Who are we and what makes staff join?

The first union branch at the European University Institute was established on 2 May 1977.

Very quickly, the opportunity to join the big European family arose through membership in Union Syndicale Fédérale, the European Public Service Trade Union.

The Institute officially recognised the organisation as being representative of the staff and signed a framework agreement in 1992.

Currently, the union numbers over 100 individuals, in other words, more than 50% of the Administrative Staff of the EUI. The US EUI Florence is the only union present at the European University Institute.

An Executive Board is elected by the members, according to the statutory rules, for a three-year term.

The US EUI Florence has the objective of defending both the individual and collective interests of all members of the staff, without distinction as to category (permanent or contract staff, active or retired) or nationality.

A process of consultation can be opened at any time at the request of either the EUI Authorities or the union, on any issue of general interest relating to the Staff and the Staff Regulations. This process takes shape in the form of a joint working group or separate meetings with the EUI Authorities (the President and the Secretary General). On all questions for which the Convention (which governs the founding of the EUI) assigns competence-in the last resort-to the High Council, a dialogue is created between the latter and the union.

In 2014, a consultation process was launched in order to proceed to the reform of the Staff Regulations. Ever since then, a joint working group has been discussing their implementation with regard to certain matters and the introduction of new rules.

The union aims to be an actor in the constant social dialogue with the Authorities, and to this end it also collaborates closely with the Staff Committee.

Being part of the family of the European public service by way of the USF means concretely sharing our experiences and building solidarity by participating in the meetings of the Federal Committee and in the Congresses, exchanging information that can be useful to all on common themes. It also means making ourselves known, as for instance in 2016 when we hosted our colleagues for a Federal Committee in Florence.

Joining US EUI Florence signifies no longer being merely a spectator undergoing the changes taking place around us, but anticipating them and becoming an actor to be better informed and construct the future: one’s own and that of others. You want assurances, accurate information, responses to concrete difficulties, personalised assistance, or even just to come out of your isolation-the US EUI Florence is there.

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Agnès Brouet
President of US EUI Firenze

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