An apple is an apple and not a pear. We must not confuse them!
We are European civil servants and, as such, international staff. The vast majority of us have left our country of origin, our family and friends for Europe and not for our country’s public service.
Although our salaries are linked to the Brussels index (for 40%) and to the national indices of certain Member States, we must compare like with like.
In order to remain consistent with surveys which it itself has launched, our administration must compare our salaries with those offered by other international organisations and those offered in the multinational sector. In no event should they be compared with those of national administrations.
Does the Commission intend to let the Council impose adapted salary rules or will it have the courage to ascertain and check the consistency of the salary policies of international civil servants and multinationals with the salary policy within our European institutions?
Will the Commission demonstrate to the Council that are salaries are not too high and emphasise that our salaries are “all inclusive”, without a 13th month, without a holiday bonus, without luncheon vouchers, without a company car, without tax deductions, etc.?
After the numerous disguised salary cuts must we accept the European civil service being made even less attractive?
Here are some examples of this and the list of sacrifices is long:
- Recruitment at a lower salary level (AST 1 = former D 4, AD 5 = formerB5),
- Empty grades and career extensions,
- Fewer steps (5 instead of 8),
- Transformation of the crisis levy into a permanent special levy,
- Changes to schooling allowances,
- Use of the country weighting instead of the capital weighting,
- Changes concerning the pensions of staff who did not have 20 years of services or had reached the age of 50 on 1st May 2004: annual accrual rate of 1.9% instead of 2%, etc. etc.
We have had enough of being held in low esteem and criticised.