Over 300 postmen and women who completed three years in armed forces are seeking to have their pay grades reviewed
An upgrade equivalent to that which other civil servants have been granted could amount to an increase in monthly salary of between around €1,380 and €1,610 for postal delivery workers
Some 320 postal delivery workers who completed three years of military service in order to land the job have filed complaints with the administrative court demanding a reclassification of their civil service pay grade.
The postal delivery workers’ trade union, Bréifdréieschgewerkschaft, announced the move on Wednesday, even though the complaints were filed by individual staff rather than through the union.
The postal delivery workers feel they have been discriminated against compared to other civil servants, such as customs officers, forestry workers or prison officers who, at the time, were also obliged to complete three years of military service.
“All [other] careers that have completed compulsory military service have received various salary improvements in recent years,” the union said, while stressing that it believed all of these increases in grade were merited.
Speaking on RTL on Wednesday, the union’s president Raymond Juchem suggested that the upgrade from level D2 to level C1 - which is what other civil servants have been granted - could amount to an increase in monthly salary of between around €1,380 and €1,610, depending on the employee’s level of education and entrance exam score.
A formal request for reclassification in April was rejected by Civil Service Minister Serge Wilmes.
Meanwhile, a new bill that would increase salaries by around €270 is currently going through the legislative process, but the union has already said that it is unsatisfactory.
The union said that the number of people involved gives the lawsuit greater significance. “We will fight to the bitter end,” Juchem said on Wednesday. He added that if they postal workers win their case - a decision from the court could take up to a year - it would have significant impact on the pensions as well as salaries of the plaintiffs.