Building a democratic workplace
In the July edition of the AGORA magazine, you can find an article presenting our view on “Building a Democratic Workplace” at the GSC. This is a key objective for us in the new Staff Committee.
The article provides information on how we assess democracy at the Council and what we can do to improve it.
Why is democracy at work so important?
✓ because it is a basic right,
✓ because it benefits all staff,
✓ because it benefits the institution,
✓ because it benefits our society.
The positive impact of a democratic workplace cannot be overestimated. Studies show that employees who experience democracy at their workplace are better motivated and more productive, and this helps the workplace to accomplish its tasks and achieve its objectives in the best possible way. A democratic workplace benefits society, too, as employees are more likely to become involved and proactive in social activities, helping to promote democracy in our society. Nothing is more important today than promoting democracy in our countries, in Europe and around the world! We can make an important start in our workplace.
What would we like to achieve at the Council?
• More bottom-up feedback
• Real participatory leadership
• Increased involvement of and input by staff in projects and management decisions
• Timely consultation of the Staff Committee and respect for its opinions
• Respect for the contribution made by staff representatives in the GSC’s joint committees and bodies.
You can help us.
Feel free to send your comments and suggestions to union.syndicale@consilium.europa.eu.
If you think our work is useful, you can also get involved. Share your ideas with us, join Union Syndicale and become a part of our team.
Education Allowance
In our last Flash, we informed you about Union Syndicale’s success in ensuring an extension in education allowance payments.
Following the Court’s decision, the PMO is now required to continue paying the education allowance until the month when your child’s examination results are published.
If your child is completing their higher education this summer, please check your salary slips and let us know if the payments made by the PMO are not correct. There is a time limit to lodge a complaint and Union Syndicale will support you in doing this.
You can send an email to union.syndicale@consilium.europa.eu.
In July, our Brussels headquarters also organised an on-line conference on this subject. In a question-and-answer session, Nathalie de Montigny, one of Union Syndicale’s lawyers, provided legal background information about this allowance.
Agnès Lahaye, a member of the committee executive USB from The Council section, participated in this conference and contributed with some helpful first-hand experience and knowledge.
You can watch the streaming here.
Negotiations between the Administration and the
Trade Unions
The Annex to the Framework Agreement, first concluded between the Administration and the trade unions in 2006, concerns the provision of secondments and material resources to representative trade unions at the GSC. In November 2023, the Administration launched a negotiation aimed at drastically reducing the secondments and resources provided to the trade unions.
For more about the outcome and for Union Syndicale’s analysis, please see our tract. You can also find here a more artistic summary of the negotiations.
Webinars of Union Syndicale
• Union Syndicale supports its members through each step of the internal AD competition for translators CONS/AD/293-INT/2024. We will provide a webinar “Written test” on 7 October 2024 at 18.00. If you are interested, please feel free to join Union Syndicale and register for this training. Send an email to union.syndicale@consilium.europa.eu.
• Union Syndicale recently held a webinar about tax issues which might interest you. Please find the streaming under the following link: https://bruxelles.unionsyndicale.eu/le-fisc-belge-et-moi-2024/
If you think we do a good job, please join us and even get involved.
We are stronger together.
For more information, please also watch our video, visit our website, or send a
message to union.syndicale@consilium.europa.eu
