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Coordinating Committee for International Staff
Unions and Associations
CCISUA
XXXIII General Assembly
Bangkok, 29 May - 1 June 2018
Contents
I. Introduction .......................................................................................................................... 1
II. Election of the Presiding Officer .............................................................................................. 1
III. Adoption of the Agenda .......................................................................................................... 1
IV. Nomination of the Rapporteurs ................................................................................................ 2
V. Welcome Session ................................................................................................................... 2
VI. Post adjustment review and margin management ....................................................................... 3
VII. Locally recruited staff compensation review.............................................................................. 4
VIII. Addressing the growth in staff on precarious contracts/rejuvenating common system staff .............. 7
IX. Breaking the UN glass ceiling: G/NO to P ................................................................................ 8
X. Training for staff unions and new staff union officers ................................................................. 9
XI. Promoting communication, knowledge management and a virtual office .................................... 10
XII. CCISUA-FICSA cooperation ................................................................................................ 12
XIII. Where things stand with the Pension Fund .............................................................................. 13
XIV. Handling restructuring and downsizing ................................................................................... 14
XV. Townhall meeting ................................................................................................................ 15
XVI. Review of hardship duty station classification ......................................................................... 16
XVII. Promoting work-life balance and reforming parental leave ........................................................ 18
XVIII. Safety and security ............................................................................................................... 19
XIX. Use of testing in selection procedures ..................................................................................... 20
XX. Disabilities in the workplace ................................................................................................. 22
XXI. Elections ............................................................................................................................. 23
XXII. Location of the next GA ....................................................................................................... 25
Appendix A – Training: Dealing with harassment ...................................................................................... 26
Appendix B – Team-building .................................................................................................................. 28
Appendix C – Agenda ............................................................................................................................ 29
Appendix D – “FICSA-CCISUA Cooperation Agreement” ......................................................................... 31
Appendix E – Acronyms and Abbreviations .............................................................................................. 32
Appendix F – Outgoing CCISUA Bureau ................................................................................................. 33
Appendix G – Participants ...................................................................................................................... 34
1
I. Introduction
From 29 May through 1 June, delegates from CCISUA member Staff Unions and
Associations met in Bangkok, Thailand, for the 33rd
CCISUA General Assembly (GA).
The GA was hosted by the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific
(ESCAP), and was chaired by ESCAP Staff Council President, Ms Charuwan Tintukasiri.
The location of CCISUA‟s 33rd GA was not selected by chance and was aimed at
supporting staff of the United Nations common system who are facing pay cuts,
especially colleagues in Bangkok, who saw a 47% cut in GS starting salaries in 2012 and
whose latest survey came out at -13.2%. This means that Bangkok GS staff are now
confronted with the potential introduction of an even lower third salary scale.
The meeting was preceded by a full-day training titled “Dealing with Harassment” and
included a team-building activity which took place on the second day of the meeting (see
Appendix A and B, respectively).
II. Election of the Presiding Officer
The President of the hosting Staff Union, Ms Charuwan Tintukasiri, was nominated as
the presiding officer. The nomination was seconded and endorsed unanimously.
III. Adoption of the Agenda
The agenda was adopted with the following adjustment request:
That the “Report on the CCISUA-FICSA cooperation agreement” be placed
earlier in the agenda (instead of last day of the meeting), to ensure enough time
for follow up discussions and related decisions. It was further requested that the
CCISUA-FICSA agreement and the report from the CCISUA-FICSA-UNISERV
meeting be shared with the delegates before the scheduled item.
The adopted agenda is in Appendix C
2
IV. Nomination of the Rapporteurs
Froylan Silveira → nominated and appointed
Nataliya Vasylevska → nominated and appointed
V. Welcome Session
Opening Statement by the Presiding Officer
Ms Charuwan Tintukasiri welcomed the delegates of CCISUA‟s member unions and
thanked the federation for selecting ESCAP to host its 33rd
GA. Ms Tintukasiri
highlighted the importance of this decision to ESCAPS‟s staff who are currently facing
pay cuts and the introduction of a potential third salary scale, commending CCISUA for
its support to staff.
Statement by the CCISUA President
CCISUA‟s President, Mr Ian Richards, expressed his gratitude to ESCAP‟s Staff Council
and ESCAP‟s Administration for hosting the event.
Mr Richards welcomed ESCAP‟s Deputy Executive Secretary for Programmes, Mr
Hongjoo Hahm, FICSA‟s observer, Mr Irwan Mohd Razali, and the delegates of
CCISUA‟s member unions, extending a special welcome to those attending the CCISUA
GA for the first time.
The President highlighted that the 33rd
GA comes at a turning point and that it is the right
time to push for reforms. On this point, he further emphasised that UN Member States are
pushing for more austerity despite opposition from staff and organizations – e.g. post
adjustment cuts in many duty stations, pay cuts through local salary surveys,
compensation review, etc.
Mr Richards also recalled that:
The UNDT ruled in favour of staff on compensation changes;
The SG has been vocal in support to staff, but more can be done;
There is a growing activism among staff unions and staff themselves – e.g.
petitions, staff gatherings, demonstrations, work stoppages, strikes.
3
Opening Remarks by Deputy Executive Secretary for Programmes, Mr
Hongjoo Hahm
Mr Hongjoo Hahm extended a warm welcome to CCISUA on behalf of ESCAP, wishing
fruitful discussions to meet the challenges ahead. Mr Hahm expressed concern about the
challenges faced in meeting management reforms, which impact not only staff but also
service delivery. He also conveyed a message from the President of ESCAP, praising
CCISUA for ensuring that staff‟s voices are heard and for its work on gender parity,
flexible work arrangements, recruitment, and mobility. Mr Hahm recalled that ESCAP is
one of the agencies affected by budget cuts and thanked CCISUA for the support to its
staff.
VI. Post adjustment review and margin management
CCISUA’s President, Mr Ian Richards, introduced the topic and the relevant
developments since the previous GA, followed by a discussion on the way forward.
Overview
Post adjustment applies to Professional and higher categories and is an integrate part of
the salary, designed to compensate the differences in living costs and ensure that staff
have equal purchasing power at all duty stations. It is determined through periodic place-
to-place surveys and measures the cost of living of a duty station in relation to the cost of
living in New York. Margin management is a mechanism to determine the net
remuneration of New York. This is a statistical exercise that compares the net
remuneration of UN staff in New York (P1 through D2) with that of the US federal civil
service employees in Washington D.C.
Key developments
The survey was conducted at HQ in 2016 and the results were presented during
the ICSC session in March 2017: 7.8% cut for Geneva and cuts in Madrid and
Rome;
A team of statisticians conducted a study in Geneva, identifying a number of
errors in the calculations and in the way the methodology was applied. The final
version of this report will be shared with the members once ready;
4
Executive Heads of Geneva-based organizations sought further information on the
conduct and outcome of the ICSC survey;
The ICSC consultant (hired by ICSC to conduct a review of the methodology)
identified many shortcomings in the ICSC methodology and included 64
recommendations for consideration in his report;
At the ACPAQ meeting in February-March 2018, it was agreed to review 50 of
the ICSC consultant‟s recommendations;
In Geneva, around 1000 staff submitted claims to the UNDT or the ILOAT.
The way forward
CCISUA members agreed that:
The federation should continue working with expert statisticians on the Post
Adjustment Reviews, in order to ensure the highest level of participation in ICSC
meetings, both on strategic and technical fronts. It was suggested that the margin
management be reviewed by CCISUA-appointed experts, as well;
Cooperation with FICSA and UNISERV on this topic should be maintained and
possibilities of strengthening this cooperation will be explored;
Staff should be represented on an equal footing at ICSC and any related bodies
through which consultations affecting pay and conditions of service are
undertaken.
VII. Locally recruited staff compensation review
CCISUA Vice-President for Conditions of Service, Mr Fraser McIlwraith, delivered a
presentation on local salary surveys, explaining how the two methodologies work and the
principle they are based on. Mr McIlwraith also presented a case study, explaining how
the local salary survey was carried out in Tokyo. CCISUA members shared lessons
learnt and agreed on a way forward to address the challenges faced by local salary
survey committees and to review the methodologies.
Overview
Locally recruited staff in the GS and NPO categories are paid on a local basis.
The local salaries are established through local salary surveys, which are run in
accordance with two methodologies approved by the ICSC;
5
Underlying methodology is the Flemming Principle, which establishes the salaries
for GS-staff on the principle of the „best but not the very best prevailing
conditions‟, by approaching companies, following strict selection criteria, to
provide salary data, that will be transformed and matched against UN GS job
classifications.
Methodologies:
Methodology I applies to headquarters duty stations and similar duty stations,
such as Bonn, Brussels, Copenhagen, The Hague, Tokyo, and Washington DC;
Methodology II applies to duty stations with labour markets that are not as highly
developed as those under methodology I and/or where there are 30 or fewer
General Service staff;
ICSC conducts the surveys at the HQ duty stations and Responsible Agencies
(either UN or WHO) at all other duty stations;
The methodologies are based on the Flemming Principle, which states that the
conditions of service for locally recruited staff should reflect the best prevailing
conditions found locally;
Local Salary Survey Committees (LSSCs) are established by the organization
with the largest number of staff in the respective duty station, and is composed of
representatives from staff and the administrations of UN organizations, while
common system entities may send observers.
Issues
It was noted that, in contradiction to the Flemming Principle, data collected from
national civil service employers is double weighted. The UN GA has requested
the ICSC to increase the weight even further – this goes against the Flemming
Principle as jobs in national civil service do not reflect the „best prevailing
conditions of service‟ as the salaries in this sector are considerably lower than
compared to other sectors;
The methodologies require a minimum number of surveyed comparators – an
average is then made between these comparators and the external data purchased
from vendors. Companies are not interested in sharing their data, as this
represents extra work with no real benefit, which means that LSSCs consistently
struggle to find a sufficient number of comparators to conduct the survey.
6
Developments and the way forward
Review of the methodologies
The ICSC will establish, later this year, a working group to conduct a review of
the methodologies (until summer 2020) - The members noted that it is important
to stand on the same level of expertise with the ICSC when discussing the
revision of the methodologies;
In April 2018, CCISUA members shared their input with CCISUA‟s VP for
Conditions of Service, which was consolidated and sent to the ICSC;
This will be followed up with a survey of CCISUA members to further determine
their experiences with the local salary surveys.
Training
CCISUA members noted that FICSA offers many useful trainings, including on
LSS, and that these are well organised and very useful for CCISUA members;
Knowledge-sharing within the federation
CCISUA members noted that not only the methodologies but also the expertise of
the LSSC have influence on the result of the LSS;
CCISUA GA decision:
That a compensation specialist be hired to look at the methodologies and advise
what should be changed;
To continue investing in communication and lobbying;
To explore possibilities for establishing an agreement on training with FICSA and
to allocate a sum in the budget for training;
CCISUA members called for more dialogue and knowledge-sharing between the
unions, agreeing that an information sharing platform should be established.
7
VIII. Addressing the growth in staff on precarious
contracts/rejuvenating common system staff
CCISUA’s President, Mr Ian Richards, introduced the topic and opened the floor for
discussion. The purpose of this agenda item was to arrive at a common CCISUA position
on the matter and decide on the ways CCISUA and its member unions can address the
related issues.
Overview
CCISUA members noted that:
UN relies increasingly on precarious contracts for their employees to perform the
work previously carried out by staff on proper contracts (i.e. fixed term,
continuous, permanent);
Support staff (e.g. consultants) are increasingly hired on precarious contracts
which offer reduced benefits compared to regular contracts (e.g. health insurance,
pension benefits, annual leave, etc.). Furthermore, these precarious contracts are
only issued for a limited amount of time and carry no expectation of renewal.
