Pay and working hours for staff in the P and above categories in Geneva compared to New York | Salaires et heures de travail pour les fonctionnaires de la catégorie P et au-delà à Genève en comparaison avec New York

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Published on Thursday, 23 August 2018 10:16

You will recall that during townhall meetings a number of you pointed out that working hours in Geneva are on average 40 minutes longer than in New York. Working hours in Geneva are 8 hours a day while in New York they are 7 hours a day from January to August and 8 hours a day from September to December. 

For General Service staff the 8 hour day in Geneva is established by benchmarking to the local labour market. Thus GS hours are benchmarked to Geneva hours and GS pay is benchmarked to Geneva pay. 

The current situation for staff in the Professional and above categories is different. P (and above categories) hours are benchmarked to Geneva hours but P (and above categories) pay is benchmarked to New York pay via a cost-of-living adjustment (recently enforced, although we believe incorrectly, by the ICSC). 

We have therefore written to the Director-General, Mr. Michael Møller, who together with the Secretary-General has responsibility for this matter, asking that this anomaly be corrected. We believe that according to the principle of equal pay for work of equal value, the working hours of P (and above categories) in Geneva should be aligned with P (and above categories) working hours in New York. Failing that, P (and above categories) salaries in Geneva should be increased to equivalent Swiss salaries (which used to be case until the late 1970s). 

We are aware that many colleagues are working beyond office hours. However, this isn’t about calculating the appropriate number of office hours for a particular task, but ensuring basic workplace principles. Further, the problem of excessive hours affects all duty stations and is related to the equally important but separate issue of understaffing. 

Some have noted that were P (and above categories) working hours in Geneva to be reduced, they would be different to GS working hours. We don’t see this as an issue, as all staff have a responsibility to discharge the work assigned to them. 

Others have noted that working hours are shorter in New York because of commuting times. We have found no evidence of this and believe that UN policy is to pay for work performed not miles commuted. 

Some have also pointed out that pushing to reduce working hours for P (and above categories) staff may encourage a flow of jobs out of Geneva. We would argue that on this logic, the fact that Geneva currently has the longest working hours in the system should have meant jobs flooding here from elsewhere, which does not appear to have been the case. Further the jobs most likely to move from Geneva and for which we are fighting against separately, are unfortunately in the GS category and would not be affected by our proposal. 

While this proposal will not compensate for the pay cut, for which we are pushing for reforms to the system and are contesting in the tribunals, we do feel that the ICSC’s attention to ensuring pay parity between Geneva and New York should be matched equally by attention from our employer to ensuring working hour parity between the two duty stations. 

We will keep you updated as we move forward.

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Percussion classes at the Palais 2018 | Stage de percussions au Palais 2018

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Published on Thursday, 23 August 2018 10:14

The United Nations Music Club offers all UN staff members the opportunity to be introduced to World Percussion. Two new fifteen-week initiation courses will start from (every) Friday 14 September until Friday 21 December 2018. Applicants can select the 12:00 to 12:40 class (beginners) or 12:40 to 13:20 (advanced) classes according to their availability and musical level. 

You will learn the basics and more with an excellent professional teacher who is fluent in English, French and Spanish. It is not necessary to have any previous knowledge of music or percussion. Your contribution per lesson will be only 15 Swiss Francs. The entire course will cost 225 Swiss Francs. All instruments will be provided by the UN Music Club at no cost. 

Classes will last 40 minutes and will be held during the lunch breaks, on Fridays from 12 noon to 12.40 p.m. (beginners) and 12.40 - 1.20 p.m. (advanced) The practice room is E-51 (E-building, ground floor). 

To register and/or get more information, please email  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . 

Do not miss this opportunity to learn to play percussion in ideal conditions!

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6th meeting of the 36th Council

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Published on Wednesday, 22 August 2018 12:07

The Council will hold its 6th meeting on Thursday 30 August 2018 at 1.15 p.m. in Room S4.

Relevant documents can be found here:

Proposed agenda

Draft minutes of the 5th meeting

Attached documents

6th meeting provisional agenda 30 August 2018.pdf

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The Swiss tax amnesty is coming to an end – what should you have declared? | L’amnistie fiscale est bientôt terminée. Qu’est-ce qu’il vous faut déclarer?

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Published on Friday, 17 August 2018 10:07

You will recall our broadcast of 18 May 2018 in which we notified you that the current Swiss tax amnesty in place for declaring unpaid taxes would expire at the end of September.
 
Taxable income can include any income that is not from a UN staff salary. Thus income from bank interest, rents, and UN and UNOPS consultancies and ICA contracts (Carte de Légitimation H) earned in Switzerland are taxable. (Further, any income earned while holding a Carte de Légitimation H may be subject to payment of both employer and employee social security contributions.) Income from abroad may also be taxable, depending on double taxation agreements, and to this end we remind you that as of this year countries have started the automatic exchange of bank account information.
 
We recommend that you contact your tax office should you need to clarify your fiscal situation. More information on the amnesty and how to benefit from it is here.

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