Luxembourg staff threatens to walk out

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Series Details Vol 7, No.2, 11.1.01, p3
Publication Date 11/01/2001
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Date: 11/01/01

By Simon Taylor

TWO of the European Commission's biggest staff unions have threatened to strike over plans to transfer officials between sites in Brussels and Luxembourg.

Union Syndicale and Féderation de la Fonction Publique Européenne have warned reform chief Neil Kinnock that they will take industrial action at the Commission's offices in Luxembourg unless he promises to give them more say over the moves, which are being proposed to improve the effectiveness of the institution's work.

"Staff are very concerned because the Commission wants to do this without talking to anyone," said one official from Union Syndicale.

Staff unions say unless Kinnock convinces them at a general meeting tomorrow (12 January) that he intends to be more open over his plans they will close down Commission offices in Luxembourg. This is the first time the unions have threatened to go on strike since Kinnock launched his reform drive in September 1999 and reflects growing unease as he prepares a series of controversial schemes to modernise working practices.

Unions say the Commission's presence in the Grand Duchy could be jeopardised if Kinnock decides to move parts of some departments back to Brussels, leaving only independent agencies at the Kirchberg site. They claim that Kinnock has put pressure on Alain Chantraine, an official from the EU's statistical office, Eurostat, who was asked to draw up an independent report on the future of the Commission's activities in Luxembourg.

But Commission officials reject the group's criticisms, dismissing suggestions that Kinnock had refused to consult the unions about his plans.

"We don't understand their complaint because the Commission does not have an official position yet," one civil servant said, pointing out that the full Commission is not due to finalise its plans on the future of Luxembourg until the end of January. The aide stressed that the Chantraine report only outlined the options and did not represent Kinnock's final decision.

"There will be full consultations with the unions once the Commission has decided its position," the official said.

Kinnock asked Chantraine to draw up a study last July as part of the overall efforts to improve the organisation's effectiveness. The Eurostat official concluded that most of the Commission's existing operations should remain in Luxembourg but advised Kinnock to consider bringing some sections - such as part of the economics and finance department - back to Brussels.

Kinnock cannot cut back the number of officials working at the Commission's second biggest site because of a 34-year-old agreement with the Luxembourg government. But aides working on staff reforms say unions are worried about personnel being forced to uproot and move if Kinnock decides to reunite departments which are currently split between Luxembourg and Brussels.

Two of the European Commission's biggest staff unions have threatened to strike over plans to transfer officials between sites in Brussels and Luxembourg. Union Syndicale and Féderation de la Fonction Publique Européenne have warned reform chief Neil Kinnock that they will take industrial action at the Commission's offices in Luxembourg unless he promises to give them more say over the moves, which are being proposed to improve the effectiveness of the institution's work.

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