Nurseries : unsustainable situation in regards of the heat wave : what does the OIB plan to do ?

Last summer, temperatures and humidity levels at our nurseries and day-care centres peaked at levels that made working conditions there unsustainable.

Needless to say, if the heat was unbearable for our colleagues, they must have been even more so for the children.

By way of an example, on 4 July 2018 the Clovis nursery recorded a temperature of 31°C at a humidity rate of 47,7%.

When the staff representatives, in particular via the Brussels Local Staff Committee, had intervened to call for action to mitigate this situation, OIB responded by taking completely inadequate, at times even ridiculous measures. We kindly remind that OIB’s “aim is to ensure a functional, safe and comfortable workplace for all those working for the Commission, and to provide good quality support and well-being services, based on a client-oriented approach, in an environmentally-friendly and cost-effective way.

We were told, however, that it was not possible to take appropriate countermeasures at short notice once a heatwave had already begun.

That might be so, but in that case, the time to start preparations ahead of the next hot season is now. We ask thus, what is the OIB planning to do in order to make the situation in the nurseries less unsustainable due to the following heat wave ?

Union Syndicale would be grateful if you could inform staff about the measures OIB intends to put in place in order to avoid the recurrence of this situation.

cc :
M. Oettinger, Membre de la Commission
Mme Souka, Directeur général DG HR
M. Trujllo, Président du C.L.P. Bruxelles
M. Caballero Bassedas, Président C.P.P.T.

Juan-Pedro Perez Escanilla – Secretary General Union Syndicale Brussels