There are no established UN-wide rules on the hiring process of consultants /
contractors, leaving it up to the manager to decide whom to hire and under which
conditions. The consultant population is not subject to geographical distribution
requirements and is thus not necessarily representative of UN regional groups;
There is no global database for UN employees on precarious contracts, putting
both the consultants and the UN in a vulnerable position;
In some duty stations, there are more consultants than regular staff, however, staff
unions, due to their clear mandate, do not represent these colleagues;
In some organizations, regular-staff are working on precarious contracts as well,
e.g. short-term contracts after years of service, carrying no expectation of re-
employment.
8
The way forward
Mr Richards recalled that CCISUA has supported interns‟ associations in the past, which
have organized petitions, lobbied, and put forward an effective advocacy strategy. This
mobilization resulted in change in policies at UNICEF, UNHCR, WHO, and other
agencies.
CCISUA GA agreed to call for regularization of all posts currently encumbered by
colleagues on precarious contracts, at the appropriate fora.
IX. Breaking the UN glass ceiling: G/NO to P
CCISUA’s Vice-President for Communication and Outreach, Ms Patricia Nemeth,
introduced the topic and outlined what is the G-to-P track and how it has been applied.
Overview
The G-to-P track is an examination that GS staff within the UN Secretariat may take in
order to be eligible for a post at the P-1/P-2 level. In order to apply for the G-to-P1 track,
staff need to have a minimum of five years of continuous service in the Secretariat,
among other requirements. The modalities of the examination and the subsequent on-
boarding procedures follow the Young Professional Programme (YPP).
The passing rate of the YPP is built around the organisational needs and only 10% of
qualifying P1 and P2 posts are earmarked for G-to-P candidates.
Successful candidates are put on a roster which normally expires once the next YPP
exercise in the same job category has been completed. Colleagues who are not placed on
a P1/P2 position during that time need to retake the exam.
Discussion and the way forward
CCISUA members noted that:
According to the current system, external candidates can apply for P positions but
GS staff who are already in the UN system cannot;
1 Additionally, there is a G2N path for staff members who are citizens of underrepresented countries.
9
With the requirement of five years of continuous service in the Secretariat in
order to apply for G-to-P (P-1/P-2 post), staff with potentially many years of
relevant experience, are placed on entry level posts;
The G-to-P track is discriminatory as qualified staff cannot compete for P posts
like any external candidate, only because they are “labelled” as GS.
Some delegates cautioned that removing the G-to-P track could limit even more GS
staff‟s possibilities of moving to P posts, as GS staff would have to compete with external
candidates. It was suggested that CCISUA should work towards expanding the
percentage of available posts for G-to-P applicants.
CCISUA GA agreed that any staff member who meets the requirements for a post should
be able to apply. It was further highlighted that the Staff-Management Committee of the
UN Secretariat agreed to lobby for removing the G-to-P track.
X. Training for staff unions and new staff union officers
CCISUA’s General Secretary, Ms Irka Kuleshnyk, introduced the topic, explaining what
the current training possibilities are and what has been the practice in CCISUA.
Overview
The agenda item was requested by the newly elected staff representatives in
Nairobi, with the goal to discuss possibilities of training or information-sharing
among CCISUA members, to ensure that new staff representatives can be quickly
brought up to speed on the vast number of matters CCISUA is involved in, as well
as its best practices and lessons learnt;
CCISUA has a training arrangement with the General Federation of Trade Unions
(GFTU), according to which GFTU provides training and covers all transport and
accommodation expenses for attendees, once in Britain;
FICSA offers workshops and trainings which have been attended by CCISUA
members with very positive feedback. There is currently no discount for CCISUA
members;
CCISUA GA has been a good tool for learning about best practices in member
unions, having some unions worked together on similar issues or provided advice
to unions with less experience on certain matters.
10
Discussion and the way forward
CCISUA members unanimously recognised that there is a need for more training
and information-sharing among the members. On this point, it was recommended
that the members read the ICSC and working groups‟ documents regularly shared
by the Bureau, as it is crucial that the unions stay informed on the developments;
It was agreed that cost-sharing possibilities for training with FICSA be explored.
XI. Promoting communication, knowledge management and
a virtual office
CCISUA’s Vice-President for Communication and Outreach, Ms Patricia Nemeth, and
CCISUA’s Bureau Assistant, Ms Nataliya Vasylevska, briefed the delegates on the work
accomplished since last CCISUA GA, as well as on recent developments and planned
work.
Overview
A global staff survey on protection against retaliation was completed in 2017,
which sought staff‟s views on the effectiveness of the protection in place for
whistleblowers and staff subject to workplace harassment. The answers were
analysed and aggregated, identifying common concerns, and are used to assist in
consultations with management to strengthen the implementation of protection
policies.
Survey results:
Overall more than 10,000 colleagues participated in the survey;
1/3 of respondents (3,637) were not aware of the Organization‟s
whistleblower policy;
63% of respondents noted abuse of authority as the main issue within the
UN;
56% of respondents said they would be seen as troublemakers if they
reported instances of discrimination or harassment;
46% of respondents said that whistleblowing is not adequately supported
in the UN.
11
A survey to measure staff‟s awareness regarding persons with disabilities is
underway. The goal is to provide a basis for discussions with management on the
necessary mechanisms to address staff‟s needs (not only the needs of staff with
disabilities but also of their colleagues);
The global day of action campaign was conducted through CCISUA‟s website
between 26 February and 23 March, resulting in the participation of 33
organizations in the UN common system and a big increase of traffic on the
website. This was a good indicator of the potentiality of CCISUA‟s website for
future actions;
The migration of documents to the website‟s archive began last year but was
halted due to impossibility to search the documents. It is necessary to add optical
character recognition (OCR) in order to have an operational archive that can be
searched. Software has been tested and selected, which would imply a total cost
of USD 1000. A free option is currently being analysed.
