!081094 British Patent Office unions fighting privatization BRITISH PATENT OFFICE STAFF STILL FIGHTS ON The thousand people employed by the British Patent Office in Newport, Ghent, have mounted such a powerful campaign against the government's privatization plans that the Department of Trade and Industry has again delayed its decision. Union people believe nothing will be done until November. Since June of 1993, there have been plans to privatize the Patent Office, based on an announcement that private consultants were studying the matter. A report delivered by Price Waterhouse last March was met with an active campaign by employee unions. A group in Ghent [the British Patent Office is no longer headquartered in London - consider Ghent to be their West Virginia] has sent out over 6000 letters, and issued 14 reports on where individual MPs stand. Another 100 MPs were targeted this month. Letters have been written to all patent and trademarks agents in Britain, asking for their help. The European Intellectual Property Review published an opinion from Christopher Morcom, which supports the unions' concerns: "Any body exercising judicial functions must be and be seen to be independent. The provisions for contracting out represent a serious threat to an important part of the administration of justice". ==================== It amazes me that given the importance of patents to any country's economy, that politicians continue to meddle where they shouldn't. In the UK, we have these privatization efforts. In the US, Congress continues to raid patent application fees and spends them outside the Patent Office. Why complain about Japan when you are shooting yourself in the foot???? Greg Aharonian Internet Patent News Service