Workers of the European Patent Office (EPO) Have an "Industrial Action Plan"

posted by Roy Schestowitz on Nov 27, 2025,
updated Nov 27, 2025

Sometimes this means going on strike [1, 2]

Seeking to secure a mandate for "an industrial action", the union (SUEPO) has begun a survey/poll, which is being conducted this month and will end next month. The Hague paper on the ballot and also the Munich paper on the ballot were studied by us, having been leaked to us. We'll share and explain key points, as the general public deserves to know what goes on at the EPO, where many workers and their families suffer profoundly from António Campinos and his "Mafia". Today's EPO works almost exclusively for large monopolies (seldom European) and their lawyers; the EPO does so at the expense of Europe. SUEPO The Hague and Munich are trying to change this by making the voices of the actual staff - i.e. people who do all the real work - possible for us all to hear. See, the "Mafia" is trying to silence the staff; instead we're meant to believe lies told by actual cocaine addicts (who also lie about their health while stashing a quarter million euros per year).

This week the union is circulating this message:

Voting is OPEN | SUEPO ballot for actions: Stop the erosion of our purchasing power

Dear SUEPO members,
Dear Colleagues,

Mr Campinos had promised in his Communiqué of 9 April 2020 that with his reform of the salary adjustment procedure “[t]here is no desire to cut staff purchasing power or impose unnecessary savings” but “There is a desire, however, to […] ensure salaries continue to grow, even above eurozone inflation”.

Instead, the review of the six-year application of the procedure shows a severe and permanent loss of purchasing power for EPO staff and pensioners (check the LSCTH slides and the LSCMN slides).

The EPO financial situation is excellent and no further savings shall be made at the expense of the staff. It is time for the Office and the Administrative Council to take action and fulfil the promise of “reversibility” of the reform.

SUEPO The Hague and Munich have therefore decided to ballot their active members to obtain the mandate to prepare an industrial action plan and to ask which actions they would commit to follow.

There's a lengthier and more formal version of the above:

Staff Union of the European Patent Office (SUEPO)

25 November 2025
su25017mp

SUEPO ballot for action plan
Stop the erosion of our purchasing power

Dear SUEPO Members,
Dear Colleagues,

On 13 November, an Information Session held by the Local Staff Committee The Hague and a General Assembly held by the Local Staff Committee Munich gathered 400 and 700 attendees respectively. There is a clear interest among EPO staff in the salary adjustment procedure, which is considered essential for safeguarding fair salaries and secure pensions.

Mr Campinos had promised in his Communiqué of 9 April 2020 that with his reform of the salary adjustment procedure “[t]here is no desire to cut staff purchasing power or impose unnecessary savings” but “There is a desire, however, to […] ensure salaries continue to grow, even above eurozone inflation”.

Instead, the review of the six-year application of the procedure shows a severe and permanent loss of purchasing power for EPO staff and pensioners (check the LSCTH slides and the LSCMN slides).

Thanks to the extraordinary effort of staff, the EPO finances are excellent and the conditions are met for triggering the promised “reversibility” of this reform. However, Mr Campinos has so far provided no sign that he would do so. In recent discussions, the Administration even expressed satisfaction that the evolution of the EPO salary scales is lagging behind other International Organisations and that the method “behaved as expected”.

The EPO financial situation is excellent and no further savings shall be made at the expense of the staff. It is time for the Office and the Administrative Council to take action and fulfil the promise of “reversibility” of the reform.

---

On 10 December, the Administrative Council will meet to discuss the review of the salary adjustment procedure. EPO staff shall stand ready to take action.

In Judgment 4430, the Tribunal restored the right to industrial actions at the EPO, highlighting them as a tool employees have to redress the imbalance of power between them and their employer. To this end Strikes performed either on a single day, several days, at a repeated frequency (weekly, monthly) or over long time periods, Work-to- Rule actions consisting in avoiding overtime, focusing on search or ensuring the best quality by applying thoroughly the EPC in intermediate actions instead of sending an expedited intention to grant, and Go-slow actions to recover from the race towards increased productivity in all EPO areas which neither guarantees a step nor maintained purchasing power, are all powerful options available to staff.

SUEPO The Hague and Munich have therefore decided to ballot their active members to obtain the mandate to prepare an industrial action plan and to ask which actions they would commit to follow. The ballot will comprises two questions (see Appendix).

[...]

Please vote in the ballot. Together we are stronger. Your support enables us to support you.

SUEPO The Hague and Munich

We'll say more near to that time. █