Bonum Certa Men Certa

EPO Management Wastes Millions of Euros on a Silly, Gratuitous, Self-Serving Festival While EPO Staff is Planning Another Strike

EPO strike



Summary: Unrest at the European Patent Office (EPO) is growing again, with plans of a strike resulting in a formal vote for a strike next week

THE EPO has once again wasted a fortune on some razzle-dazzle distraction whose early outcomes we leaked. The latest (earlier today at epo.org) puff piece from the EPO would want us to look away from the many scandals, but behind the paid-for hype and gloss there is deepening rot and growing unrest.

"Things must change and a strike shows that Battistelli's bogus narratives (e.g. that of "vocal minority") are, if anything, symptomatic of his dubious mental state."With another strike call in the making there is now some progress report, which one reader sent to us. It speaks of a "[p]aper ballot on strike on 22 June (2 days after the Staff Committees elections)," adding that "Mr Topic informed the Staff Representation that management has decided that the vote on the call for strike "Respect Staff" launched by all Staff Committees (CSC and LSCs) will take place on Thursday 22 June in the form of a paper ballot, i.e. two days after the vote (also on paper) for the Staff Committee elections on Tuesday 20 June. There will be thus two important paper ballots next week."

We are pretty certain, knowing staff hasn't got much to lose anymore, that enough people will in fact vote and vote for a strike. The timing is strategic because with the meeting of the Council approaching and Battistelli about to receive marching orders (even if deferred, until next year) it's imperative that all staff demonstrates disdain and displeasure. Things must change and a strike shows that Battistelli's bogus narratives (e.g. that of "vocal minority") are, if anything, symptomatic of his dubious mental state. Today, in paid media, he dared compare his paid-for lobbying event to Nobel prizes. He clearly has delusions of grandeur and the cost of this God complex of his is the very survival of the Office... after half a century of enviable success.

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