Frequently Asked Questions

Here we answer a number of frequently asked questions. Send an e-mail to Gieljan de Vries for other questions.

FAQ: general questions

Why is the FOM Institute for Plasma Physics Rijnhuizen being relocated?
FOM wants to expand Rijnhuizen into a national coordinating institute for fundamental energy research located at a university campus. This institute will be an important partner for leading Dutch and international research institutes and for the commercial sector. The aim fits within the strategy of FOM to cultivate strong links between its institutes and other Dutch knowledge institutes. The new institute will remain an independent FOM institute containing one or more workgroups that will be contributed by the partner university.

How was the new location chosen?
In January 2010, the governing boards of the Dutch universities received an invitation letter from FOM, in which they were asked to sketch a creative vision for the added value that their university environment could provide for the expansion of the institute and its national leading role in the area of fundamental energy research.

After considering the various offers made, a selection committee advised the FOM Executive Board to relocate Rijnhuizen to the campus of Eindhoven University of Technology with extra focus groups housed at other university institutes. The infrared free electron laser facility FELIX/FELICE that is currently still part of Rijnhuizen, will relocate to Radboud University Nijmegen and become part of that university.

What will the new institute be called?
At present it only has a working title. The original working title FIER (FOM Institute for Energy Research) has been abandoned and replaced by DIFFER (Dutch Institute For Fundamental Energy Research). 

When will the relocation take place?
The aim is to move to the new location at the TU/e campus between 2014 and 2015, where a new building will be constructed to house the FOM institute. The relocation of FELIX/FELICE will take place earlier; according to the current planning this department will move in 2012 to the new location at Radboud University Nijmegen where it will become fully operational in 2013. 

FAQ: Employment terms and legal position plan (RAP)

What are the starting points of the RAP?
Right from the first announcement of the plans to relocate to a university campus it was stated that: "everybody can come". Everybody can come is a guarantee for the FOM employees involved. Everybody can come is also a necessity for the FOM organisation. The experience and expertise of the current employees at Rijnhuizen provides the firm foundation needed to allow the institute at the TU/e campus to grow into the successful main location for the new institute for fundamental energy research.

FOM will do everything possible to ease the effects of this change in location for the employees involved by providing a customised package of financial measures from which the employees concerned can make the choice that best suits their personal circumstances. A transitional period for additional travel costs and travel time, a reimbursement for relocation costs and for everybody a general reimbursement of costs.
 
Will I receive a personal consultation about the RAP?
As soon as the text of the RAP has been formally ratified, its contents will be discussed with each employee on several occasions. These meetings will be between the employee and his/her boss and a member of P&O will also be present. The first meeting will take place shortly after the summer holiday of 2010. The aim is to provide information about and an explanation of the plan and to gain an impression of how the measures in the plan match the personal circumstances of the employee. The conversation will focus on an exchange of information so that the employee can fully consider his or her situation. No decisions will be taken during that meeting and the employee does not have to make any choices known.

At a later date, further individual consultations will be held. In these later meetings the aim is to reach provisional agreements (which do not bind the employee) concerning the measures that will be applied in an individual situation. Final agreement will be reached at a date no later than six months preceding the date on which the relocation is to take place.
 
Why are direct negotiations taking place with the trade unions instead of with the works council?
In the so-called Social Policy Framework (SBK), agreements have been made regarding the consultation between the employees' organisations   and employers from the NWO umbrella group under which FOM falls. Although a relocation is not a change which is described in that SBK, comparisons can nevertheless be drawn which lead to the conclusion that the employees' organisations are the designated negotiating partner in this case. In particular, it is important that a plan agreed upon with the employees' organisations has a formal status comparable to that of the collective labour agreement (CAO).
 
How will the negotiation process concerning the RAP proceed?

1. The employer will write a draft version of the employment terms and legal position plan. For the personnel at Rijnhuizen two plans will be drawn up; one of the personnel who will relocate to Eindhoven and a separate plan for the staff of the GUTHz department.
2. The employer will send this plan to the trade unions who participated in the CAO negotiations (AbvaKabo, AC, CNV and CMHF).
3. This plan will serve as a consultative document for the negotiations between the trade unions and the employer.
4. The negotiation result achieved will be submitted for approval to the members of the trade unions that participated in the CAO negotiations.
5. The members may approve or reject the plan.
6. If the plan is approved then it will become the plan that applies to all personnel.
7. If the plan is rejected, various scenarios are possible.
   a. The unions go back to the negotiating table to try to reach a better result.
   b. The employer sticks to the proposed RAP.

An approved plan still has to be submitted for advice to the central works council (COR), which will be advised by the CRR (a combination of COR and the Rijnhuizen works council (ORR)).