Discussion and the way forward
CCISUA GA decided:
CCISUA archive should be a priority – it is important for information-sharing;
A communication strategy should be drafted to help structure the work ahead.
This includes internal and external communication, being the first for
information-sharing within the federation, and the second for the website,
lobbying, participation in forums, press, TV, etc. It was noted that while CCISUA
has been successful in getting its message across, it is important to have a solid
strategy to ensure continuity;
The budget for communication should be increased.
12
XII. CCISUA-FICSA cooperation
CCISUA’s President, Mr Ian Richards, introduced the topic and made reference to the
2015 “FICSA-CCISUA Cooperation Agreement” (Appendix D) and the historic context
by which there currently exist three different federations.
Overview
The 2015 cooperation agreement establishes the cooperation interfaces between
CCISUA and FICSA in order to enhance their capacity to represent and defend
their members‟ interests. The two federations have so far cooperated through
joint statements, joint campaigns, co-financing of consultants, joint mobilization
of Member States, and mutual access to each other‟s training. However, the
annual joint meeting of the federations foreseen in the agreement has not yet
taken place.
CCISUA members were briefed on the discussions conducted during the inter-
federations meeting (CCISUA-FICSA-UNISERV), which took place earlier in
May and included the following items:
Compensation of locally recruited staff, where federations agreed to
engage and co-finance a compensation specialist;
Review of the post adjustment system, where federations agreed:
o to co-finance the hiring of statisticians;
o on the basic principle that the “A” duty station classification is too
broad and efforts must be made to create a special classification of
duty station where staff members can choose or not to bring their
families;
o on the need for more coordination meetings;
o to issue a letter and conduct a global survey on the issue of
harassment, and engage external expertise on the matter and;
o to send representatives of each federation to each other‟s meetings.
Discussion and the way forward
The CCISUA GA discussed the mechanics of cooperation between the two federations
vis-à-vis common challenges, how they can work together and see to the organizational
changes that are underway. The idea of the creation of a confederation was raised as a
mechanism to strengthen cooperation between the federations, whilst not closing the door
to further exploration of a merger of the federations.
13
The importance of training was highlighted, and how it can be one of the bases for
cooperation amongst federations. Suggestions were raised for CCISUA to study ways to
offer subsidized training sessions for its members, especially for smaller unions.
The CCISUA GA looked at the different functioning models followed by each federation.
It discussed their history and the migration of staff unions between federations. It pointed
out that FICSA costs more to its unions, although with a bigger structure it does provide
certain services that may be particularly useful to smaller unions – yet taking more time
to reach decisions and mobilize on substantive issues. The GA also noted that CCISUA is
lighter and, with a comparatively reduced structure, is able to arrive to its decisions more
quickly – as a federation which mainly focuses on representation of its members‟ and
their constituencies‟ interests.
XIII. Where things stand with the Pension Fund
CCISUA’s President, Mr Ian Richards, introduced the topic by recalling the federation’s
recent efforts towards reform of the Pension Fund. Ms Michelle Rockcliffe, Participant
Representative of the Pension Fund, joined the meeting via teleconference and also
briefed the CCISUA GA on the current situation of the Fund and the case backlog.
Overview
The CCISUA GA had passed a resolution in 2017 calling for reform of the
Pension Fund, and recalled the issues of retaliation against staff members, huge
delays in paying out new pensions, and various irregularities. The GA noted that
the Fund‟s CEO was reappointed for a second term of 3 years only (instead of 5)
subject to an annual review of his performance by the Secretary General;
An OIOS audit had called out the delays in new payments and the personal
responsibility of the CEO, and how the latter had engaged in a contract with an
audit firm which led to overpayments;
The case backlog of the Fund began to decrease since February 2018 (from
15,000 cases in December 2017). Most cases pertain to beneficiaries who cannot
be found. Participant representatives have called on the Fund to follow standard
operating procedures and best practices, which had not been followed to that
effect;
Pension beneficiaries with delayed payments have not and will not receive any
compensation nor personalized letter or apology; the regulations state that only
interest will be paid until the date of separation – although there could be a
proposal to amend that regulation. It was noted that the main reason for the
backlog was the inattention to standard operating procedures, exasperated by the
implementation of the new Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) tool „IPAS‟ at a
14
time when a number of staff were moved from their regular jobs to work on
testing and project duties. It was noted that there were already thousands of cases
in the backlog before IPAS went live, which suggests the existence of structural
management issues;
While the Fund appears to be on a solid financial ground, the 2018 evaluation will
show its exact position; an increase in longevity which may affect the Fund in the
long run;
There are no provisions in the Fund‟s regulations for getting a portion of
entitlement before separation as an attenuating measure vis-à-vis the backlog.
This issue has been discussed in a previous CCISUA GA as well as SMC meeting
and a proposal will be brought forward to the Pension Board for their
consideration.
Discussion and the way forward
CCISUA members discussed a suggestion to push for the inclusion of consultants in the
Pension Fund scheme, but having looked at the risks, the mechanics of the Fund‟s
operations, pensionable remuneration, actuarial complications and moral issues, the GA
decided against the idea. However, members fully agreed to continue pursuing a policy of
regularization of consultants and to tackle the culture of secrecy at the Fund.
The CCISUA GA discussed the role of staff representation at Pension Fund‟s governing
bodies and the importance of cohesion of strategy. It called out different governance
issues in the Pension Fund and pointed to the different recommendations of the OIOS
report on the governance of the Pension Fund, agreeing on the importance to support the
principle of an audit and ensure the recommendations are implemented.
Some unions will hold a meeting with the Pension Fund in the following month, during
the UN Staff-Management Committee, and will bring up the discussed issues.
