Minister for the Civil Service, Serge Wilmes, addressed the recent protest organised by the General Confederation of the Civil Service (CGFP) during an interview with our colleagues from RTL Radio on Tuesday morning.

Following a significant demonstration on Monday evening, Minister Wilmes sat down with RTL Radio to discuss the CGFP's claims regarding the government's alleged failure to uphold a salary agreement. The agreement, negotiated by the previous government in 2022, notably abolished the evaluation system introduced in the civil service in 2015. However, the CGFP contends that the reintroduction of the evaluation system in the military represents a breach of this agreement.

"We are talking about two different systems"

In response to these assertions, Minister Wilmes emphasised the distinction between the two systems, stating that they are not directly comparable. He reaffirmed the government's commitment to the 2022 salary agreement, which abolished the 2015 evaluation system. According to the minister, there can therefore be no question of a breach of contract, only of respecting the contract.

Wilmes argued that the evaluation system implemented in the military, which has been in place for over 70 years, operates independently from the civil service framework. He underscored that these are distinct systems and were not part of the negotiations in 2022. According to Wilmes, former government officials have corroborated this position, affirming that military matters were not included in the discussions surrounding the 2022 agreement.

"There are other important issues"

Wilmes also finds it "interesting" that CGFP representatives did not address this issue when they were invited to Senningen Castle as part of the coalition negotiations. Wilmes suggested that the CGFP may have painted itself into a corner with its current stance. He cautioned that focusing solely on this issue could overshadow critical discussions on vital reforms within the civil service.

Highlighting key areas slated for reform, Wilmes underscored the importance of addressing topics such as remote work, the standardisation of lower-level career paths, and digitalisation. These reforms, he emphasised, are crucial and warrant thorough consideration. Despite current disagreements, Wilmes reiterated the government's reliance on the CGFP as a partner in these discussions, reaffirming his commitment to maintaining an open dialogue with the trade union.

In response to the CGFP's accusation of his perceived absence, Wilmes refuted the claim, stating that he has engaged in numerous meetings with the trade union. He reiterated his accessibility, emphasising that his door remains open for further dialogue. Wilmes concluded by asserting that "in a democracy, you have to accept that people sometimes disagree."