THE management of the European Patent Office (EPO) has been horrific for at least one decade. Grossly incompetent and corrupt. Longtime readers would already be aware that our sole criticism of President Brimelow was her stance on software patents in Europe (the "as such" episode in particular).
"This sort of nihilism and overconfidence might be expected from Donald Trump; has Trumpism spread to Bavaria?"Now that the EPO is run by crooked officials like António Campinos and Benoît Battistelli (they were crooked even before joining the EPO) should we be shocked that their management skills are appalling and their management colleagues (i.e. their mates whom they gave top jobs) cannot get the very basics right? As SUEPO explained earlier this month (along with the above image):
Masking incompetence?
EPO management demands that staff wear a mask when in the EPO premises since 18 May. We would have expected that, of course, the administration would provide masks to all colleagues and visitors entering the premises without one. It is obviously not an important financial burden for EPO staff, but it is even less so for the Office. Above all, it would have shown that management really cares about staff health and is not reluctant to spend a few Euros per employee per week if it contributes to keep the EPO’s workforce in good health. Unfortunately, this did not happen. Staff must bring their own mask, as stated in the mandatory (!) e-learning module, which VP4 asked all staff to follow in her mass email of 26 May.
We are well aware that this issue is far from being the most significant in the covid-19 episode at the Office. It is sadly just another symptom of our administration’s petty state of mind. One cannot help wondering in whose brain such an “idea” might have sprouted, when any half-competent HR manager should have reminded top management the obvious, i.e. that it is the Office’s responsibility to ensure the health of staff on its premises.
If our administration was not in a position to do the right thing on its own, they might have been able to check how the matter was dealt with in the EPO’s host states.
In Germany the Bundesministerium für Arbeit und Soziales explains: “Zwei klare Grundsätze gelten: Unabhängig vom Betrieblichen Maßnahmenkonzept sollen in Zweifelsfällen, bei denen der Mindestabstand nicht sicher eingehalten werden kann, Mund-Nasen-Bedeckungen zur Verfügung gestellt und getragen werden. [...]“ (emphasis added)
In The Netherlands the following applies: “Voor medewerkers die een mondkapje moeten dragen en gebruiken in hun werk, zoals medewerkers in het openbaar vervoer, maakt de werkgever afspraken om hierin te voorzien.” which can be translated in English into “For employees who have to wear and use a mouth shield in their work, such as employees on public transport, the employer makes arrangements to provide for this.” (emphasis added)
We let the reader draw their own conclusion.