ONE YEAR ago, EPO management was already no different or no better than Team Battistelli. António Campinos was just as oppressive if not more oppressive. The elected representatives of the staff were routinely gagged.
"Attempts to silence people can backfire."This 2-page paper [PDF] was never published on the Intranet because it was blocked and suppressed by paranoid managers (paranoia or fear that its corruption would be better understood by staff). "The EPO is currently preventing the publication of a CSC paper on the Intranet," said a republisher (or "another CSC paper censored by the Office"). Like we explained earlier this week, one way or another people will find way to share or disseminate suppressed information. Attempts to silence people can backfire.
This is what the Central Staff Committee told the staff, or at least attempted to tell the staff:
Case closed by the CRU does not mean that the complaint cannot be followed-up
The Conflict Resolution Unit (CRU) acts as the receiving section for management review requests (RfRs). It does not carry out itself the management reviews but allocates instead each request to the corresponding reviewer (manager), the declared aim being to resolve employment-law-related administrative disputes at an early stage, thus preventing further litigation.
It appears not uncommon that the CRU refuses to register requests and to forward them for review to any reviewer for decision. Instead, requesters receive an email informing them that the subject-matter is already “closed” at management review stage and that their demands will not be treated as requests for review by the CRU.
The requester should expect in such cases that no reasoned decision will be issued. Thus, the fiction of an implied decision of rejection within the meaning of Article 109(7) will apply after two months from the date of receipt of the RfR by the CRU. Requesters wishing to further follow-up their complaint have strict time limits for making the next step, i.e. three months for filing the subsequent internal appeal or, where applicable, ninety days for filing a complaint at ILOAT.
