As Generation 2004 we would like to express our enormous gratitude to the medical staff as whole: you have worked extremely hard, under huge pressure, put in long working hours and showed great dedication throughout this pandemic. We make a special mention also of those in Brussels charged with the additional responsibility of vaccinating [1] Brussels-based and visiting staff Continue reading Empty promises? Medical staff already forgotten?
Assistants
Unfair distribution of promotion quotas
If promotion quotas were distributed equally and without discrimination by DG HR, then each function group (FG) – administrator (AD), assistant (AST), and secretaries and clerks (AST/SC) – would have the same or a very similar ratio of promotion quotas to eligible staff (those with a minimum of 2 years in the grade) [1].
Since this information is not publicly available, we had to politely and firmly insist that DG HR release the relevant statistics by making an access to documents request. Continue reading Unfair distribution of promotion quotas
UPDATE: Petition in support of Contract Agents!
Remember our petition in support of contract agents from last year? The one that closed 27 November with 1 415 signatures? (Thanks very much for your support!) It’s now with the European Parliament and still moving! Here are details on the next steps[1]. Continue reading UPDATE: Petition in support of Contract Agents!
AST/SC conference Tuesday 22 June
We will be glad to have you at our AST/SC conference on 22 June 2021 from 12:30 to 14:00 held via Teams (here is the link).
You may wish to read our article Stop the AST/SC exploitation NOW and show your support for our petition to the European Parliament to help our AST/SC colleagues.
Stop the AST/SC exploitation NOW
The secretarial and clerical assistants (AST/SC) function group (FG/’GF’) was introduced by the 2013 revision of the staff regulations (SR) that entered into force 01.01.2014.
The established ‘dinosaurs’ trade unions and staff associations (OSPs) did not oppose the creation of the AST/SC category in 2013. Now they hypocritically claim that they care about the AST/SC staff and want to help them. What they really care about is getting the AST/SC votes in the forthcoming staff representation elections. Continue reading Stop the AST/SC exploitation NOW
AST/SC SC6 the Loch Ness monster of staff grades
*Update 08.07.2021: We will have AST-SC6 colleagues in 2021!*[1]
AST/SC SC6 is a very strange phenomenon indeed. Colleagues in this grade are not an endangered species, rather there are none, they don’t exist: no one has yet attained that grade since recruitment began to this newest of staff categories in 2015 (Slide 6). This has oddly resulted in no mention being made of it in the scales in EU-published statistics, allowing readers to overlook even the existence of this last grade. Continue reading AST/SC SC6 the Loch Ness monster of staff grades
Certification: you asked, we answer!
*20.10.2022–14.12.2022: Evaluation and pre-selection of eligible applications by the DGs/Services for 2022/23 exercise*
You asked us (conference, 28.1.2021) how many assistants (ASTs) successfully complete the certification process (no mean feat!) but do not find an administrator (AD) post. This information is not so readily available but we’re good at digging and we asked HR to fill in some blanks and clear up discrepancies.
We count 1097 successful officials (the certifiés/those ’certified’ as apt [1]) in total from all 15 certification procedures to date (2005-2019 [2]) using HR reports for 2015 and 2019, together with administrative notices. HR confirms this count but provides figures which differ slightly from those published (see updated tables below [3]). Continue reading Certification: you asked, we answer!
Certified ASTs: an endangered species?
*20.10.2022–14.12.2022: Evaluation and pre-selection of eligible applications by the DGs/Services for 2022/23 exercise*
Belated congratulations to our 42 colleagues declared certifié in December 2020 *and 44 from 2021* they now finally begin the very last stage in this long and arduous quest, that of finding an AD post, well done and good luck in your search! Continue reading Certified ASTs: an endangered species?
Junior Professionals Programme (JPP) open for contract agents – or not
DG Human Resources and Security (DG HR) has recently announced changes to the Junior Professionals Programme (JPP). The most important change is that now all contract agents (CAs), from function group 1 (FGI) to 3 (FGIII), can apply for the programme [1]. Sounds too good to be true? Congratulations for recognising this, you are definitely an experienced colleague at the Commission.
Continue reading Junior Professionals Programme (JPP) open for contract agents – or not
Office-space reorganisation: reply from DG Trade
Generation 2004 sent a note to Ms WEYAND, Director-General of DG Trade on 4 November 2020 to request clarification on their plans for an office-space reorganisation.
We were contacted in relation to plans to move only assistants/secretaries and clerks (ASTs/AST-SCs) and contract agents (CAs) into shared offices.
Continue reading Office-space reorganisation: reply from DG Trade
