●● IRC: #techbytes @ FreeNode: Saturday, November 28, 2020 ●● ● Nov 28 [06:13] schestowitz " [06:13] schestowitz Target setting approach in DG1 for 2020 [06:13] schestowitz Bottom up? [06:13] schestowitz On 3 December 2019 VP1 published the DG1 operational plan for 2020 containing the criteria to be applied for setting production targets for next year in DG1. [06:13] schestowitz [06:13] schestowitz Mr Rowan calls the so-called bottom-up planning an important part of the process, implicitly acknowledging that targets imposed upon staff were sometimes too ambitious in the past. [06:13] schestowitz Staff Representatives in the Working Group on Performance Management (WGPM) repeatedly asked for a proper bottom-up approach to planning. [06:13] schestowitz [06:13] schestowitz In this paper, we consider that VP1s apparent good intentions came to nothing - neither in the planning nor in the legal framework of the Office, such as in Circular No. 366. The promise of improvements in respect of the target-setting exercise turned out to be mere lip service - more a manipulation exercise than a genuine interest in taking staff feedback into account. [06:13] schestowitz [06:13] schestowitz We fear the further devastating effects that this 2020 target, in combination with the New Career System, will have on staff engagement, motivation and health, building on the damage already done since 2015 when the New Career System was implemented. [06:13] schestowitz [06:13] schestowitz We also fear the impact that the process will have on the work of the shrinking population of Formalities Officers. [06:13] schestowitz [06:13] schestowitz Author: The Central Staff Committee [06:13] schestowitz " [06:14] schestowitz " [06:14] schestowitz Examiner Recruitment: Not fit for purpose [06:14] schestowitz One of the most important human resources functions in any organisation is the process of recruiting and selecting the right staff. For the EPO the definition of right is crucial, as the bulk of our recruitment is focused on Patent Examiners needing highly specialized technical and language skills. [06:14] schestowitz [06:14] schestowitz In this paper, we consider that the recruitment process at the EPO today, especially for examiner posts, is not fit for the purpose of carrying out this task. [06:14] schestowitz [06:14] schestowitz The EPO wants to recruit examiners with technically-suited profiles, who are able to work in our official languages yet at the same time reduces exactly the evaluation of those components to below the bare minimum. [06:14] schestowitz [06:14] schestowitz On top, potential candidates are kept far away from their actual future working environment and colleagues, and cannot evaluate us as a future employer and so they can only rely on what they find online, a picture that has become severely tainted in the last few years. [06:14] schestowitz [06:14] schestowitz No wonder the number of candidates for examiner posts is dwindling, now less than one third of what we had just 3 years ago. [06:14] schestowitz [06:14] schestowitz No wonder we see a lot of candidates drop out somewhere along the recruitment process something which virtually did not exist a few years ago. [06:14] schestowitz [06:14] schestowitz No wonder we see one in three, sometimes more, examiner job offers being refused, the 5-year contract prominently featuring as the main reason why. [06:14] schestowitz [06:14] schestowitz No wonder we are mainly limited to recruiting young, fresh from university or PhD, and local to the places of employment. [06:15] schestowitz [06:15] schestowitz To repeat, the recruitment process for examiners we have today is not fit for purpose and the offer we make to the candidates is subpar, to put it mildly. [06:15] schestowitz [06:15] schestowitz The EPO is an organization in a severe crisis, due to the destructive actions of the Battistelli Administration, and the inertia of the current one in mending what was broken. The dismal state of the recruitment