Union actions on the decrease of Italy’s Correction Coefficients

Union actions on the decrease of Italy’s Correction Coefficients

Following the communication on salary adjustments (EUI Staff Note 7/2024) and the significant decrease in Italy’s correction coefficients (explained in Union news here), which has severely impacted both administrative and academic staff at the EUI, US-IUE Florence is actively advocating for meaningful measures to ensure fair treatment for EU and EUI staff working in Italy. This issue affects not only the EUI but also staff across EU institutions and agencies based in Italy. The Union firmly believes that corrective actions are necessary to ensure that the calculation of the correction coefficient reflects the real economic conditions of each duty station.

Joint efforts with EU Agencies and Unions

We extend our appreciation to our trade union network (US ETF, USI) for their collaboration with the Directors of EU agencies in Italy (ETF, EFSA, and JRC Ispra) in defending the rights of EU staff, preserving the attractiveness of Italy as a duty station, and addressing the sharp correction coefficient reduction.

Each year, EU salaries are adjusted based on the ‘Method’ outlined in Annex XI of the Staff Regulations. While we recognise the importance of this mechanism, we stress that the correction coefficient must remain a tool for fair salary adjustments rather than a mechanism that imposes disproportionate financial burdens on staff.

Request for a Family Budget Survey

US-IUE Florence fully supports ETF management’s outreach to other agencies and the EUI in calling on Eurostat and DGHR to launch a ‘Family Budget Survey’—a staff questionnaire used to collect data for recalculating the correction coefficient. We welcome the news that this request was granted for ETF, Ispra, and EFSA staff and strongly support extending this to the EUI.

We also acknowledge and appreciate EUI HR and COO’s engagement with the Union on this matter (meeting held on 9 January) and their commitment to coordinating the organisation of the Family Budget Survey for EUI staff. HR has confirmed that Eurostat will conduct the survey at the beginning of April 2025. It is crucial that staff complete the survey transparently and in full to ensure accurate data collection.

Next steps and ongoing actions

We support the EU agencies’ initiative to organise a collective meeting with the Director-General of Eurostat. In our Union-HR meeting on 21 February, HR confirmed that they will follow up with ETF for further updates on this initiative.

The Union is actively contributing to these efforts through:
– Ongoing collaboration with sister unions (USI and US ETF)
– Regular dialogue with EUI HR, including:

• 24 January: In-person Union-HR meeting to discuss the Family Budget Survey for EUI staff
• 28 January: Formal letter to HR inquiring whether Eurostat has been formally requested to conduct the survey for EUI staff

We remain committed to working with all stakeholders to mitigate the impact of the correction coefficient reduction and advocate for a fairer approach to future salary adjustments.