XIV. Handling restructuring and downsizing
CCISUA’s President, Mr Ian Richards, introduced the topic by recalling the review of
downsizing policy in the UN Secretariat.
Overview
Current UN staff rules establish a staff retention policy when a UN entity downsizes,
which takes into account the criteria of length of service, integrity and performance.
15
Following pressure from staff unions, UN management drafted and is about to finalize a
specific policy on downsizing, the basics of which are expected to be quite close to what
the staff rules already establish. The new policy is not expected to introduce the “job fair”
concept into the staff retention policy, but rather a points system based on the already
existing criteria. According to this system, the affected posts as well as staff performing
similar functions are identified. Staff who perform similar functions are put in “pools”,
and then a comparative review follows where staff receive points based on specific
criteria. Staff with the lowest rank in the pool are slated to be downsized.
The draft AI suggests the establishment of local Staff-Management Groups to monitor the
implementation of the policy.
Discussion and the way forward
The example of OCHA was mentioned, whereby the points system was piloted, leaving,
however, a perception of inequality of treatment as some staff were given other jobs in
order to exit a certain “pool”. Staff unions were encouraged to be vigilant in ensuring
equality of treatment and that the points are determined correctly. The downsizing
example of MICT in recent years was also raised, particularly cautioning on a policy that
may not fit all posts, by assuming everyone can be compared.
CCISUA GA agreed that staff representatives must ensure that oversight procedures are
correctly undertaken and that there is transparency along the way.
XV. Townhall meeting
CCISUA’s Bureau attended a townhall meeting with ESCAP staff to discuss the relevant
developments and address staff’s questions.
Questions from ESCAP staff:
Whether it is possible to end the G-to-P track and if this depends on the Member
States;
Whether the Pension Fund is trustworthy and if the backlog issues have been
resolved;
Whether it is possible to halt the implementation of the LSS in Bangkok, since it
resulted in yet another pay cut for GS staff as well as a possible third scale. Staff
asked what should be the way forward and how are staff represented on these
matters;
16
Whether the Secretary General is serious about the proposed reforms and how this
has been developed so far.
ESCAP‟s interns read out a letter calling on the Organization to improve workplace
rights for interns worldwide and to regularize internship posts. CCISUA recalled its
support for several interns‟ initiatives, such as the creation of intern boards and the
carrying out studies on intern related issues.
XVI. Review of hardship duty station classification
CCISUA’s Vice-President for Field and Security Issues, Mr Guy Avognon, introduced the
topic by recalling the process of duty station classification and the federation’s
participation in the review of the classification methodology, as well as the federation’s
work on duty of care, through the High-Level Committee on Management (HLCM) task
force.
17
Overview
Classification of Hardship Duty Stations – following the introduction of a new
methodology for classification of hardship duty stations in 2011, an issue came up
whereby certain duty stations were reclassified („upgraded‟), while the living conditions
have not improved. CCISUA highlighted these inconsistencies and the results of the
working group on the classification review were presented during the ICSC spring
session in 2017.
By the end of 2017, the methodology was slightly revised but, when tested during the
review of the Africa region, there continued to be large discrepancies between duty
stations within the same category, namely duty stations without significant security risks
but very hard conditions to sustain families of internationally recruited staff members.
However, authority was given to the working group to propose adjustments whenever the
application of the methodology led to results deemed inconsistent with the reality on the
ground. The amended methodology will now apply to other regions and CCISUA will
stay vigilant for any other necessary adjustments.
Duty of care – the “duty of care” of the organization has been traditionally approached
from the security angle; however, it should go beyond and include medical and
psychosocial care, as well as other aspects. CCISUA is actively participating in the
HLCM task force on duty of care in high risk environments. The task force‟s initial focus
was on “high risk environments” but its work evolved into the global duty of care. The
task force has submitted 13 recommendations on duty of care and the next step will be to
ensure that these recommendations are expanded to non-life-threatening contexts and to
staff on precarious contracts. The recommendations also include access to essential health
services – including locally recruited staff with no access to it at the duty station and the
responsibility of the organizations in that regard; as well as elements of compensation
and new entitlements where the ICSC would have to step in.
Discussion and the way forward
The CCISUA GA discussed the importance of duty of care and its different aspects, i.e.
psychosocial and medical care, same-sex couples in duty stations where those are not
tolerated by local governments, conditions of evacuation of staff members from a duty
station, and access to staff welfare officers and counsellors (noting mental health issues
must be included in the duty of care of organizations – which may include secondary
trauma).
CCISUA GA agreed that the duty of care needs to be shaped into deliverables and visible
elements, taking into account all categories of staff.
18
XVII. Promoting work-life balance and reforming
parental leave
CCISUA’s President, Mr Ian Richards, introduced the topic and asked the delegates to
share their lessons learnt and advice on the evolution and implementation of policies
concerning work-life balance and parental leave.
Overview
CCISUA members shared insights on the application of various policies at
different organizations, i.e. somewhere maternity leave had been expanded and
others with implementation issues;
The UN is currently studying a draft policy to do away with time limits to flexible
working arrangements (FWA).
Discussion and the way forward
A discussion was held on the expansion of FWA, its risks and possible consequences in
the medium and long term. An argument was raised that staff members should be able to
telecommute without restriction from supervisors unless there is a compelling reason.
However, it was noted that staff unions should be vigilant to not allow a situation where
staff are forced out of the office as a cost saving measure.
The CCISUA GA further discussed work-life balance policies and highlighted the
importance of its effective and secure implementation throughout duty stations in
applicable lines of work, and of avoiding its misuse. Other elements were also raised,
namely the required trust between supervisor and supervisee in reaching a successful
FWA, any necessary IT arrangements (e.g. Citrix) and financial requirements. The GA
finally emphasized that staff should have the right to work from home whenever possible
– not forced to, in a flexible environment for both staff and organizations.
