A Dublin-based employee, who claims she has been demoted and discriminated against, is bringing an equal pay case against the European Commission, writes Padraig Yeates, Industry and Employment Correspondent. The employee has worked with the Commission for over a decade.
The High Court case highlights major discrepancies in pay, working conditions and career prospects of "local agents" recruited in member-states and centrally recruited fonctionnaires. These can earn up to £20,000 a year more than local agents for similar work, as well as lower tax rates and concessions not available to other workers in the EU.
The case arose out of a claim by SIPTU members for better pay dating from 1996. The union members were seeking greater parity between themselves as local agents and fonctionnaires working in the Commission's Dublin office.
The Commission has resisted all attempts by SIPTU to obtain recognition as a union representing Irish staff.
Last Friday the EC chef de cabinet for press and communications, Mr Jonathan Faull, met local agents in the Dublin office. It is understood he told them the Commission could do nothing until the High Court action was resolved. There are about 17,000 fonctionnaires and only 200 local agents.