The demonstration started in front of the EPO's headquarters today (January 20) at 12.30 and the protesters will march to the Bayerische Staatskanzlei.
A flyer published by SUEPO (a copy of which has been obtained by Managing IP), details what the union calls the "unjustified disciplinary measures" taken against three staff members, all current or former SUEPO officials; Ion Brumme, Elizabeth Hardon and Malika Weaver.
But it adds that these measures "are only a small part of the problems generated by the Battistelli administration". It claims that the president's "misguided efficiency drive" will have an impact on "the functioning of the EPO, and on the European patent system as a whole".
SUEPO is demanding: a return to the rule of law, freedom of association and appropriate, good faith negotiation of the staff work package. It says it will continue to stage demonstrations until these demands are met.
In an interview with Managing IP published in December, Battistelli dismissed the recent staff demonstrations, saying: "The number of people demonstrating are much lower than the figures which are circulating. In any professional entity, if you want to oppose anything you organise a strike. But this year there has not been a single day of strikes, compared to 22 days last year under the same rules. It is because SUEPO knows strikes will not be supported by a significant part of the staff. They prefer to organise demonstrations because it doesn't cost anything: you walk for half an hour in the street, you attract media attention and that's it."
He also said that he was taking steps to recognise SUEPO as "a social partner".
