Membership

Membership form Domiciliation

Why should I become a member?

Union Syndicale Brussels represents all staff of the European Civil Service, regardless of nationality, creed, political views, grade or status. First created in 1973 by merger of two unions dating from the 1960’s, Union Syndicale Brussels today, with its 9,000 members, is the largest trade union in the European Institutions and the only one present and active in each. Thus, it can stand up to our multiple employers: the Council of Ministers, which decides the Staff Regulations and sets salaries, the European Parliament, part of the budgetary authority, and the College of Commissioners. Within the Commission, Union Syndicale Brussels is the single most representative of all trade unions, with members elected to every Section of the Staff Committee. It is also the only organization to be consistently active on behalf of all Delegation staff.

A History of Respect and Credibility

When representing staff, Union Syndicale Brussels uses constructive dialogue to pursue realistic objectives with commitment, determination and competence. It approaches negotiations with its homework done and is often better prepared than the other side. If dialogue fails, however, Union Syndicale Brussels has the resolve and ability to organise whatever action is necessary to reach agreement.

In its long history, Union Syndicale Brussels has won:

- Staff’s right in the Staff Regulations to belong to a trade union;
- Recognition in the Staff Regulations that unions can make agreements on behalf of staff, along with a procedure for negotiating conflicts and, if necessary, organising strike action;
- The successive Methods for adjusting official’s salaries: 1972, 1976, 1981, 1991 and 2004; from 1991 to 2004 salaries have risen by 35.6% without conflict.

In each example, Union Syndicale Brussels made the proposals, led the negotiations, organised strike action when necessary, concluded the agreement and ensured compliance.

The New Staff Regulations

In 2000, the Member States handed the new Prodi Commission two priorities: enlargement and reform.
New Staff Regulations, however unnecessary, were inevitable.
The question was, on whose terms: Mr. Kinnock’s or staff’s?

The only realistic choice, which Union Syndicale Brussels made, was to accept the responsibility of negotiating and the challenge of turning the inevitable to staff’s advantage. The struggle lasted three years, involving negotiating sometimes daily, and countering the demagogy and empty rhetoric of the unions that began the negotiations, abandoned them (and the defense of staff’s interests), only to rejoin them again to sign their agreement to the final package.

That package is not perfect; but it does safeguard the European Civil Service, preserves its essential entitlements and offers new, improved prospects.

Union Syndicale Brussels helps its members.

• Union Syndicale Brussels has experts who can explain the system, and ensure that its members are made aware of the rules in force in each institution.
• Union Syndicale Brussels is there to help and advise those of its members who experience problems, and to represent them in dealings with the administration if necessary, keeping individuals’ names out of it if they prefer.
• Union Syndicale Brussels can help its members with official applications, and lodging of complaints or appeals.
• Union Syndicale Brussels helps its members to make sure that they are given full credit for their professional capacities. Union Syndicale Brussels representatives on promotion committees, however, are impartial in providing assistance and support to all those eligible for promotion, whether union members or not.