Minister Wilmes responds to calls for independent bullying contact point in civil service

Two trade unions within the Independent Luxembourg Trade Union Confederation (OGBL) have called for an independent point of contact for cases of bullying within the civil service, citing their own survey data. According to the unions, over 60% of respondents reported that communication in their workplace is not always respectful, or is outright disrespectful.

When questioned on the matter, the Minister for the Civil Service, Serge Wilmes, acknowledged the importance of employee well-being. He pointed to two recent major surveys indicating that approximately 80% of civil servants describe their working conditions as good. While emphasising that all voices are taken seriously, Minister Wilmes expressed scepticism about creating a new contact point.

He detailed the existing procedure, which guarantees that cases of alleged misconduct are forwarded to a commissioner for the Disciplinary Commission. This commissioner conducts a neutral investigation for both the prosecution and defence. Following this, the case can be legally defined and passed to the Disciplinary Board for sanctions.

To further address the concerns, Minister Wilmes announced that a questionnaire will be distributed to various government directorates and personnel services. The results will form the basis for renewed talks with trade unions scheduled for the spring.

Shifting topics to his role as Minister of the Environment, Wilmes responded to criticism from the Ecological Movement (Mouveco) that he was not assertive enough with other ministers.

The minister noted that it is "evident that nature conservation groups, such as Mouveco, are always very critical of all environment ministers, regardless of their political affiliation, and it's no different for me." He stressed, however, that he maintains a "very constructive" relationship with the group, adding, "We sit down together to discuss individual issues, and it's quite normal that there isn't 100% unanimity."

Regarding his ministry's internal climate, Wilmes stated that the atmosphere is better than recent press reports have suggested. He also highlighted that, under his leadership, a satisfaction study was conducted within the ministry for the first time.