‘Disgraceful’ conditions at the Berlaymont

By Martin Banks

Date: 09/12/04

THE European Commission's newly refurbished Berlaymont headquarters building has been dismissed as "all show" by staff who say they are forced to work in "disgraceful" conditions which pose a health risk.

The team of archivists in the star-shaped building has complained that they have to spend several hours per day working in rooms normally used for storage "which have been recycled into office space".

The staff, who are responsible for filing and storing documents say the rooms, in the basement (-4) of the building, do not have windows and have "insufficient" natural light and air-conditioning.

The sign-posting of emergency exits is described as "totally inadequate".

An EU staff union is now demanding that the 25 staff affected, who are mostly women, are moved to other offices.

Gina Dricot, political secretary of the union, Syndicat des Fonctionnaires Internationaux et Européens (SFIE), said: "While beautiful and magnificent spaces have been reserved for indoor plants in the Berlaymont, these people are working in totally unsuitable conditions.

"Apart from being obliged to work in such 'offices', the toilets are disgusting and staff have to endure permanent smells due to the use of various corrosive pipe-unblocking substances. Visitors cannot stand it for more than a few minutes but our colleagues have to work there for three to four-hour periods.

"Unfortunately, as they are relatively lower-grade officials it seems they are expected to work in such disgraceful conditions without complaint."

A flier put out by the SFIE ridicules an invitation from Michel Petite, head of the Commission's legal services, to suggest ideas on how "to make use of the central ball rooms", situated on every second floor of the Berlaymont.

"We suggest in turn that he should look into the working conditions of some of his officials and allocates them a suitable office space in conformity with the health and safety norms applicable in Belgium."

Petite told European Voice that the allegations were "unfair".

"I accept that we have experienced some problems with lighting and air conditioning, but we are currently trying to resolve these.

"These staff do have to work for part of the day in storage rooms which, because of the way the building is designed, have no natural light. But their actual offices have windows and are perfectly OK.

"There are some deficiencies and we have had to fine-tune a few things but, frankly, these comments are unfair," he said.

Article reports on bad working conditions in parts of the European Commission's newly refurbished Berlaymont building