19
XVIII. Safety and security
CCISUA’s Ex-Officio Security Advisor, Mr Kenneth Rosario, introduced the topic
presenting a historical recount of the creation and evolution of UN Department of Safety
and Security (DSS).
Overview
Over the past few years, staff representatives have expressed concern that the UN and its
employees may be put at risk due to what we see as a potential erosion of the Security
Management System through the diminishing of the capacity of the security applications
that had been endorsed in 2005 by the General Assembly, in response to the Secretary-
General‟s report A/59/365.
CCISUA has repeatedly brought this to the direct attention of the USG/DSS, through
formal2 and informal means.
The Security Advisor informed the CCISUA GA that, as a result of expressing concerns,
he has become the subject of harassment and retaliation, due to which OIOS and the
Ethics Office have put him under protection in line with ST/SGB/2017/2/Rev.1
Discussion and the way forward
The CCISUA GA discussed the actions of the USG DSS and how new policies are
making staff in certain duty stations more vulnerable. The current strategy, implemented
under the leadership of the USG was questioned, and concerns were raised as to whether
the recent policy changes were driven purely by cost-cutting targets. It was also pointed
out that the concerns of colleagues serving in DSSS are not addressed in a proper manner
and that the internal conflict resolution mechanisms need to be improved.
CCISUA members agreed on the importance of transparency of investigations and on the
disclosure of Boards of Inquiry reports.
2 “Resolution on the Call for Immediate Action on Irregularities within UNDSS”,
CCISUA/XXXII/2017/Res.2.
20
Furthermore, a draft resolution on sending an open letter was put forward, which
contained the following cornerstones:
1) Vote of no-confidence in the current management of DSSS;
2) Boycotting CCISUA‟s participation in the upcoming IASMN meeting;
3) Inviting other Federations to join the boycott;
The CCISUA GA agreed that the meetings and representations made until then did not
produce results and that the federation‟s efforts needed to refocus, ensuring the attention
of Member States, without discarding possible collective action.
CCISUA GA decision: The delegates agreed on cornerstones of the proposed resolution - resolution passed and
empowered the Bureau to take this matter forward. The resolution was not available at
the time of printing.
XIX. Use of testing in selection procedures
A member of the UN HQ (NY) delegation, Mr Andraž Melansek introduced the topic
explaining the basic premises of selection procedures, its benefits and disadvantages, as
well as the possible solutions.
Overview
Selection procedure relies on two aspects: past performance (performance management)
and/or test. The first looks at past performance to predict future performance, while the
second tests the skills required for the job. More and more, tests serve as an alternative to
performance management; however, the two types of tests currently used by the
organizations still have a long way to transparent and fair recruitment:
o Secretariat-wide aptitude test – cognitive tests with standardized method (e.g.
numerical reasoning, situational judgment), however, do not test knowledge,
personality traits or ethical component. These tests rely on psychometric methods
but the person creating the test may not have sufficient knowledge about
psychometrics – there is lack of transparency on how the tests are created and
how skills are measured (e.g. people from a certain job applying for the same job
did not pass the test).
21
o Job Opening (JO) specific tests – the hiring managers can create these tests,
with no scoring sheet or suggested/sample answers. There is therefore lack of
transparency in how these tests are created and reviewed.
An issue with any formal test is also the potential language barrier, as non-native English
speakers are given the same amount of time to complete the test as native speakers..
Further, concerns have been expressed that, for certain posts, technical exams have
nothing to do with the post (e.g. a clerical test for a post strictly related to security). Other
concerns also question the way in which the technical exams have been conducted –
emphasising lack of objectivity.
Discussion and the way forward
CCISUA members agreed on the importance of staff unions to be involved in the
selection/recruitment procedures. Reference was made to the ILO where, following a
collective agreement on the subject, any new practice or test is negotiated before its
implementation.
The delegates further questioned why the Central Review Bodies (CRB) are not informed
about the testing nor allowed to see the tests, therefore left without ways to review the
technical evaluation process. Issues concerning the latter include tests that are drafted
without the technical preparation, or evaluators who lack the necessary skills to evaluate.
CCISUA members agreed that there is a need for full transparency in order to hold
management accountable at the CRB/CRP level. It was suggested that external
consultants may be put in charge of recruitment exercises to ensure a more transparent
and better technical process, anonymity and objectivity.
Other issues concerning recruitment were raised: the increasing amount of testing; the
lack of technical aptitude of the evaluating panels; the little involvement of staff unions in
the UN recruitment process; the inconsistent classification of posts to allow an easier –
but not fairer – recruitment; the need to meet certain common standards regardless of the
posts; the need for harmonization of prerequisites in job openings without targeting
specific applicants; the need for independent audit of the tests; the need to improve
accountability of managers in recruitment procedures; the need to ensure applicants‟
rights to be informed of their score; the need to ensure the right to appeal the results of
the testing.
The CCISUA GA agreed to call for more oversight and accountability.
22
XX. Disabilities in the workplace
CCISUA’s Vice-President for Communication and Outreach, Ms Patricia Nemeth,
introduced the topic, presenting a recent survey conducted among UN staff on disabilities
in the workplace. ESCAP’s Focal Point on Disability, Ms Aiko Akiyama, commended
CCISUA for its work on the topic and welcomed cooperation between the Focal Point’s
office and the federation, in order to facilitate information and expertise sharing.
Overview
The recent survey on disabilities shows that disabilities in the UN Common System are
generally invisible. 238 colleagues identified themselves as having a disability, mostly
physical, of which 66% stated that colleagues and supervisors do not understand their
needs and that they would like to see a change in attitude, including of senior
management. As an example, dyslexia is usually disregarded in the UN, whereas the
private sector offers special arrangements for the dyslexic. According to the Focal Point
on Disability, in ESCAP, 7.73% of staff indicated having a disability; in WHO there are
at least 15% at any given duty station.
