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Plans for a new particle collider at the European laboratory for particle
physics (CERN) in Geneva are threatened because of the expense of LEP, the
laboratory’s latest collider, opened a year ago. Staff at CERN want to know
when 350 million Swiss francs (140 million Pounds) borrowed from their pension
fund to build LEP will be paid back. In the meantime the scientists have
called for the resignation of CERN’s director-general, Nobel prizewinner
Carlo Rubbia.

The proposed Large Hadron Collider (LHC), designed to generate collisions
at the highest energies ever, would cost Swfr 1.7 billion. None of the 14
states that contribute to CERN have formally agreed to fund the project,
but Rubbia has been given a ‘yellow light’ allowing research and development.

CERN will have piled up a debt of Swfr 470 million by the end of 1990.
The debt began to build up in 1981 when the centre agreed to foot the Swfr
1.3 billion bill for LEP out of its existing budget. The centre’s budget
this year was Swfr 843 million.

Germany, the largest contributor to CERN, is reportedly refusing to
back the LHC until the centre’s finances are stronger.

Problems at CERN have been exacerbated by a prolonged pay dispute. A
deal agreed last summer by staff, Rubbia and a representative from the member
states was rejected in October, prompting the call for Rubbia’s resignation
and a work-to-rule.

Michael Borghini, spokesman for CERN’s staff association, said staff
felt insecure about the pension fund as many approached retirement. ‘The
average age of CERN staff is about 50 years. They have no guarantee this
debt will be repaid.’ CERN says Swfr 32.5 million will be repaid to the
fund next year.