Thousands of EPO Workers Rally Against EPO Management

posted by Roy Schestowitz on Mar 06, 2026

The EPO has abandoned its mission. The staff is furious to see what became of the EPC and the EPO. This is not sustainable.

Last night the union in Munich wrote to staff:

Dear SUEPO members,
Dear Colleagues,

If we want a real chance to persuade management and the Council that our hard work and our competencies deserve at least the preservation of purchasing power, then we must show that we are determined to fight for this aim.

The production counter must go down. Focus on all work that does not produce points.

See this flyer. It explains some of the core issues:

INTERNATIONALE GEWERKSCHAFT IM EUROPÄISCHEN PATENTAMT
STAFF UNION OF THE EUROPEAN PATENT OFFICE
UNION SYNDICALE DE L'OFFICE EUROPEEN DES BREVETS

05 March 2026
su26011mp – 0.2.1

(SAP) Translated = HIDDEN SALARY CUT
ACT NOW!

Further production drop needed until 18 March, 1st day of the AC
Demonstrate in front of the AC on 18 March at 12.30 hrs
Strike day with picketing in front of the ISAR Building, 19 March at 8.30 hrs

If the salary adjustment procedure consistently delivers outcomes in favour of the Organisation while harming staff, who will receive salaries below real local inflation, then this is a hidden salary cut.

The request is simple: salary adjustments must preserve real local purchasing power.

Where do we stand
We have tried—again and again—to reason with the management.
Yet the impact on management has been minimal. The response: an offer of a small lump sum. The signals we receive say that staff have not yet “lowered the production counter enough”. A sign from staff is clearly visible, but the intensity should be strengthened.

Now is our moment
If we want a real chance to persuade management and the AC that our hard work and our competencies deserve at least the preservation of purchasing power (the same adjustment they receive), then we must show that we are determined to fight for this aim.

The production counter must go down.

Focus on all work that does not produce points.

How to do that
“Work-to-rule” is an industrial action protected as a fundamental right by ILOAT case law.
“Work-to-rule” means you work but, you do everything what you have postponed for years.
“Work-to-rule” means finalising your courses (e.g. AI courses), taking part in other courses you always wanted to but could not because of production pressure, studying the Codex that has been amended constantly, checking the new rules, readjusting your standard clauses, preparing your templates for a more productive time in the future, get to know your team members better.

Now you have the time to catch up with all these mundane works. Points and increasing your production will come later during the year based on the preparations you make and the fairness level of the salary adjustment procedure that will be decided in the June Council meeting.

If the President seeks his re-election and expects staff to believe that he stands behind us and does not sacrifice our interests for his own, then he must demonstrate it with facts and propose a better salary adjustment procedure to the Council. It is in his power to do so.

Presently we do not see protection from this management. We see staff being sold out.

We do not produce continuously more for less. We deserve our pay.

SUEPO Munich

We'll publish some more information about the EPO later today in preparation for the next strike. █

3 days ago: EPO and "Equivalent to More Than 100 Days of Strike"