{"id":186,"date":"2019-09-14T19:50:35","date_gmt":"2019-09-14T17:50:35","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.ipso.de\/wordpress\/?p=186"},"modified":"2019-10-24T11:16:19","modified_gmt":"2019-10-24T09:16:19","slug":"open-letter-to-the-future-ecb-president","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ipso.de\/wordpress\/2019\/09\/14\/open-letter-to-the-future-ecb-president\/","title":{"rendered":"Open letter to the future ECB president"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Tension is increasing at the ECB. A letter from the ECB staff Union IPSO to Mario Draghi\u2019s successor<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Opaque working contracts, temporary workers, burnout, outsourcing, little or no staff involvement \u2013 nobody assumes such grievances in one of the leading institutions in Europe, the European Central Bank (ECB) whose headquarters are in Frankfurt am Main. A look behind the scenes from the perspective of IPSO, the ECB trade union.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

An exemplary behaviour is usually expected from EU institutions. Transparent, open to dialogue and dedicated to its mission. It is not always the case though, as shown in an open letter from the ECB staff union. IPSO addresses directly Mario Draghi\u2019s potential successor and indicates in clear words \u201cthat the ECB Governing Council is endowed with practically unlimited power vis-\u00e0-vis its staff, which allows it to unilaterally change the Conditions of Employment as it sees fit.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The situation has changed \u2013 unfortunately not\nfor the best<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Time-limited\nworking contracts are causing significant staff turnover. Currently nearly half\nthe employees are working on the basis of time-limited contracts. IPSO sees an\noperational risk for the Bank.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stability? Only one third with unlimited\ncontracts<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The open\nletter also reveals what the contractual situation at the ECB looks like.\n\u201cAround one third of the people at the ECB do not even have a direct employment\nrelationship with the ECB.\u201d These are external staff and contract workers. From\nthose directly employed by the ECB, about half are sitting on time limited\ncontracts. This proportion is extremely unusual for a public institution such\nas a central bank according to the staff union. It is not consistent with the\nECB\u2019s long term goal of stability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pressure on staff is mounting<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A situation\nwhich derives at least in part from the inherent conflict of interests of the\nNational Central Banks\u2019 presidents: In order to secure the number of employees\nin their own institutions in the long run, they prefer to put the ECB labour\nforces under strain. Even if the number of burnout-related illnesses increases\nas pointed out in a staff survey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hope for improvement under new president<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

IPSO calls\non the president to be appointed to do \u201cwhatever it takes\u201d to improve the\nsituation inside the ECB and to set up a reasonable staff participation system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n