Video download link | md5sum 5aadd21fbc4d921a25cf1391df217344 Health of EPO Staff Creative Commons Attribution-No Derivative Works 4.0



Summary: The Central Staff Committee at the EPO cautions that an EPO policy "document constitutes a misrepresentation of the situation at the EPO and instrumentalises the Working Group on “Health & Safety Services” to introduce further restrictions on the rights of sick employees" (a highly relevant topic at the moment)

THE health of EPO (European Patent Office) workers is a subject that the union and the representatives of staff constantly speak about. A recent survey showed that EPO staff is generally depressed and demoralised. That can't be good for health. Under Benoît Battistelli's regime a lot of EPO workers chose to end their own lives (jumping into tracks, jumping out of windows at work, apparently self-immolation too).

The way things have gone under António Campinos (so far it's worsening), expect no better.

The Central Staff Committee of the EPO is circulating following message among members of staff:

Health matters: Further restrictions on the rights of sick staff

Dear colleagues,

With document CA/85/22, the administration is proposing several changes to the Service Regulations, to be submitted to the COHSEC, the GCC and finally the Administrative Council in December 2022. They will affect sick staff, particularly in relation to:

- The distinction of tasks in the Occupational Health Services (supporting staff) and in the Medical Advisory Unit (advising the President in administrative decisions);

- The exchange, use and access of medical information;

- The arbitration procedure for medical opinions;

…

The video above isn't dealing with the pertinent points, but it shows the open letter preceded by some context [PDF] like arrangement of meetings.

The short story is, Mr. Campinos wants a bunch of people to say they speak for staff and then orchestrates a meeting to tick some boxes and ultimately claim that staff has been consulted. A familiar strategy! Then, he and his regime distort the position of staff (or basic facts/reality) to make life worse for the staff. It's a cruel strategy that introduces likely illegal conditions and tarnishes the image of Europe (the EPO is Europe's second-largest institution) while exacerbating the patent examination process. Should Europe's second-largest institution by run by psychopathic nihilists? ⬆