Stand Up for your rights !

After two years of an unprecedented health crisis that hit the world and the European Union in particular in all respects (economic, financial and of course health), the impact of covid-19, alias ‘coronavirus’, is shrinking. Like the armed conflict in the east of the European continent, it adds to the older challenges faced by staff of the European institutions in Luxembourg:

• The attractiveness of the Luxembourg site, which is not improving with re-emerging inflation,
• The willingness of some to reform our Staff Regulations;
• The representation of the staff.

Since the 2019 elections, which saw the surge of a coalition, the Luxembourg Local Staff Committee has adopted a new way of working. Indeed, its main focus is: respect for the principles of cooperation, discussions, debates, consensus, rather than managing with a majority.

USF Luxembourg has joined forced the FFPE, U4U, TAO-AFI and SE/RD to deal with local and institutional problems, all of which bring their culture and  proposals to:

• ‘give back’ the Staff Committee to the Staff,
• make the voice of Luxembourg heard wherever is necessary.

That is how the interest of all Staff is better defended.

USF Luxembourg, an active member of Union Syndicale Fédérale (USF), will never hesitate to face and remind  the Authorities of their duties. Whether for an executive agency (Consumers, Health, Agriculture and Food Executive Agency – CHAFEA) or the 12 actions for the Luxembourg site.  It is clear that these measures affect the attractiveness of the site, people and increase precarious working conditions.

In recent years, we have seen a profound change in our working methods, working conditions and social relations. It’s a fact ! However, solidarity between staff and the defence of people within our trade unions should not be set aside. Indeed we remain stronger when together.

The Union Syndicale Fédérale is a federation of trade unions present in more than 20 institutions, agencies and places of employment. It is the only federation that has such a size and is able to cope with challenges.

By acting together,  the USF member organisations,  present in all the Institutions and places of work, send a clear and resolute political signal to all those who, outside and within the European Public Service, act, often together, to call into question the fundamentals of the European Civil Service and thereby undemine the further development of European integration. These organisations express their firm opposition to any questioning of the Staff Regulations and any attacks on European integration in Luxembourg and in other places of work.

There can be no European construction that brings peace and prosperity without an independent, competent, permanent and attractive European civil service. It is the agents who Europe every day because “there is only a wealth of man” (J. Bodin).

USF Luxembourg aims to help everyone make the song of Bob Marley, its action plan “Get up, stand up for your rights”.

Nicolas MAVRAGANIS

Chairman