United Nations organizations for many years have been obliged to operate on the basis of zero-growth budgets. The decision to opt for zero growth was ideological rather than practical.
Zero growth in many cases has meant that the organizations were expected to show a reduction in the allocation for staffing to give the appearance that staffing costs had been reduced. However, reductions in the number of regular budget staff have given rise to increases in 'temporary' assistance, which is not necessarily cost-effective. Significant hidden costs come with temporary assistance, i.e., recruitment, management and training costs.
While some savings may have resulted from not offering social benefits to short-term staff, this runs counter to good labour practice and the provisions of the new Global Compact. The practice of employing staff on monthly contracts without, or with only rudimentary, social protection should not be permitted in an Organization that promotes the Global Compact for everyone else. How can the United Nations promote the Global Compact and, at the same time, employ 'long-term short-term staff'?
The United Nations Organizations serve as a role model. Yet, in many countries, where short-term employment is strictly regulated, the labour practices of the Organizations would be illegal, were the Organizations not immune from national labour legislation.
In looking for reforms aimed at strengthening the Organizations as competitive employers, able to "attract, retain and motivate staff of a high calibre to meet diverse and increasingly complex mandates" (Joseph Connor, Under-Secretary-General for Management, to the 52nd session of ICSC), the Organizations would do well to end their reliance on "long-term short-term staff".
The time has come to say "no" to concepts that date back to the 80's. The world has changed and so must the intergovernmental organizations.
FICSA urges Member States: