EPSU supports the Staff Union of the European Patent Office, 7 April

This week, General Secretary Jan Willem Goudriaan sent a letter of solidarity to SUEPO (Staff Union of the European Patent Office (EPO), whose members take industrial action on Thursday 7 April.

The letter reads:

Dear Colleagues,

I am writing to send you solidarity greetings from EPSU for your action on 7 April. We hope that the strike is solidly supported across all the European Patent Office sites. We have been following the dispute and keeping our affiliates informed (www.epsu.org/a/11984).

A victory in this dispute will be important not just for EPO employees and the two trade union representatives who were dismissed in January but will have broader implications in terms of social dialogue and collective bargaining rights in international institutions. It is a matter of major concern that the EPO management has been arguing that European and international rights do not apply to bodies like the EPO. A successful outcome for SUEPO will send a clear message that employees in international institutions will not be denied these rights.

Yours,

Jan Willem Goudriaan, EPSU General Secretary