Bonum Certa Men Certa

Europe’s Second-Largest Institution (the EPO) is Sabotaging Itself by Repelling Staff



Video download link | md5sum 2ff9c77c62a9c226be271a351c1b46bc Defunding Future, Present, and Past Examiners Creative Commons Attribution-No Derivative Works 4.0



Summary: Disenfranchising the workforce of the EPO certainly seems or feels like the goal; as things stand, there will be ongoing conflict and further declines in patent validity/quality (the EPO is meanwhile trying to replace the courts which judge European Patents, instead introducing an illegal kangaroo court which fails to meet basic constitutional requirements)

THE EPO's staff union, SUEPO (or SUEPO Central to be precise; it covers all cities) circulated a letter regarding the diminishing salaries of staff. It's not an entirely new problem. We saw that under Benoît Battistelli (who went further by limiting terms/contracts) and we saw even more of that under António Campinos, especially since the pandemic started.

Predating Russia's invasion of Ukraine (and massive inflation) the EPO froze salaries and pensions. With an inflation rate like 10% (or decrease of about 10% in purchasing power each year), the salaries and pensions have in some sense been reduced by 10%. How can that be justified?

At the end of last week SUEPO issued the following statement, which is discussed in the video above. To quote:

12 May 2023 su23024cp 0.2.1 – 5.2

Appeals against the freeze of remuneration with effect of 1 January 2022 – test-case procedure



Dear SUEPO members,

In July 2022, SUEPO provided model appeals to its members for challenging the Salary Adjustment Procedure and its implementation for 2022 resulting in a zero adjustment of salaries and pensions. Many of you lodged internal appeals on this basis.

Recently, the Appeals Committee sent emails to appellants in this regard with reference to RI/2022/031-xxx (active staff) and RI/2022/032-xxx (pensioners). They asked the appellants on their opinion on the suitability of a test-case procedure and as to their wish to volunteer as test appellant.

For the sake of procedural efficiency, SUEPO considers a test-case procedure adequate. The law firm which SUEPO entrusted with the appeals will inform the Appeals Committee that they are ready to represent mandators of the already existing groups of test appellants in a test-case procedure.

SUEPO is of the opinion that with the appellants to be nominated by the law firm, enough volunteers are available for the test-case procedure. In our view, it is therefore not necessary for further appellants to volunteer to take part in the test-case procedure. Should you still wish to become a test appellant, we kindly ask you to contact your SUEPO Local Bureau.

Your SUEPO Central Bureau


As noted in the video, they are even punishing people who never knew or worked for Battistelli. We published leaks about it a year before the freeze. How does the EPO plan to actually recruit much-needed examiners? Unless that's not the goal at all.

Recent Techrights' Posts

[Video] Microsoft Got Its Systems Cracked (Breached) Again, This Time by Russia, and It Uses Its Moles in the Press and So-called 'Linux' Foundation to Change the Subject
If they control the narrative (or buy the narrative), they can do anything
 
Sven Luther, Lucy Wayland & Debian's toxic culture
Reprinted with permission from disguised.work
Chris Rutter, ARM Ltd IPO, Winchester College & Debian
Reprinted with permission from disguised.work
Links 19/04/2024: Israel Fires Back at Iran and Many Layoffs in the US
Links for the day
Russell Coker & Debian: September 11 Islamist sympathy
Reprinted with permission from disguised.work
Sven Luther, Thomas Bushnell & Debian's September 11 discussion
Reprinted with permission from disguised.work
G.A.I./Hey Hi (AI) Bubble Bursting With More Mass Layoffs
it's happening already
Over at Tux Machines...
GNU/Linux news for the past day
IRC Proceedings: Thursday, April 18, 2024
IRC logs for Thursday, April 18, 2024
Coroner's Report: Lucy Wayland & Debian Abuse Culture
Reprinted with permission from disguised.work
Links 18/04/2024: Misuse of COVID Stimulus Money, Governments Buying Your Data
Links for the day
Gemini Links 18/04/2024: GemText Pain and Web 1.0
Links for the day
Gemini Links 18/04/2024: Google Layoffs Again, ByteDance Scandals Return
Links for the day
Gemini Links 18/04/2024: Trying OpenBSD and War on Links Continues
Links for the day
IRC Proceedings: Wednesday, April 17, 2024
IRC logs for Wednesday, April 17, 2024
Over at Tux Machines...
GNU/Linux news for the past day
North America, Home of Microsoft and of Windows, is Moving to GNU/Linux
Can it top 5% by year's end?
[Meme] The Heart of Staff Rep
Rowan heartily grateful
Management-Friendly Staff Representatives at the EPO Voted Out (or Simply Did Not Run Anymore)
The good news is that they're no longer in a position of authority
Microsofters in 'Linux Foundation' Clothing Continue to Shift Security Scrutiny to 'Linux'
Pay closer attention to the latest Microsoft breach and security catastrophes
Links 17/04/2024: Free-Market Policies Wane, China Marks Economic Recovery
Links for the day
Gemini Links 17/04/2024: "Failure Is An Option", Profectus Alpha 0.5 From a Microsofter Trying to Dethrone Gemini
Links for the day
How does unpaid Debian work impact our families?
Reprinted with permission from Daniel Pocock
Microsoft's Windows Falls to All-Time Low and Layoffs Reported by Managers in the Windows Division
One manager probably broke an NDA or two when he spoke about it in social control media
When you give money to Debian, where does it go?
Reprinted with permission from Daniel Pocock
How do teams work in Debian?
Reprinted with permission from Daniel Pocock
Joint Authors & Debian Family Legitimate Interests
Reprinted with permission from Daniel Pocock
Bad faith: Debian logo and theme use authorized
Reprinted with permission from Daniel Pocock
Links 17/04/2024: TikTok Killing Youth, More Layoff Rounds
Links for the day
Jack Wallen Has Been Assigned by ZDNet to Write Fake (Sponsored) 'Reviews'
Wallen is selling out. Shilling for the corporations, not the community.
Links 17/04/2024: SAP, Kwalee, and Take-Two Layoffs
Links for the day
IRC Proceedings: Tuesday, April 16, 2024
IRC logs for Tuesday, April 16, 2024
Over at Tux Machines...
GNU/Linux news for the past day