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URGENT MESSAGE FROM THE EXCOM TO FICSA MEMBERS KEY MEMBER STATES LEAD AN UNPRECEDENTED ATTACK ON UN SALARIES DURING DISCUSSIONS IN THE FIFTH COMMITTEE OF THE UNGA Dear Colleagues, FICSA has been informed that during the ongoing discussions in the Fifth Committee of the 66th General Assembly, several key member states presented the following proposal which, if adopted by the General Assembly, will severely cut take home pay for staff in the Professional and higher categories beginning on 1 January 2012 and will also seriously affect the pensionable remuneration and pensions of all categories of staff. Agenda Item 141: United Nations Common System 17 December 2011 B. Conditions of service of staff in the Professional and higher categories Inserts the following chapeau paragraph immediately after the heading of Section B. Recalls paragraph 103 of the report of the Commission and recognizes that specific measures have been undertaken on national civil services’ conditions of service by respective Member States in order to cope with ongoing financial crisis and their budgetary concerns; 4. Evolution of the margin Deletes paragraph 1 of the section in Rev.2 of the draft resolution and add the following paragraph 3bis after paragraph 3. 3bis. Decides that the range of margin between the net remuneration of officials in the Professional and higher categories of the United Nations in New York and officials in comparable positions in the comparator civil service should be 100 to 110, as from 1 January 2012, on the understanding that the margin would be maintained at a level around the desirable midpoint of 105 over a period of time; 2. Post adjustment matters Add the following four paragraphs after paragraph 1. 1bis. Requests the Commission to adjust the post adjustment multiplier in New York to ensure the margin between the net remuneration of officials in the Professional and higher categories of the United Nations in New York and officials in comparable positions in the comparator civil service at the level of desirable midpoint of 105 as set out in paragraph 3bis, section B.4 of the current resolution at the earliest time possible; 1ter. Also requests the Commission to adjust the post adjustment multipliers at other duty stations to ensure that staff serving in those duty stations have the same purchasing power with staff in New York at the earliest time possible following the adjustment set out in paragraph 1bis of the current resolution; 1quater. Further requests the Commission to report to the Assembly at its sixty-seventh session the Commission’s decisions and actions regarding paragraph 1bis and 1ter of the current resolution; 1quinquies. Requests the Secretary-General to include the information on financial implications, in respect of the United Nations Secretariat, of the Commission’s decisions and actions set out in paragraph 1bis and 1ter of the current resolution in the context of performance reports of the budget. If approved, the salaries in NY would be decreased by USD 6,300 a year at the P-1 level and the cuts would range up to USD 16,600 a year at the D2 level. The proposal is political. There is no technical reason for it other than making savings on the backs of staff. Very intense discussions are taking place in New York, which reflect a divergence of opinion among Member States. Member States would like to reach a decision no later than 22 December, when the GA resolution on the common system is normally adopted. FICSA intends to continue its action against this unacceptable attack on our conditions of service and will keep its membership informed on developments. FICSA urges its members to mobilise by sharing this information with the staff or by holding extraordinary assemblies to inform them. FICSA also urges the members to approach their senior managers as soon as possible to express their concern and disappointment and seek the opinion of the administrations on this issue. We are fed up with being asked to do more with less, and less, and less… ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!

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