process is yet another indicator pointing, like all indicators, in this very same direction. [06:15] schestowitz " [06:15] schestowitz " [06:15] schestowitz Financial Study and 17 measures: Report on the 3rd meeting of the WG Finances [06:16] schestowitz The third meeting of the Working Group took place on 3 December. The discussion focussed entirely on the salary adjustment procedure. None of the other measures we had suggested in advance of the meeting were discussed due to lack of time. [06:16] schestowitz [06:16] schestowitz The specific indicator (SI) represents the average evolution of the salaries of the national civil servants in the member states above or below their own inflation, thus the evolution of the purchasing power. There is a certain correlation between the SI and the GDP growth. This is intuitive since the member states are not likely to increase the salaries of their civil servants during an economic downturn for affordability and political [06:16] schestowitz reasons. The drastic Base-2 scenario however uses the past evolvement of the average salary increases in its model. It therefore vastly overstates the salary evolution and thus the expenditure. [06:16] schestowitz [06:16] schestowitz The IFRS accounts, merely on legal grounds, cannot recognise the income from the future national renewal fees as an asset to match the coverage gap. By the end of 2018, the value of these future national renewal fees was 4.7bn. IFRS therefore vastly understates the income. [06:16] schestowitz [06:16] schestowitz Management referred to the concept of reversibility. Should the stress scenario, for which money is supposed to be withheld, never actually materialise it is not the intention of management to give the money back to staff. Consequently, we are clearly against a reversibility concept in which reversal is not foreseen as an automatically applied integral part of the procedure, especially in view of the lack of trust prevailing. [06:16] schestowitz [06:16] schestowitz The salary adjustment procedure was also discussed with the President, right after the above meeting. It was the common view that there is no financial problem for the time being. The President put forward that there would be some logic in adjusting salaries with inflation if fees are adjusted with inflation. He confirmed that he would consult the Administrative Council on the financial gap next week. He also confirmed that the [06:16] schestowitz intended time framework for discussions within this working group would be until February 2020 and that consultation of other stakeholders in other fora would follow, including the GCC and the BFC for a decision in the June 2020 Council. [06:16] schestowitz [06:16] schestowitz The WG will reconvene on 12 December, directly after the Council meeting. [06:16] schestowitz [06:16] schestowitz The full report on the third meeting, including our proposals, can be found here. [06:16] schestowitz " [06:16] schestowitz "The Association of EPO Pensioners has continued to analyse to Financial study. The findings of the Association have been issued as a new letter for the Administrative Council, since the Association's request to be allowed as an observer at the meeting when the study is discussed has been refused." [06:17] schestowitz " [06:17] schestowitz On Friday 8 November, SUEPO issued a call for strike according to the circular on strikes (C347), in order to be able to actually launch a strike, if and when needed, after a positive strike ballot (SUEPO will of course turn in due time to its members, who will eventually decide). [06:18] schestowitz The only way to have the opportunity to launch a strike action without being overtaken by events is to have a valid and positive strike vote result at hand. [06:18] schestowitz We remind you that, according to C347, a quorum of 40% of staff is required for the vote on a call for strike to be considered valid. If you cannot vote on 28 November (before 17:00), please make sure that you give a proxy to a colleague who can. To do so, send an email to ballot@epo.org before 26 November 17:00 hours, giving the name of the employee who is to vote on your behalf. [06:18] schestowitz Do you want to make a strike possible after 28 November? [06:18] schestowitz Take part in the ballot AND vote in favour of the strike. [06:18] schestowitz " ● Nov 28 [07:02] *Now talking on #techbytes [07:02] *Topic for #techbytes is: Welcome to the official channel of the TechBytes Audiocast [07:02] *Topic for #techbytes set by ThistleWeb!