Over the last few weeks, the media has paid a great deal of attention to the precarious situation of contractual staff at Ghent University, and the related issue of UGent’s regulations concerning their supplementary pensions. The trade unions and university management were holding intense talks on these matters. In response to the media coverage, UGent has announced that it wishes to arrive at a union negotiated solution for these problems before the start of the summer. ACOD remains convinced that such a negotiated solution with UGent management is not only highly desirable, but possible with regard to both the pensions and indefinite contracts.
Because we have received numerous questions regarding ACOD’s position on this matter, we wish to provide you with further information on this topic.
From ACOD’s point of view, these negotiations are really about three things:
1) A solution must be found with regard to the problem of the supplementary pensions
Each and every member of the contractual staff must receive a supplementary pension to augment their legal pensions, which are far too low. This is incredibly important for these staff members, as the legal pensions in Belgium for both employees in the private sector and contractual employees in the public sector are among the lowest in Europe.
ACOD’s opinion in this matter:
- a supplementary pension must be provided for all contractual staff at UGent that allows them to enjoy their well earned retirement in a dignified fashion;
- UGent needs to make a serious offer to those contractual staff that have thus far been excluded from a supplementary pension;
- UGent’s previous commitments concerning particular supplementary pensions cannot be changed.
2) A new approach is needed concerning indefinite contracts
At UGent, the majority of the contractual staff have temporary contracts, which is a very insecure form of employment. Long-term employment via a series of consecutive contracts of short duration is not only socially unacceptable, in many cases it is also simply illegal.
ACOD’s opinion in this matter:
- all contractual staff must be given indefinite contracts as a rule;
- UGent needs to organize inplacement in a structural way. It is unacceptable that staff members are fired "because there is no work" while elsewhere in the institution, a staff member is needed for a similar function. This would not only benefit the persons involved, but also UGent as a whole, by ensuring that experienced employees are not lost.
3) UGent’s career policy needs to be elaborated upon further and needs to be applied to all staff members, regardless of their contract or employment category
It is not acceptable that some staff members have limited career rights and opportunities because they have a temporary contract, while performing the same work as colleagues with an indefinite term of employment.
ACOD’s opinion in this matter:
- all staff members with temporary contracts need to be entitled to the same periodical increases of salary level as their indefinitely employed colleagues, under the same conditions concerning the requisite number of positive evaluations. The current situation, in which such a rise is dependent upon the goodwill or arbitrariness of the individuals with budgetary responsibilities is indefensible;
- the way in which new staff members are recruited must be revised. Correct procedures need to be followed, without the use of expensive external recruitment offices, regardless of the type of contract or employment on offer. The criteria and tests used for selection must be relevant for the vacant position;
- all administrative and technical contractual staff must be allowed to apply for internal vacancies for administrative and technical functions. It is unacceptable that some people may only apply during the third, external round of the employment procedure, even though they have already worked at UGent for years, regardless of their positive evaluations
ACOD is willing to accept the invitation of the university’s management and try to obtain, through negotiation, a solution that will benefit as many staff members as possible.
Should you have any further questions, you can contact us via e-mail: ACOD@UGent.be