike (91%)! If you consider that most propably the Directors, Managers tec. were "kindly" requested not to vote, it' an impressive result. So much for the minority!"

So if everyone could vote without fear (almost everyone who voted was voting against, so the mere act of voting itself says a lot), there would be even better a turnout and greater an opposition. "Just in case that you did not yet receive it," told us one person, here are the official words. "Ballot result," as this source put it, are outlined below:

Strike ballot of 8 March 2016

08.03.2016

Publication of the result

Dear colleagues,

I hereby announce the result of the vote on the call for strike signed by 754 staff members and received by the Office on 10.02.2016.

The number of employees entitled to vote is 6738. The necessary quorum is 40% representing 2696 votes.

The total number of votes cast is 4062 representing 60,3% of the employees entitled to vote.

The quorum has therefore been reached.

The result of the vote is as follows:

€· Votes in favour of a strike = 3701

€· Votes against a strike = 219

€· No opinion = 142

The number of votes cast in favour of a strike is 3701 representing 91,1% of the total votes cast.

Staff have therefore voted in favour of a strike.

Following our rules, before a strike can go ahead, the President must receive a prior notice at least 5 working days before commencement of the strike. The prior notice shall specify the following;

€· The grounds for having to resort to the strike;

€· The beginning and duration of the strike;

€· The scope of the strike, including which sites are concerned.

Elodie Bergot

PD Human Resources

"This is the internal Elodie Bergot version," told us another person, laughing at the words "Dear Colleagues"...

"There was no embargo indication," told us this person, "but I suggest you Wait until tomorrow morning, just in case. I don't know how many could have read it this evening already."

Well, based on our sources, it's safe to say that a lot of people read it and passed it around. Even in the evening. Perhaps thousands of people already saw it and later on we'll show that some even posted it online (on the public Web).

Here is the second version we were sent (without formatting). It's identical to the above.

Strike ballot of 8 March 2016

08.03.2016

Publication of the result

Dear colleagues,

I hereby announce the result of the vote on the call for strike signed by 754 staff members and received by the Office on 10.02.2016.

The number of employees entitled to vote is 6738. The necessary quorum is 40% representing 2696 votes.

The total number of votes cast is 4062 representing 60,3% of the employees entitled to vote.

The quorum has therefore been reached.

The result of the vote is as follows:

€· Votes in favour of a strike = 3701

€· Votes against a strike = 219

€· No opinion = 142

The number of votes cast in favour of a strike is 3701 representing 91,1% of the total votes cast.

Staff have therefore voted in favour of a strike.

Following our rules, before a strike can go ahead, the President must receive a prior notice at least 5 working days before commencement of the strike. The prior notice shall specify the following;

€· The grounds for having to resort to the strike;

€· The beginning and duration of the strike;

€· The scope of the strike, including which sites are concerned.

Elodie Bergot

A partial text was posted online and only hours ago authorised by the moderator of IP Kat. Here it is:

Meanwhile... The EPO has tonight announced, as reported by Suepo, concerning a strike call by 754 EPO staff:

"Dear colleagues,

I hereby announce the result of the vote on the call for strike signed by 754 staff members and received by the Office on 10.02.2016.

The number of employees entitled to vote is 6738. The necessary quorum is 40% representing 2696 votes.

The total number of votes cast is 4062 representing 60,3% of the employees entitled to vote.

The quorum has therefore been reached.

The result of the vote is as follows:

Votes in favour of a strike = 3701 Votes against a strike = 219 No opinion = 142 The number of votes cast in favour of a strike is 3701 representing 91,1% of the total votes cast.

Staff have therefore voted in favour of a strike.

Following our rules, before a strike can go ahead, the President must receive a prior notice at least 5 working days before commencement of the strike."

The AC meets on Wed 16th March and there are 5 working days before that.

The formatting is even more deficient there. Another source sent us a screenshot, which we included at the top. This will hopefully help convince journalists that none of the text was tinkered so as to ridicule Bergot, who is extremely unpopular inside the Office. "That is the official notice from Elodie about the strike," told us one source. "Next week is going to be fun :-)"

It looks like the next meeting of the Administrative Council will coincide with the strike. Will staff be marching in Brussels on their day off? ⬆