Bonum Certa Men Certa

Inside the EPO During Corona: SUEPO (EPO Staff Union) and the Central Staff Committee Blast the Office for Illegal Practices and Threaten Legal Action

The EPO is breaking the employees' bank to feed the management's gambling addiction

Green Piggy Bank



Summary: The Staff Union of the European Patent Office (SUEPO) and the Central Staff Committee (CSC) are escalating their tone; the management of the Office and the Organisation is running out of time as staff loses its patience and its tolerance for the repeated abuses by the administration

BACK in September, as cases of COVID-19 were starting to increase/rebound across western Europe, the Central Executive Committee of the EPO's union (SUEPO) wrote to the EPO's chiefs (Chairman of the Administrative Council and the person whom he pretends to be bossing).



"It cannot be overstated; these letters are relatively polite and diplomatic ways of conveying something very severe in an Office where staff is threatened and staff representatives are gagged with menacing letters from Benoît Battistelli loyalists."The timing of publication of this letter (an open letter circulated among staff) is noteworthy for a number of reasons, partly because of the meeting of the Administrative Council and partly because of another letter -- one we'll come to later. Here's the letter in full, threatening impending legal action over the Salary Adjustment Procedure (SAP) -- incidentally justified by a "hoax study" connected to a far-right-feeding family (to quote an article from the next batch of Daily Links: "Parler was founded in 2018 by two computer programmers named John Matze and Jared Thomson, and is financially backed by Rebekah Mercer, whose father is Robert Mercer. Robert Mercer is the co-founder of Cambridge Analytica and a hedge fund manager. He's also a major funder of Breitbart."):

9 September 2020 su20033cl – 0.2.1/0.3.1/4.2.2/5.1

Open Letter

To: Mr António Campinos; President of the EPO CC: Mr Josef Kratochvíl; Chairman of the Administrative Council

Avoiding mass-appeals against the new Salary Adjustment Procedure

Dear Mr. Campinos,

With CA/D 4/201 the Administrative Council adopted an amended Salary Adjustment Procedure (SAP), despite strong opposition from staff and its representatives.

The first effects of this new procedure are now visible: de facto we are without an SAP for the 2nd half of this year, and the adjustment over 2019, normally due for July, was not carried out.

SUEPO is preparing the corresponding legal actions, which we will need to launch before the end of September. Since this new SAP is to the detriment of all staff, SUEPO intends to invite all staff to start with filing the upcoming Request for Review, and further legal actions as needed.

However, in an attempt to avoid flooding the administration with lots of Requests, Appeals etc., SUEPO is prepared to identify a few key stakeholders, and pursue the legal route with only these few appellants – provided that we have a commitment from the President of the EPO that the final outcome of this legal route will be applied to all staff.

Given the time required to inform staff and allow them to file the first requests before the end of September, we look forward to receiving your answer to this request by Friday, 18th of September, close of business. In the absence of any clear reply from your services, we will see ourselves forced to invite staff to massively show their discontent and file the Request for Review.

Yours sincerely,

Joachim Michels Chairman of SUEPO Central

_____ 1 Link to CA/D 4/20


Those who have been following recent SUEPO publications would not be surprised by this, seeing the growing anger and sense of betrayal.

Lawsuits for Christmas?

Christmas wreath"Mr Campinos pushed his reform of the Salary Adjustment Procedure (SAP) despite the absence of any financial gap at the EPO," SUEPO told members of the union. "The first effects of this new procedure are now visible: de facto staff is without an SAP for the 2nd half of 2020, and the adjustment over 2019, normally due for July, was not carried out. [...] In this letter dated 9 September, SUEPO has requested a commitment from Mr Campinos that the final outcome of this legal route will be applied to all staff. Until now, the letter remains unanswered."

Of course. As usual. SUEPO said that nearly a fortnight after the letter had been sent.

Chairman of the Central Staff Committee (CSC) Alain Dumont wrote to the President of the European Patent Office, António Campinos, the following letter. Reminder: it's very important to bear in mind that the Committee (CSC) tends to be a lot softer and more diplomatic/polite than the union for obvious reasons (its role inside the office), so when taken into account the tone of this letter is quite strong:

Reference: sc20146cl – 0.3.1/4.2.2 Date: 01.10.2020

European Patent Office | 80298 MUNICH | GERMANY

Mr António Campinos President of the EPO

ISAR – Room 1081

OPEN LETTER

Implementation of Article 1 of CA/D 4/20

Dear Mr President,

On 30 June 2020, the Administrative Council took the decision CA/D 4/20 amending with effect from 1 July 2020 the Implementing Rule for Article 64 of the Service Regulations for permanent and other employees of the European Patent Office and winding up the 2014 salary adjustment procedure. Article 1 of this decision foresees:

(1) Any remainder of an adjustment within the meaning of Article 8(2) of the salary adjustment procedure applicable from 2014 to 2020 that has not been absorbed over the subsequent adjustments will be used to adjust the scales used for the purpose of calculating the next adjustment.

(2) Where the moderation clause applied, the amounts resulting from the delayed adjustment will be paid out as a lump sum to the employees and pensioners concerned.

Notwithstanding the legality and lawfulness of the above decision and its implementation, which is currently a matter of dispute between employees of the European Patent Office and the Organisation, the Central Staff Committee would like to ask you to inform staff about when said adjustments of the scales and said payment of lump sums will be made.