~gordon@unaffiliated/thistleweb at Wed Jan 5 20:55:35 2011 ● Nov 28 [11:06] *GNUmoon has quit (Remote host closed the connection) [11:07] *GNUmoon (~GNUmoon@gateway/tor-sasl/gnumoon) has joined #techbytes ● Nov 28 [13:09] *rianne__ has quit (Read error: No route to host) [13:10] *rianne__ (~rianne@host81-154-173-112.range81-154.btcentralplus.com) has joined #techbytes ● Nov 28 [15:14] *oiaohm_ (~oiaohm@unaffiliated/oiaohm) has joined #techbytes [15:16] *oiaohm has quit (Ping timeout: 260 seconds) [15:18] *oiaohm_ has quit (Read error: No route to host) [15:18] *oiaohm_ (~oiaohm@unaffiliated/oiaohm) has joined #techbytes [15:19] *GNUmoon has quit (Remote host closed the connection) [15:19] *GNUmoon (~GNUmoon@gateway/tor-sasl/gnumoon) has joined #techbytes ● Nov 28 [16:28] *oiaohm_ is now known as oiaohm ● Nov 28 [19:26] *oiaohm has quit (Read error: Connection reset by peer) [19:26] *oiaohm (~oiaohm@unaffiliated/oiaohm) has joined #techbytes ● Nov 28 [20:40] schestowitz https://twitter.com/petersuber/status/1332762101606199306 [20:40] -TechBytesBot/#techbytes-@petersuber: @schestowitz @EPA Sorry for the dead link to the @OATP tag library on @EPA openwashing. Here's the live one. https://t.co/j35cBUTTsk [20:40] -TechBytesBot/#techbytes--> tagteam.harvard.edu | TagTeam :: Search - Open Access Tracking Project (OATP) [20:40] schestowitz https://twitter.com/jimmyroybloom/status/1332744161544589313 [20:40] -TechBytesBot/#techbytes-@jimmyroybloom: . https://t.co/WBesUZFXBk [20:41] schestowitz https://twitter.com/trolltrip/status/1332667435728707585 [20:41] -TechBytesBot/#techbytes-@trolltrip: @schestowitz 'via' Wikipedia. [20:41] schestowitz https://twitter.com/darby_bartley/status/1332635285843308544 [20:41] -TechBytesBot/#techbytes-@darby_bartley: What? https://t.co/cU6Z1ST8AT [20:41] -TechBytesBot/#techbytes-@schestowitz: NEWS #TechDirt #Obama2 #drone #assassination #GoldenDawnald Government Argues In Court That It Can Kill US Ci https://t.co/5oeA5KOm1P [20:41] schestowitz https://twitter.com/Nani194347/status/1332623158998863872 [20:41] -TechBytesBot/#techbytes-@Nani194347: So who be the leader of this global nation?? The UN headed by leaders that cant even lead their own country?? Who e https://t.co/HwTJQlNLPm [20:41] -TechBytesBot/#techbytes-@Nani194347: So who be the leader of this global nation?? The UN headed by leaders that cant even lead their own country?? Who e https://t.co/HwTJQlNLPm [20:41] schestowitz "So who be the leader of this global nation?? The UN headed by leaders that cant even lead their own country?? Who exactly will be that leader? China, Russia or the Ayatollah" [20:42] schestowitz https://twitter.com/RadRegime/status/1332594103746318336 [20:42] -TechBytesBot/#techbytes-@RadRegime: @schestowitz Emmy award Governor Cuomo had a huge hand in that scenario. ● Nov 28 [21:18] *rianne__ has quit (Quit: Konversation terminated!) [21:18] *rianne__ (~rianne@host81-154-173-112.range81-154.btcentralplus.com) has joined #techbytes [21:56] *schestowitz has quit (Read error: Connection reset by peer) [21:56] *schestowitz (~schestowi@host81-154-173-112.range81-154.btcentralplus.com) has joined #techbytes [21:56] *schestowitz has quit (Changing host) [21:56] *schestowitz (~schestowi@unaffiliated/schestowitz) has joined #techbytes ● Nov 28 [22:15] schestowitz https://pleroma.site/notice/A1fc7R5Qlboqc74hW4 [22:15] schestowitz " [22:16] -TechBytesBot/#techbytes-qoto.org | Paul Sutton: "@schestowitz@pleroma.site