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

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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

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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.

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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;

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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;

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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

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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.

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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;

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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.

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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.

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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