European Parliament's Stagiaire Association: Content / / Working Group 1

Working Group 1 - Working Conditions

Fighting to improve the working conditions of all EP Stagiaires

A General Introduction

The European Parliament's Stagiaire Association is divided into 3 working groups who each work on a specific aspect of the Stagiaire Association's mission. Meeting in between the plenary sessions, the working groups are open to all stagiaires who can attend whenever their work allows them to.

Working groups are run and managed by a member of the Steering Committee. The results of the working group's on-going work are presented regularly at the meetings of the Steering Committee and once per month to all stagiaires during the Plenary Meetings. The meeting days and times vary and are dependent on the chair of the working group.

Each working group maintains a mailing list which is the responsibility of the Steering Committee member. Through it meeting announcements and other documents for meetings are sent... but since the creation of the Association's website they are now also available online.

Working Group 1 - Working Conditions

The most political of the working groups, the Working Conditions Working Group, also known as Working Group 1, is tasked with the improvement of working conditions for all stagiaires.

In the European Parliament, many stagiaires not only have the right academic qualifications to be employed, they also do equivalent work of Parliamentary assistants and employees. However, remuneration varies wildly between the Secretariat, the Political Groups, and individual MEPs.

Stagiaires exist in order to receive training and it is for this reason that they are normally not entitled to the rights, privileges, and responsibilities of an employee. However, the training offered to stagiaires can often be poor or non-existent in the European Parliament. In this situation, the stagiaire isn't receiving his/her due share for work rendered.

Stagiaires from non EU Member States experience great difficulty in acquiring visas. Other stagiaires have difficulty understanding the medical insurance system... etc. Some stagiaires do not even have a contract.

From the minor annoyances to major issues that seriously prevent the stagiaire from fully enjoying their stage in the European Parliament, the Stagiaire Association is committed to improving the working conditions to ensure that the minimum standards in the European Parliament are raised to a level that guarantees each and every stagiaire will be happy with their working conditions.

With so many different things to consider the Working Group has thus far concentrated its effort on the creation of an 'ideal contract' which could be distributed to all MEPs and Political Groups to ensure that the contracts they issue to stagiaires meets their needs. We are also attempting to get into contact with the decision-makers in order to discuss a change in the access rights given to stagiaire badges. Further, in the light of the nature of the work we are in touch with various trade unions and Generation Precaire working on behalf of stagiaire rights.

2010 September

Welcome

Latest Discussions

Online

Search European Parliament's Stagiaire Association

Go to the EP website

EPSA Information Partners