Looks interesting, I t" - Qoto Mastodon [22:16] schestowitz Looks interesting, [22:16] schestowitz I thought it said Snail at first, the only Snail OS is Win10 booting up sometimes. [22:16] schestowitz " [22:16] schestowitz https://pleroma.site/notice/A1emQzrsTmlmN7k2t6 [22:16] schestowitz " 1st century?" [22:16] -TechBytesBot/#techbytes-todon.eu | jd in .hu: "@schestowitz@pleroma.site 1st century?" - Todon.eu [22:16] schestowitz oops. typo. [22:17] schestowitz https://pleroma.site/notice/A1eao9vU3CRwmFhrhg [22:17] schestowitz "I supose it is *cloud* but *clown* is a great joke" [22:17] -TechBytesBot/#techbytes-fosstodon.org | Miguel: "@schestowitz@pleroma.site I supose it is *cloud" - Fosstodon [22:18] schestowitz https://pleroma.site/notice/A1dW1hOYEQhnPlynMu [22:18] schestowitz " [22:18] -TechBytesBot/#techbytes-mstdn.social | `Da Elf: "@schestowitz@pleroma.site Ah, DAVx5 is the new Sy" - Mastodon [22:18] schestowitz Ah, DAVx5 is the new Syncy thing. I liked it's previous incarnation for the most part. Might give it a try again in a few. [22:18] schestowitz I've been using OpenSync for the last two years and like it pretty well. [22:18] schestowitz " [22:18] schestowitz https://pleroma.site/notice/A1dU8cA1tIv1IeMCQq [22:18] schestowitz " I applied for a job there, never heard back" [22:18] -TechBytesBot/#techbytes-chitter.xyz | Markus: "@schestowitz@pleroma.site I applied for a job the" - Chitter [22:19] schestowitz https://pleroma.site/notice/A1dSvnFdFJzHyeIfbs [22:19] schestowitz "That is pretty cool :)" [22:19] -TechBytesBot/#techbytes-qoto.org | Paul Sutton: "@schestowitz@pleroma.site That is pretty cool :)" - Qoto Mastodon [22:19] schestowitz https://pleroma.site/notice/A1dF6WNKvnkxSu7ouW [22:19] schestowitz " I installed it for my father and it really amazed me for its simplicity and stability." [22:19] -TechBytesBot/#techbytes-mastodon.uno | notanamber: "@schestowitz@pleroma.site I installed it for my f" - Mastodon Italia Social [22:19] schestowitz https://pleroma.site/notice/A1d5d3zEVBA1QwjHhQ [22:19] schestowitz " that's alright i guess...but it'd be better if it were using electricity rather than gas" [22:19] -TechBytesBot/#techbytes-shitposter.club | Pleroma [22:20] schestowitz https://pleroma.site/notice/A1czMVYi8W5aId2wpU [22:20] schestowitz " [22:20] -TechBytesBot/#techbytes-miniwa.moe | Pleroma [22:20] schestowitz wheelchair [22:20] schestowitz come upstairs [22:20] schestowitz Does not compute [22:20] schestowitz " [22:20] schestowitz https://pleroma.site/notice/A1cz8vMtNgKkI92cVc [22:20] schestowitz "Fortunately, my RSS feeds right now are just a bunch of Mastodon user's blogs, some Youtube channels, and 2 webcomics :D" [22:20] -TechBytesBot/#techbytes-social.linux.pizza | d e t o n D e v: "@schestowitz@pleroma.site Fortunately, my RSS fee" - Linux.Pizza [22:20] schestowitz https://pleroma.site/notice/A1cIzXut0a8QsOms5o [22:20] schestowitz " [22:20] -TechBytesBot/#techbytes-mas.to | adnan360: "@schestowitz@pleroma.site Already moved some of m" - mas.to [22:20] schestowitz Already moved some of my repos to #gitlab. They have a handy import feature which makes it easy. Takes just one click. [22:20] schestowitz I limited GH use to when I absolutely have to. e.g. posting an issue, pushing PR. I'd love if #freesw projects moved away from GH so that I can completely stop using it. [22:21] schestowitz " [22:22] schestowitz https://pleroma.site/notice/A1cBIoeGDzaGdcgk8e [22:22] schestowitz " [22:22] -TechBytesBot/#techbytes-mastodon.uno | notanamber: "@schestowitz@pleroma.site I hope they put this ga" - Mastodon Italia Social [22:23] schestowitz I hope they put this garbage illegal. In my opinion from a constitutional point of view it is. [22:23] schestowitz From the point of view of identifying them to boycott anyway [22:23] schestowitz " [22:55] *ChanServ has quit (*.net *.split) ● Nov 28 [23:01] *ChanServ (ChanServ@services.) has joined #techbytes [23:01] *verne.freenode.net gives channel operator status to ChanServ