© Pedro Venâncio
Hundreds of public service officials rallied in Dommeldange on Monday to protest against the government's plan to reintroduce an evaluation system in the Luxembourg Army, which they claim violates the 2022 salary agreement and threatens social peace.
On Monday evening, the General Confederation of the Civil Service (CGFP) held a protest rally in Dommeldange where officials underlined their dismay over the course of action set by the CSV-DP coalition. The trade union believes that a reintroduction of the evaluation system within the Luxembourg Army does not align with the terms of the 2022 salary agreement, which abolished such ratings across all public service branches.
Speaking to close to 800 CGFP members, both Romain Wolff and Steve Heiliger stressed their commitment to upholding social peace, which they think the government is putting at risk right now.
Heiliger, the secretary general of the CGFP, accused the government of arrogance: "Where is the social dialogue? Did not the Prime Minister, the self-proclaimed CEO of the government, state that a captain has to keep his ministers in line? Well, that moment has long arrived in this matter, dear colleagues. But, same as with the Public Service Minister, who seems to have disappeared somewhere, we no longer hear anything from the PM on this matter. Does he not realise that if he ignores the CGFP, then he shows that he does not care about public service?
Heiliger continued with a call to action: "Be ready for when we will need you. ... If the government does not change course, then there will be union and legal action on our side." Heiliger went on to elaborate why the trade union is decidedly against the army's evaluation system. It is a matter of principle, they argue, and the government is violating the salary agreement in a "flagrant" way.
The secretary general further warned that this is an unacceptable precedent since the trade union has shown itself willing to negotiate and work on a joint solution: "But this dialogue is unwanted. At least we have a different conception of what a healthy social dialogue is. And that is why we once again plea that the government sit down with us."
Officials drew attention to the fact that the government has also failed to consult trade unions during the housing roundtable, same as with the tax and pension reforms that were promised during the election campaign.
