Friday, September 10, 2010

Wanna go to a theme park?

Then join up to your friendly EU civil service trade union. Yes the FFPE or the Federation de la Fonction Publique Europeene to give it its full name is having a day out.

EU civil service unions, campaigning on the issues that really matter.

Here we have an example,

The FFPE would now like the Commission to show the same interest and concern towards its own officials through improving the quality of the meals and sandwiches offered in its canteens and cafeterias which, for the moment, are often of poor quality...
You ever eaten in the various EU institutions? No? Not a bad caf I can tell you.
This is what we must have,
Ÿ healthier meals which eliminate deep frying and frozen foods in favour of truly balanced meals using mainly fresh vegetables and fruit;

Ÿ systematic inclusion of a 'plat du jour' of bio (organic) food and offers a low calorie dish which is changed on a daily basis!

Ÿ a wider diversity of real vegetarian dishes at similar prices to the "plat du jour";

Ÿ detailed labelling of ingredients (particularly for our colleagues who suffer from food allergies, intolerance or other related medical issues);

Ÿ total use of materials which are biodegradable or fully recyclable as well as posing no risk to public health (as has been the case for the replacement of the white polystyrene cups);

Ÿ the possibility of having lunch after 13:30 with a full range of dishes which is currently far from the case in all self-service restaurants;

Too right,

Maybe you have an issue with harrasment at work

the victim is hindered or limited in its opportunities to maintain normal social relationships with his/her colleagues;
The victim experiences difficulties in preserving its reputation;
The victim is bullied in its professional career by being given petty tasks or tasks exceeding its competence;
the victim's health is affected due to non- respect for its human dignity;
the victim is subject to abuse of power or perverse manipulation;
the victim is subject to sexual or sexually connotated remarks or acts.

Now of course some of this is basic stuff, but I love the idea that it is wrong to ask people to do too much or too little, or indeed having difficulties in preserving their reputation. Or maintaining normal social relationships... they are Eurocrats for pities sake.



3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Gawain,

They are Eurocrats, but that doesn't mean that they don't have the same human needs as everyone else in society.

The food and service in the Parliament's canteens is a bad joke on most days.

There's plently that can done to improve the workplace conditions and I'm grateful that soem people do make an effort to campaign for improvement.

Nick

Gawain Towler said...

Nick,

On food that is bunkum. The canteens are head and shoulders above any work canteen I have ever visited. At some institutions, I am thinking EIB for example, the food is magnificent, and priced way below similar food outside the subsidy zone.

In the EP a steak cooked to order is 5 euro. Tell me where else you can get that?

Anonymous said...

Gawain,

On price, I agree with you. On quality, I have to say that the canteen at City University, London was far better that the European Parliament. I don't know about other institutions, so I can't comment on them.

Nick

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