This document provides a non-exhaustive list of some articles, blog posts or videos published in November 2019 (sorted in reverse chronological order, not necessarily by relevance). Latest additions are highlighted in yellow:
 

• (Algemeen Dagblad - AD.nl published in paper version on 08/11/2019). “Personeel patentbureau is het zat”. Scan is available here.
   

• (Kluwer Patent Blog published on 08/11/2019). “Protest in The Hague against deteriorating working conditions at the European Patent Office”. Translations are available in German and French.

• (Omroep West published on 07/11/2019). “Medewerkers octrooibureau weer in opstand om angstcultuur: 'President gaat de dialoog niet aan'”. To view and or download the TV West broadcast about the protest in The Hague, click here. The full Tv West broadcast can be viewed here (frame about the EPO starts at 11:20 and ends at 12:00). Translations are available in English, German and French.

• (Rijswijks Dagblad published on 07/11/2019). “Personeel EuropeesOctrooibureau protesteert”

 

 

Other press articles published related to Work/Labour - UPC - Unitary Patent - ILOAT etc.,

 

 

This document provides a non-exhaustive list of some articles, blog posts or videos published in October 2019 (sorted in reverse chronological order, not necessarily by relevance). Latest additions are highlighted in yellow:

• (Springer-NanoEthics 31-10-2019 first online 22 July 2019). “RRI and Patenting: a Study of European Patent Governance”. If you have become curious and want to read the full study, the document in PDF format can be found here.

• (Kluwer Patent Blog published on 06-10-2019). “DE, UK, EPO: A Few Thoughts on Constitutional Matters”.

• (Kluwer Patent Blog published on 04-10-2019). “EPO president Campinos still has to show he is serious about restoring social peace”. Translations are available in German and French.

 

Other press articles published related to Work/Labour - UPC - Unitary Patent - ILOAT etc.,

 

On 23 and 24 October the EPO Budget and Finance Committee will meet in Munich. On the agenda are CA/83/19 and CA/84/19.

Despite the excellent performance of staff during the last years, these documents foresee an unprecedented set of punitive measures, among which:

• A further increase of productivity of 31% for formalities staff and 23% for examining staff, the latter on top of the + 36% already achieved,

• A reduction of the salary progression and a further reduction of the career perspectives for all but the happy few, additionally

• The introduction of a “solidarity tax” (solidarity with whom?) of up to 9% on salaries and pensions, and

• An up to 25% reduction of the pension accrual despite an up to 10% increase in the pension contribution by staff,

• With the further hundreds of millions in cash surpluses thus generated annually to be stashed away in an obscure “EPO Treasury Investment Fund” (EPOTIF).

Is this a just reward for staff’s performance?

Is this in the interest of the EPO and its stakeholders?

Please join us for a demonstration in front of the Isar building if you don’t think so !

Read more here.

 

 

This document provides a non-exhaustive list of some articles, blog posts or videos published in August 2019 (sorted in reverse chronological order, not necessarily by relevance). Latest additions are highlighted in yellow:

 

Other press articles published related to Work/Labour - UPC - Unitary Patent - ILOAT etc.,

• (Kluwer Patent Blog published on 16-08-2019). “Germany will not ratify UPCA as long as consequences Brexit are not known”.

• (Finanzen.net published on 06-08-2019). "Regierung sieht Brexit als Bremse für europäisches Patentgericht".

 

This document provides a non-exhaustive list of some articles, blog posts or videos published in July 2019 (sorted in reverse chronological order, not necessarily by relevance). Latest additions are highlighted in yellow:
 

• (IPPro Magazine published on 10-07-2019). "EPO reports better user satisfaction despite overshadowing concerns“. Translations are available in German and French.

• (JUVE Patent published on 03-07-2019). "EPO customers want Michelin-star service". Translations are available in German and French.

 

Other press articles published related to Work/Labour - UPC - Unitary Patent - ILOAT etc.

 

• (The Guardian published on 28-07-2019).  "Experts call for ban on glass skyscrapers to save energy in climate crisis”.

•  (The Guardian published on 08-07-2019). "Workplace bullying trial that shocked France draws to close".
   

   

This document provides a non-exhaustive list of some articles, blog posts or videos published in June 2019 (sorted in reverse chronological order, not necessarily by relevance). Latest additions are highlighted in yellow:

• (Managing Intellectual Property published on 28-06-2019). "Lawyers urge EPO for quality as new plan branded propaganda". (Article behind paywall) - Link to .pdf (password protected).

• (JUVE Patent published on 27-06-2019). "Administrative Council adopts Campinos’ new EPO strategy".

• (Kluwer Patent Blog published on 28-06-2019). "European Patent Office publishes Strategic Plan 2023".

• (IPPro Magazine published on 25-06-2019). "CSC: Quick fixes would help ‘alarmingly slow’ EPO social dialogue changes". Translations are available in German and French.

• (Kluwer Patent Blog published on 24-06-2019). "No strike, little progress in restoring social peace at the European Patent Office". Translations available in German and French.

• (IPPro Magazine published on 06-06-2019). "SUEPO calls off EPO strike".