Discussion and the way forward
Recruitment and accessibility: the delegates agreed that the two main priorities
should be (a) ensuring reasonable accessibility to the workplace and (2)
recruitment and retention of people with disabilities. These are inter-connected as
in order to recruit or retain people, the accessibility conditions must be in place –
the recruitment processes should be in line with accessibility standards. ESCAP‟s
disability mitigation project was mentioned as an example of work for improving
physical, information, and service accessibility, which is also developing work on
internal accessibility guidelines, including training on awareness.
It was suggested that “disability equality training” be provided by experts as part
of an awareness programme. The need for involvement of stakeholders was also
raised, namely on the resources to help check space issues, document accessibility
issues, etc.
Policy review and redefinition of “disability”: it was noted that OHRM is
currently reviewing many of the policies and that it may involve the redefinition
of “disability”. The delegates advised vigilance, taking into account possible
stigma and assumptions on people‟s behaviours. A suggested approach was to
insist in having an adaptable work environment that will enable all staff to
perform their functions effectively.
23
Quotas for disabled staff: the delegates cautioned that, though sometimes quotas
are necessary, in this case, quantification, misuse and disclosure could be an issue
– especially in recruitment processes. The need for the organizations to offer
support in such processes, enabling applicants to draw from that support, was
highlighted. Overall, it was emphasised that support for disabled colleagues
should not be at the discretion of supervisors.
Hidden disabilities or unawareness: who to approach and how to deal with the
issue of prejudice: the delegates highlighted that assumptions on what disabled
colleagues may need or want should be avoided, and that, instead, effort should be
made to encourage them to speak up, for example through surveys.
The CCISUA GA agreed that management should be held accountable for implementing
the rules and regulations coming from the resolutions approved by the Member States,
and for implementing the necessary support mechanisms.
XXI. Elections
Function Nominees / Results
President Mr Ian Richards, nominated by ILO, seconded
by WFP and ESCAP
Ms Bibi Khan, nominated by UNIDO,
seconded by UNON
Elections (1 vote per Union – 15 Unions have
voted)
Result:
Mr Ian Richards: 11
Ms Bibi Khan: 4
Mr Ian Richards elected as CCISUA President
Vice-President for Conditions of Service Ms Patricia Nemeth, nominated by ECA,
seconded by ICC
Elected by acclamation
24
Vice-President for Field and Security Issues Mr Guy Avognon, nominated by UNOV,
Seconded by MICT
Elected by acclamation
Vice-President for Communication and
Outreach
Mr Stefan Brezina, nominated by UNIRMCT,
seconded by UNIDO
Elected by acclamation
General Secretary Mr Fraser McIlwraith, nominated by ESCAP,
seconded by UNOV
Elected by acclamation
Treasurer Mr Phillip Migire, nominated by UNOG,
seconded by UNIRMCT
Elected by acclamation
Finance Committee (3 Slots) Ms Debbie Prashad, nominated by ECA,
seconded by UNIDO
Ms Michelle Rockcliffe, nominated by UNOG
Ms Ariam Abraha, nominated by UNOV
Elected
Procurement Committee (3 Slots) Mr Tsega Amensissa, nominated by UNHCR
Mr Yvan Poulin, nominated by UNOG
Mr Elly Etyang, nominated by UNON
Elected
Ex-Officio Security Adviser Mr Kenneth Rosario, nominated by UNOV,
Elected
25
XXII. Location of the next GA
CCISUA members unanimously agreed that the 34th
CCISUA GA be held in ESCWA.
ICC also offered to host the next General Assembly and it was agreed that this would be
a back-up location.
26
Appendix A – Training: Dealing with harassment
A full day‟s training on the topic “Dealing with harassment” preceded the CCISUA GA
meeting and was organized and sponsored by CCISUA with the goal to tackle the
existing issues in the UN common system and discuss what staff unions and staff
individually can do to take harassment issues forward. The training was given by Ms
Judith Jackson, of Jaymac Consulting, who had previously worked with our affiliate, the
GFTU and, in that capacity, has given training to CCISUA members.
Discussion and the way forward
CCISUA members shared lessons learnt and highlighted the following issues:
Reporting – According to Rule 1.2 (c), “Staff members have the duty to report any
breach of the Organization‟s regulations and rules” and “Staff members shall not be
retaliated against for complying with these duties”. However, the delegates shared
situations in which staff do not wish to report, which puts staff representatives‟ in a
difficult position because, as seen in a number of cases, staffs careers have been
adversely affected after reporting harassment and the investigation‟s did not lead to any
results. It was suggested that staff representatives:
o Still raise the issue without naming the victim, in a more global way, e.g. with a
campaign explaining what is harassment and the type of behaviour falling under
its definition;
o Investigate whether there are more victims and write joint complaints to
management;
Fact finding – It was highlighted that, in order to submit a claim with the right
information and protect the staff union‟s reputation, staff representatives should be aware
of the rules and use caution when collecting proof. In some cases legal advice should be
sought.
Expectation management – It was noted that, in some cases, investigations can take
longer than one year and that, during this time, the alleged victim may be transferred to
another section or other measures may be taken to address the claim until the
investigation is finalised. The staff union should inform the alleged victim about the
reporting procedure and what may follow (it is important to provide all the information
including on the possible consequences in order to manage expectations), as well as what
the staff union can do to assist in the process;
27
CCISUA GA agreed that:
CCISUA members should build a federation-wide campaign tackling the issues faced by
each member in order to give more voice to the victims and ensure that the perpetrators
know that the staff unions are vigilant.
