"From now on SUEPO can again call for strike without undue restrictions to put emphasis to our claims," says the Staff Union of the European Patent Office (SUEPO)



Summary: The staff of the EPO is ready to strike like never before (dissatisfaction and outrage over 8 years of gross injustice, namely Battistelli's breach of fundamental rights, including the right to strike)

THERE IS SOME GOOD news, for a change, from EPOnia today. This may help explain the recent PR flood (which intensified a lot since the ILO-AT ruling, with lots of recycled fluff rather than actual news). Surely the management of the EPO (Team Campinos, which still includes many friends of Benoît Battistelli) knew this was coming?

SUEPO Central, the main branch of the EPO's staff union, has circulated the following message: "On 7 July 2021, the Tribunal ruled that the EPO strike regulations put in place since 1 July 2013 created a regime placing several limitations on the exercise of the right to strike which, at least as to Circular 347, was unlawful because it violated the fundamental right to strike (Judgment 4430). Judgment 4435 confirmed that salary deductions at the amount of 1/20th for absences on strike were unlawful and of a punitive character."

"Judgment 4433 ruled that SUEPO’s call for strike on 2 July 2013 was lawful and strike participation could thus not be treated as unauthorised absence. The Tribunal furthermore considered the letter sent to the complainant, informing him that his absence was treated as unauthorised absence and that future unauthorised absences would lead to disciplinary action, to involve an attempt to stifle, by threat, the exercise of the lawful right to strike and that the Principal Director Human Resources (Ms Bergot at the material time, and nowadays Chief Policy Officer) acted without authority when sending the letter.

"Judgments 4432 and 4434 confirmed that Mr Battistelli abused his power when deciding not to hold or to delay strike ballots (IFLRE and UNITY).

"After 8 years of breach of a fundamental right at the EPO (including 3 years under the mandate of Mr Campinos), it is now up to Mr Campinos to take the consequences and to repair the damage done to the Organization."

As a reminder, last December half of the EPO's workers in Vienna went on strike along with about 1,500 colleagues. Expect future strikes to be vastly broader because the intimidation prospects have been reduced. Deterrents and threats from the "Mafia" will put the Office at risk of losing its immunity for good.

Anyway, the accompanying long letter/publication from SUEPO seems like it took quite some time to carefully prepare and sensibly word. It is a detailed breakdown and analysis of cases, as promised weeks ago.

What will the AC (Administrative Council) do? Whose side will it take? ⬆