Cern staffers lend support to patent officials

The staff association at Cern has encouraged its researchers to show solidarity with employees of the European Patent Office, amid accusations of aggressive management and firings.

In a briefing on 28 November, the staff association at Cern, which is the European Organization for Nuclear Research, denounced what it described as a “climate of fear and anxiety” at the EPO resulting from management action.

“This practice of retaliation against the personnel and its delegates are completely unspeakable and are an abuse of authority,” wrote the association. “They must be denounced with the strongest determination across all international and European organisations.”