Summary: SUEPO Central's "Call for Action" will lead to a deliberate reduction in so-called (faked) "production", which ought to signal to the stakeholders that nothing is rosy at the EPO

A NUMBER of hours ago the following message was circulated by the union of EPO staff, which is a very popular union (most of the staff has membership in it). It's loud and clear:

CALL FOR ACTION - SUEPO INDUSTRIAL ACTION PLAN 2022

NOTING THAT

• A series of ILOAT judgments have ruled that the EPO violated both individual and collective rights of staff to freedom of association since 2013;

• The EPO justice system proved to be inefficient and biased against staff;

• Under these conditions staff has been subjected to several major reforms detrimental to working conditions and staff's well being;

• The EPO has no current financial difficulties and an alleged financial gap predicted for 2038 has already been filled today;

• The new salary adjustment procedure causes a disastrous loss of staff's purchasing power and does not reflect the massive efforts made by staff during the pandemic.

DEMANDS THAT THE ADMINISTRATION

• Revises the EPO Service Regulations so that hey comply with fundamental rights, and the principles of legitimate expectations and acquired rights;

• Restores a deterministic career system;

• Suspend the implementation of the "exception clause" and the "sustainability clause" of the new salary adjustment procedure;

• Reviews and eliminates the detrimental effects of the Education Reform.

CALLS ALL MEMBERS

• To support massively the following Action Plan:

  
  
  

  • Work to Rule/Go Slow

    
    
    

    • Focus on search actions

    • Apply thoroughly the EPC

    • Object to redistribution of your file stock

    • Defend against interference with the Divisions

  • Strike on 22 March 2022 (AC meeting)

This will cause a collapse in patent grants/allowance rates. That's the intention. We're going to prepare a video shortly, in which the situation and the context can be explained to outsiders, not EPO insiders

"A strike is overdue there," an associate of ours wrote just moments ago, "but the management needs complete turnover and is not competent even to hire its own replacements, nor honest enough."

"It is very important that they bring up the lack of EPC compliance." ⬆