WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1769/98 by Mihail PAPAYANNAKIS to the Commission. Sewerage and sewage treatment system in Old Kavalla
11. 12. 98 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 386/157 (98/C 386/215) WRITTEN QUESTION E-1755/98 by Richard Corbett (PSE) to the Commission (5 June 1998) Subject: Strike by Commission staff Can the Commission confirm that its staff was out on strike on 30 April? Is it true that this strike was not over any specific proposal but over a consultation document on which staff views were sought and welcome? Does the Commission consider that a strike is warranted in such a situation? Is it aware of the impact on public opinion, in particular as the date of the strike, immediately prior to a public holiday, effectively gave staff a 4 › day weekend? What was the result of the ballot on whether to strike? Answer given by Mr Liikanen on behalf of the Commission (29 June 1998) There was a strike in the Commission on 30 April 1998. At the heart of the conflict was an issues paper, which had no official status. There was no Commission proposal concerning the staff regulations. Comments were welcomed on the issues paper, which was made available to the staff via the Intranet of the Commission. Because the strike was directed at the Commission, the Commission declines to say whether it was warranted. The strike preceded a public holiday and the weekend when the European Council decided on the participants in the third phase of economic and monetary union. There were some critical articles in the media about the staff issues of the Commission. The resolution to strike in case of failure of the negotiations was voted by a general assembly of the personnel organised by the trade unions. To the knowledge of the Commission, the clear majority of the personnel present at the general assembly voted for the resolution. The exact result is unknown, however, since no ballot papers were used. (98/C 386/216) WRITTEN QUESTION E-1769/98 by Mihail Papayannakis (GUE/NGL) to the Commission (5 June 1998) Subject: Sewerage and sewage treatment system in Old Kavalla The Eastern Macedonia Department of the Technical Chamber of Greece claims that the drains and pumping stations for the sewage system in Old Kavalla have been built in the waterfront area as opposed to the approved study, which provided for them to be built higher up, on stable ground and away from the waterfront. Given that: › the project is funded from Community resources, › the construction of the system in the waterfront area, in an exceptional summer resort such as Old Kavalla, creates environmental problems and deprives the public of free access to and use of the waterfront and the beach, › there is a constant threat to the system from rough seas (in the winter of 1996-1997 a section of the drains was swept away),