Where we stand on the campaign to improve our conditions of service | Point sur la campagne pour améliorer nos conditions de service

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Published on Wednesday, 18 April 2018 09:43

Thank you for coming to last week's staff meeting.
 
During the meeting we presented the current situation with regards to our three goals of:

- getting a review of last year's pay cut resulting from an incorrect application of the post adjustment system; 
- reforming how post adjustment is calculated to bring it into line with reality; and
- reforming the ICSC so that those ultimately affected by its decisions, staff, can have a proper say in its decisions.

We noted that despite the strikes, work stoppages and demonstrations, in Geneva and elsewhere, the ICSC had decided not to come back on its earlier decision. Thus the 7.7 percent pay cut remains at 5.2 percent. However, in response to our broadcasts, several hundred cases have been filed with the internal justice system and the lawyers working on this, both at the UN and the specialized agencies, believe there is a reasonable chance of success.

 
With regards to fixing the post adjustment system, we noted that the ICSC under pressure approved an in-depth review that will examine every element of how the calculations are done and which data sources are used. Our senior statisticians, who discovered the flaws in the first place, will be closely involved in this process. Our aim is to make the system as fair and unbiased as possible.
 
With regards to reforming the ICSC into a more tripartite structure, we understand that our partners on the management side have been having similar discussions and we believe that there are models of tripartite cooperation in the UN system that could be used. Ultimately this has to be our goal as it will not only prevent a recurrence of the pay cut, it will also move the ICSC away from its focus on cost-cutting and improve decisions in all areas affecting conditions of service, in Geneva but especially in the field where most staff are based.
 
A fair, transparent and participatory way to set conditions of service is all we ask for. As you proposed at the meeting, we will be focusing on this, using all the relevant expertise in-house and externally.

We welcome your feedback and will be keeping you updated all along as we move forward on our campaign together with staff unions around the world. 

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Third edition of "Courir sans Borne" | Troisième édition de « Courir sans Borne »

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Published on Tuesday, 17 April 2018 18:24

Following the success of the last year's second edition of "Courir sans Borne", the UN Staff Sports Commission at Geneva would like to invite you to participate in the 3^rd Edition which will take place on 27 May 2018. There will be three races to choose from:

1. A 10 km race between Ornex (France) and Collex-Bossy (Switzerland)
2. A 10 km Nordic Walk
3. A 5 km Family Walk

This year, the profits from the race will go to Sage-Femmes sans Frontières (Midwives Without Borders): an entirely voluntary NGO whose mission is to fight maternal and child mortality in developing countries.
 
For more information on the association "Courir sans Borne" and for online registrations, please click here.

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Decisions at last month's General Assembly that may affect you | Dernières décisions de l'Assemblée générale ayant un impact sur le personnel

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Published on Thursday, 12 April 2018 14:00

As you will be aware, the Fifth Committee of the General Assembly, which deals with administrative and budgetary matters, completed its first resumed session. The two big issues that took up their time were travel and a resubmitted proposal to restructure OHCHR.
 
We took this opportunity to exchange our views with delegates prior to their decisions.
 
On travel, the General Assembly approved the reinstatement of travel time for lump sum home leave, which is good news. However, they decided to maintain the level at 70 percent. We are in contact with the Department of Management with regards to ensuring nevertheless that the 70 percent is of the whole ticket cost including taxes and charges.
 
The General Assembly also considered a request by the Secretary-General to replace the current dual threshold for business class (9 hours if direct or 11 hours with up to 2 hours transit time if indirect) with a single threshold including transit time. While some countries pushed for this threshold to be 14 hours, others put up strong resistance. We took this opportunity to note the arduous nature of certain field-based travel and the necessity for staff, such as interpreters, to be in shape before assuming duties. We also contrasted UN work, involving frequent research and investigation field missions, with foreign services in which travel was mainly for the official and family to change post. We further noted that travel expenses would equal the travel budget regardless of threshold and that increasing the threshold would also increase the number of trips and CO2 emissions. The General Assembly asked the Secretary-General to return next year with proposals on a threshold.
 
The General Assembly noted negatively the number of tickets booked later than 16 days before travel and asked the Secretary-General to address this. Some countries wanted a rule that tickets booked later than 16 days should be economy only but this didn't pass - we pointed out that doing so could delay programme implementation. Thus no such rule was agreed but expect further compliance measures from your department.
 
You will no doubt be surprised (or not) to learn that the General Assembly decided that travel standards for their own participants in intergovernmental organs not be affected by changes to travel standards for staff.
 
On the restructuring of OHCHR, the General Assembly was asked to consider the proposal for the third time. The feeling among delegates was that with the imminent appointment of a new High Commissioner, a restructuring at this stage would be premature. For this reason it asked that the next High Commissioner make a proposal, if necessary, in 2019.

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TODAY Townhall on the ICSC campaign and extraordinary assembly | AUJOURD'HUI Réunion générale sur la campagne contre la CFPI et assemblée extraordinaire

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Published on Thursday, 12 April 2018 09:33

You will have seen our broadcast before Easter in which we informed you on the decisions of the ICSC following our collective action (strikes, campaign and demonstrations).

As promised, we would like to hold a townhall to discuss this with you. It will take place TODAY Thursday at 1.15 p.m. in room XXI.

At the meeting we will update you on the latest and decide together the next steps.

The meeting will be preceded by a brief Extraordinary Assembly to elect new polling officers.

We look forward to seeing you there.

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