The Staff Matters N. 28 is out !

This newsletter is about the important subject of invalidity, at the example of a recent judgment of the Court of Justice which confirms that the term invalidity in the context of the entitlement of staff to an invalidity allowance can only be interpreted as an incapacity to fulfil the duties within the own institution. If found invalid there, the staff member cannot be referred to the general labour market with the argument that he/she would be “not invalid” outside the institution. In other words, an invalidity allowance has to be granted independent of the capacity of the staff member to perform work on the general labour market.
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Le Staff Matters n°28 est là !
La présente lettre d’information concerne l’invalidité, sujet très important, sur la base d’un arrêt récent de la Cour de justice qui confirme que la notion d’invalidité, dans le contexte du droit d’un membre du personnel à bénéficier d’une allocation d’invalidité, ne doit être comprise que comme une incapacité à exercer ses fonctions au sein de sa propre institution. S’il est considéré comme invalide dans ce contexte, il ne peut pas être renvoyé vers le marché général du travail au motif qu’il ne serait pas « invalide » en dehors de l’institution. En d’autres mots, une allocation d’invalidité doit être versée indépendamment de la capacité du membre du personnel à travailler sur le marché général du travail.
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Dear members, dear colleagues,
Please consider coming to the SUEPO office (Veraartlaan, 8 in Rijswijk, opposite the EPO) to connect together and subsequently discuss the following webinars which are being organized by unions affiliated to ours:
Thursday 22 June, 15:00, zoom webinar hosted by EPSU (European Public Service Union) with Prof. Juliet Schor, economist and sociologist.
Topic: the need for fundamental change to our economic model and the role public services and working time reduction must play to achieve climate justice.
Please register here (or scan the QR code below) if you plan to join us at the SUEPO office (limited to 15 spots - first come first serve). More information and registration for online only participation here.

Wednesday 28 June, 12:30 to 14:00, zoom workshop hosted by USF (Union Syndicale Fédérale) with Andy Whittle.
Topic: Toxicity in the work environment and how to deal with it.
Please register here (or scan the QR code below) if you plan to join us at the SUEPO office (limited to 15 spots - first come first serve).
More information and registration for online only participation here.
Deadline to register : Tuesday 27 June 2023, 10h00.

Kind regards
your SUEPO TH committee

The Union Syndicale Fédérale, also known as USF, is now actively present on various social media platforms such as Linkedln, Twitter and Facebook.
As a member of SUEPO TH (we are an affiliate of USF), we encourage you to follow USF so you don't miss any important information. It is also a great opportunity to interact with other members and become part of the union's online community.
Below is one of the posts on LinkedIn (there are many more posts, including on Facebook and Twitter).
Feel free to share these posts with your colleagues. Again, we look forward to connecting with all of you on social media.
Enjoy connecting.
Your SUEPO TH Committee

History of SUEPO

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Interested readers can also find out more about the organisation and history of SUEPO The Hague on the website of the local office.
Since the receipt of the first European patent application in June 1978, the EPO has become a leader in the worldwide patent world, and a driving force in European economic integration. Indeed, the European Union has entrusted the EPO with the administration of the European Unitary Patent, once the legislation enters into force. It is the only European Organisation that is not only self-financing, but also generating revenue for the member states.
However, since 2013 the EPO has been experiencing a prolonged crisis, the worst in its history.
The core of the problem is that decisions are made without proper consultation of all stakeholders, which include staff and their representatives. Worse still, any voice of dissent is actively quashed; there have even been instances of violations of fundamental rights, none of which would have been tolerated by the authorities of the members states or in other European institutions. For years, the members states have turned a blind eye to the abuses.
Then, as of 1 July 2018, the Administrative Council appointed a new President of the EPO, Mr António Campinos (of Portugal), with the explicit task of restoring social dialogue. Sixteen months into his presidency, little has changed.
Read more here.