Thank you, Philippe, and all the best for the journey ahead!

Philippe Trilhe, our friend and colleague in the Staff Association, will be going on leave before embarking on retirement. The Staff Association expresses a heartfelt thank you to Philippe for his unwavering commitment of 27 years!

Let us begin with a few important dates that have marked his journey within the Staff Association:

  • 1986: Philippe arrives at CERN and joins the Staff Association. Let us remind you that at the time joining the Staff Association was automatic and obligatory for all CERN staff members.
  • 1994: Philippe stands in the elections and begins his first term as a staff delegate. Over time, Philippe discovers the different internal commissions of the Staff Association, including the Individual Cases Commission and the Commission on Legal Matters, as well as the official bodies of CERN, such as Restaurant Supervisory Committee (CSR). According to Philippe, “It is a good thing to take part in several commissions and discover the work that they do… This way, everyone can find their place within the Staff Association”.
  • 1996: Philippe is invited to take part in the Executive Committee (CE) of the Staff Association (link).
  • 1998 : Philippe joins the Steering Committee of the Nursery School as Treasurer. He held this position for a year, and was then appointed the President of the Committee, a position he held until 30 September 2017.

Presidency of the EVEE Steering Committee

Children’s Day-Care Centre and School (EVEE) of the CERN Staff Association, often called the Nursery School, is a private structure under Swiss law destined for children from 4 months to 6 years old.

For 18 years, as a perfect business manager, Philippe was responsible for the operation of the CERN Staff Association’s Nursery School.

Supported by the employer, the Staff Association, Philippe contributed significantly to the development of the Nursery School by increasing the services offered to families in response to their expectations. This led to the creation of:

  • a canteen allowing children to eat on site at the structure in 2008;
  • a crèche for children from 4 months old in 2013;
  • a month-long summer camp (every year in July) in 2015.

As the manager of the structure, Philippe wanted to implement the concertation process, as applied at CERN, also to the Steering Committee in the framework of discussions between employees and the employer. That is why this concertation Committee exists today.

Concertation is important for us, delegates of the Association, and I am proud to say that in the past 18 years, the Children’s Day-Care Centre and School has never been shaken by social movements.

Moreover, inspired by the collective agreements in force in the Canton, Philippe always strived to ensure that the prevailing financial and social conditions in Geneva be applied to the structure.

And yet, even though the management duties were exciting, it has not always been an easy task!

Indeed: “There are certain decisions that employers must take that are not easy. Since I had both my role as a CERN staff delegate and the management position the employer appointed me in, I was often torn between the wellbeing of the personnel and my role. It can easily feel like schizophrenia. Thankfully, there have been great moments, too… The best memory I have from my term is from the inauguration of the crèche in 2013, where we got warm words from the then Director-General, Rolf Heuer, and the President of the Council, Professor Agnieszka Zalewska.”

When asked about his commitment to the Staff Association and the reasons why he became a delegate, Philippe told us: “It is first and foremost a personal endeavour. If you want to be a delegate, you already have inspiration within you, something deeply altruistic. It is advisable to stay a long time to know the issues thoroughly. Go ahead, if you are fully confident but do not expect anything in return. Then again, you might just find personal fulfilment, professional networks, and friendship with all delegates.”

The Staff Association would like to warmly thank Philippe for his commitment through all these years, for the EVEE structure and as a representative of the CERN personnel.

Philippe has left CERN at the end of September, and thus his career at CERN draws to a close.

We wish him all the best and every success in his new life!

by Staff Association