Yours sincerely,

Alain Dumont Chairman of the Central Staff Committee


This letter is dated October.

"In this open letter," the CSC wrote in its address to staff, "we ask the President when he will proceed to the outstanding adjustments of the scales and payment of lump sums in order to implement Article 1 of decision CA/D 4/20." ("Winding up the former salary adjustment procedure: Adjustments of scales and payment of lump sums").

It cannot be overstated; these letters are relatively polite and diplomatic ways of conveying something very severe in an Office where staff is threatened and staff representatives are gagged with menacing letters from Benoît Battistelli loyalists. Given the 0% trust rate in the Council and just 3% trust rate in the President (that's like one person in a whole classroom of pupils!), it seems safe to say that Campinos has run out of time and out of favour. Expect things to get more combative. We've already seen more recent correspondence and we're deciding how to disclose it and when. Readers who can offer more information and insights likely know how to contact us. We'd love to hear from insiders.

Recent Techrights' Posts

More Gains for GNU/Linux, Based on Web Surveys
the Steam site shows rapid growth for "Linux" this month
 
Taiwan's Media Covers Closure of Microsoft's "AI" Lab, It's Time to Talk About the Gradual Death of Windows and Implosion of the "AI" Bubble
Earlier this week we showed that mostly Asian media had the 'nerve' to mention Microsoft silently shutting down its 'AI' lab
IBM Gets Rid of Kelly Chambliss as Mass Layoffs Reported in IBM Consulting, IBM Loses Key Contracts/Graft
IBM Consulting has been in disarray lately
Slopwatch: Anti-Linux Articles, Not Even Written by Humans
Why aren't Web sites more vocal about this problem?
Over at Tux Machines...
GNU/Linux news for the past day
IRC Proceedings: Wednesday, April 02, 2025
IRC logs for Wednesday, April 02, 2025
Links 03/04/2025: Apple Fined Over Secret Surveillance, "Elegant Writer For A More Civilized Age"
Links for the day
Gemini Links 02/04/2025: Books and Cold Tea
Links for the day
Links 02/04/2025: More Layoffs, Nokia Again Takes Advantage of Illegal and Unconstitutional Patent Court With Nokia Staff as 'Judges'
Links for the day
Links 02/04/2025: Seizures and Returns to Windows of 24 Years Ago
Links for the day
LLM Slop Helps Obscure and Distort News About Layoffs (IBM, GAFAM)
It's hard to find accurate information
Links 02/04/2025: Microsoft Developers Are Threatening to Go on Strike, World Backup Day Noted
Links for the day
Gemini Protocol Has Growing Appeal (the Web Got Too Bloated and Full of LLM Slop)
For any "data plan" with bandwidth limits or "tiers" it would be cheaper to use/browse Geminispace
The Web Can Survive LLM Slop, But Only If We Collectively Shun and Discourage Serial Sloppers
Doing nothing ought not be a possibility
Amid Secret Shut-downs and Mass Layoffs at Microsoft (4 Waves of Layoffs in 3 Months of 2025) Some Microsoft Staff Expected to Go On Strike
workers going on strike
Gemini Links 02/04/2025: No more on Mastodon and Gemini Mention Script in Go
Links for the day
Over at Tux Machines...
GNU/Linux news for the past day
IRC Proceedings: Tuesday, April 01, 2025
IRC logs for Tuesday, April 01, 2025
My Motion Disbarring or “Striking Off” Brett Wilson LLP for Enabling Violent Americans Who Try to Crush Microsoft Critics in the United Kingdom by Multiple SLAPPs
"Guns for hire" (for Microsoft people who received Microsoft salaries)
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office Hijacked Again by Patent Litigation Industry, as President Cheeto Prioritises Aggressors
The "mafia" has taken over the "industry" and the Federal system (justice and constitutions trampled upon)
Ubuntu Slop and FUD Manufactured With LLMs and Funded (by Oneself) 'Studies'
Slop and FUD are ruining the Web
Gemini Links 01/04/2025: Games and More
Links for the day
Links 01/04/2025: Apple Fined $162M for Privacy Abuses, Disinformation Online a Growing Concern
Links for the day
Why We're Reporting Brett Wilson LLP for Apparently Misusing Their Licence to Protect American Microsofters Who Attack Women
For those who have not been keeping abreast
Newer Press Reports Confirm That Microsoft Shuts Down 'Hey Hi' (AI) Labs Despite All the Hype
The "hey hi" (AI) bubble is not sustainable
Links 01/04/2025: Mass Layoffs at Eidos and "Microsoft Pulls Back on Data Centers" (Demand Lacking); "Racist and Sexist" Slop From Microsoft
Links for the day
Stefano Maffulli and His Microsoft-Funded OSI Staff Are Killing the OSI and Killing "Open Source" (All for Money!)
This is far from over
Gemini Links 01/04/2025: XKCDpunk and worldclock.py
Links for the day
50 Years of Sabotage and a Gut Punch to Computer Science (and Science in General)
Will we get back to science-based computing rather than cult-like following?
Techrights Headlines as Semaphore
"If you are hearing this, thank you"
3 Months in 2025, 4 Waves of Mass Layoffs at Microsoft, Now Offices Shut Down Permanently
"A recent visit by the South China Morning Post confirmed that the office was dark, unoccupied, and had its logo removed."
Over at Tux Machines...
GNU/Linux news for the past day
IRC Proceedings: Monday, March 31, 2025
IRC logs for Monday, March 31, 2025