Training Programme
CCISUA General Assembly Training 29 May 2018
Dealing with Harassment
Programme
10.00 Course introductions
10.20 PowerPoint - What is harassment?
- building a definition
- what is not harassment
10.45 Activity - The causes and effects of workplace harassment
- individual causes
- organisational effects
11.45 Break
12.00 Taking harassment issues forward – using UN policies
- Understanding cultural challenges when dealing with harassment issues
13.15 Lunch
14.15 Presentation / Activity - How to develop the reps‟ role in assisting members who
are suffering from harassment
- interview role play
15.15 Case studies – looking at various harassment scenarios and developing a solution
- giving staff confidence to raise issues
- supporting staff suffering harassment
16.45 Course review
17.00 Course close
28
Appendix B – Team-building
As has been the tradition in CCISUA GA meetings, CCISUA sponsored a social-event
for the delegations attending the meeting. This year‟s activity was a team-building
exercise, organized at a Thai cooking school, “Bangkok Thai Cooking Academy”, and
delivered by one of its chefs.
The activity included a lively cooking exercise, which concentrated on listening and
communication skills – one member from each team had to take directions from the chef
and bring this information back to the team for them to execute the recipe, hopefully
correctly. The course also took on team-work – each team was tasked with preparing the
dishes together and judged by the chef based on not only food presentation but also the
ability for the team to work together. The activity ended with the teams enjoying the
dishes prepared with common effort.
The activity received a very positive feedback from the delegates and it was suggested
that more team-building activities be organized for future meetings.
29
Appendix C – Agenda
The agenda can be accessed at:
Link
Tuesday, 29 May Wednesday, 30 May Thursday, 31 May Friday, 1 June
Room - A - UN
Conference Centre
Room - A - UN Conference
Centre
Room - A - UN Conference
Centre
Room - A - UN
Conference Centre
8.30
Arrival and registration
(until 9.15)
9.00
Election of the presiding officer
Adoption of the agenda
Nomination of the rapporteurs
Promoting communication,
knowledge management
and a virtual office
Use of testing in
selection procedures
9.30 Training: Dealing with
Harassment
Welcome:
President of ESCAP staff
union
President of CCISUA
Executive Secretary of
ESCAP*
CCISUA-FICSA
cooperation
Disabilities in the
workplace
10.00
Post adjustment review and
margin management
Where things stand with
the pension fund
10.30 Coffee Coffee Coffee Coffee
11.00
cont. Dealing with organizational
offshoring intiatives
Reforming the ICSC:
way forward
11.30
Handling restructuring and
downsizing
12.00
Locally recruited staff
compensation review
Lunch
12.30
1.00
Lunch (13.15 -14:15) Lunch
Townhall meeting
(UNCC Conference Room
1) Lunch
1.30
2.00
Reforming the ICSC Review of hardship duty
station classification
Financial report, budget
2.30
Pledging 2018-2019
3.00
Addressing the growth in non-
regular staff and other forms of
precarious contracts
+ Rejuvenating common
Promoting work-life
balance and reforming
parental leave
Elections of the Bureau,
Finance and
Procurement
Committees
30
system staff
3.30
Breaking the UN glass ceiling:
G/NO to P
Location of the next
General Assembly
4.00 Coffee Coffee Coffee Meeting ends
4.30
Training for staff unions and
new staff union officers
Safety and security
5.00
5.30 Adjournment Adjournment Adjournment
Evenin
g
activity
Eat like Thais: authentic
dinner by the river
provided by ESCAP staff
union
Chill like Thais: free evening to
discover the sights and
sounds of Bangkok
Cook like Thais: team
building cookery class and
dinner provided by CCISUA
* Mr. Hongjoo Hahm, Deputy
Executive Secretary for
Programmes
31
Appendix D – “FICSA-CCISUA Cooperation
Agreement”
32
Appendix E – Acronyms and Abbreviations
ACPAQ Advisory Committee on Post Adjustment
Questions
CCISUA/ the
federation
Coordinating Committee for the International
Staff Unions and Associations
FICSA Federation of International Civil Servants‟
Associations
GS General Service
IASMN Inter-Agency Security Management Network
ILO-AT International Labour Organization -
Administrative Tribunal
NPO National Professional Officer
SG Secretary General
UNDT United Nations Dispute Tribunal
YPP Young Professional Programme
33
Appendix F – Outgoing CCISUA Bureau
President Ian Richards
Vice-President for Conditions of Service Fraser McIlwraith
Vice-President for Field and Security Issues Guy Avognon
Vice-President for Communication and
Outreach
Patricia Nemeth
Treasurer Phillip Migire
General Secretary Irka Kuleshnyk
34
Appendix G – Participants
Organization Name
1 UN Nairobi Martin M Njuhigu
2 UN Nairobi Elly Etyang
3 UN Nairobi Charles Ndiani
4 ICC Ruth Frolich
5 ICC Géraldine Danhoui
6 MICT Fraser McIlwraith
7 MICT Philippa Greer
8 UNOV/UNODC Irka Kuleshnyk
9 UNOV Stefan Brezina
10 UNIDO Chantal Pothier
11 UNIDO Osadolor Akpata
12 ILO
Catherine Comte-
Tiberghien
13 ILO Yvan Poulin
14 ILO Pong-Sul Ahn
15 ECA Joseph Baricako
16 ECA Tsega Amensisa
17 WFP Ariam Abraha
18 UNSU Patricia Nemeth
19 UNSU Bibi Sherifa Khan
20 UNSU Cristina Silva
21 UNSU Andraz Melansek
22 UNSU Kenneth Rosario
23 UNCTAD Ian Richards
24 UNOG Kalman Kalotay
25 UNOG Chiraz Bali
26 UNOG Froylan Silveira
27 ESCAP Charuwan Tintukasiri
28 ESCAP Surang Chanteeradate
35
29 FICSA Irwan Mohd Razali
30 UNHCR Guy Avognon
31 UNHCR Nada Blanusa
32 ICJ Lisa Marshall-Maltere
33 UNICEF Debbie Prashad
34
CCISUA
Treasurer Phillip Migire
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