• (IPPro Magazine published on 05-06-2019). "USF resolution attempts to mediate EPO staff crisis".
   

Other press articles published related to Work/Labour - UPC - Unitary Patent - ILOAT etc.

 

• (Die Zeit published in May 2019 - Author Louis Lewitan). "Emotionale Analphabeten". Article behind paywall. The PDF version of the article is available here (restricted area).

• (NRC.nl published on 04-06-2019). "‘Het drukke open kantoor is het duurste kantoor dat er is’". Translations are available in English, German and French.

• (thejapantimes.co.jp published on 02-06-2019). "Step up the fight against power harassment".

Union Syndicale Fédérale (USF) Emergency Resolution

 

The Member Organisations of Union Syndicale Fédérale, gathered in Congress in Bratislava, adopted on 2 June 2019 an emergency resolution on the situation of EPO staff and the unfair treatment of SUEPO trade unionists. Adopted unanimously, this emergency resolution was forwarded to the Director and the Governing Board of the EPO as soon as the Congress closed. Read more, here.


The German translation of the USF emergency resolution can be read here.

Lien vers le site français de l'USF:
Résolution d’urgence OEB

On 23 May 2019, the Federation of International Civil Service Associations (FICSA) wrote a letter to Campinos expressing concern about the continuing irregularities in the treatment of EPO staff.

For more coverage of FICSA's letter, read here. Translations are available in German and French.
 

 

This document provides a non-exhaustive list of some articles, blog posts or videos published in May 2019 (sorted in reverse chronological order, not necessarily by relevance). Latest additions are highlighted in yellow:

• (Kluwer Patent Blog published on 24-05-2019). "Union calls for strike at the EPO, first time since president António Campinos took office". Translations are available in German and French.

• (IPPro Magazine, published on 23-05-2019 - Author Barney Dixon). "SUEPO calls for strike after ‘disappointing’ Campinos meeting". Translations are available in German and French.

• (IPPro Magazine published on 21-05-2019 - Author Barney Dixon). "SUEPO meets with EPO president for MoU discussion". Translations are available in German and French.

• (Kluwer Patent Blog published on 16-05-2019 - Author Thorsten Bausch / Hoffmann Eitle). "Es gibt nichts Gutes. Außer man tut es. Both within and outside the EPO".

• (Kluwer Patent Blog published on 07-05-2019 - Author Thorsten Bausch / Hoffmann Eitle). "Germany: Why Does So Much Take So Long?".

• (IPPro Magazine published on 02-05-2019 - Author Barney Dixon & Ben Wodecki). "EPO Boards of Appeal ‘well on track to reach backlog target’, claims report". Translations are available in German and French.

 

Other press articles published related to Work/Labour - UPC - Unitary Patent - ILOAT etc.

• (World Health Organization WHO published on 28-05-2019). "Burn-out an "occupational phenomenon": International Classification of Diseases".

• (Les voix du monde published on 28-05-2019 - Author Caroline Paré). "Risques psychosociaux".

• (The Guardian published on 22-05-2019 - Author Mark Sweney). "BT targeting older staff in job cuts, says union".

• (Mediapart.fr published on 21-05-2019 - Author Dan Israel). "Quand France Télécom se débarrassait des «fruits trop mûrs ou pourris»".

• (Challenges.fr published on 20-05-2019 - Author Anne Tezenas). "Burn-out: "il y a un gros problème de management à la française", selon Patrick Légeron".

• (Mediapart.fr published on 17-05-2019 - Author Martine Orange). "Au procès, les ex-dirigeants de France Télécom jouent sur les mots".

• (European Social Partner's statement published on 08-05-2019). "Statement on the Rule of Law".  PDF version available here.

• (Mediapart.fr published on 11-05-2019 - Author Rachida El Azzouzi). "Procès des suicides à France Télécom: une direction sourde et sans remords".

• (Heise Online published on 08-05-2019 - Author Thomas Pany). "France Télécom: Die Angestellten wissen lassen, dass sie Nullen sind".

• (France Inter published on 06-05-2019 - Author Ouafia Kheniche). "“On banalise les actes suicidaires en entreprise” selon un expert, témoin au procès France Télécom".

• (L'humanité published on 06-05-2019 - Author Cécile Rousseau). "Danièle Linhart « Un cadre m’a dit : “Je suis là pour faire oublier les valeurs de service public” »".

 

EOB: USF once again warns EPO director on worrying results of internal survey

 

 

With a letter dated 26 November 2018 and a reminder dated 29 January 2019, USF drew Mr Campinos’ attention to the negative perception of the abusive – and for several of them still unresolved – disciplinary cases against staff or union representatives at the EPO and the personal suffering the situation still entails. In the meantime, a survey has been run at the EPO which seems to reveal/shows very worrying results calling for an analysis to be run jointly by the EPO President and the EPO staff representation / SUEPO.

• Letter from USF Pres. to Mr Campinos Dir. of EOB 29 April 2019. Translations are available in German and French.

Lien vers le site français de l'USF: 

L’USF met en garde le directeur de l’OEB sur les résultats inquiétants d’une enquête interne