...Welcomed a New Associate Member
- The Staff Association of the European Southern Observatory (ESO) became an associate member upon unanimous acceptance of its application by the members (see FICSA Update No. 15/2001).
...Wrote to Staff Associations on Associate Membership
- A letter promoting associate membership in FICSA was sent around the world to the staff associations of the larger organizations that are not part of the United Nations common system.
...Provided Information to WHO/SEAR
- Information on FICSA and its activities was provided to the Staff Association of the WHO Regional Office for South-East Asia.
...Touched Base with the Agence de la francophonie
- Information on FICSA and its activities, and on the status of associate member, were provided to the Staff Association.
...Met with the President of CCISUA
- The General Secretary met with Ms. Marlène Sequeira, Executive Secretary of the Coordinating Council of the United Nations Office in Geneva and President of the Coordinating Committee of International Staff Unions and Associations, to discuss matters of common interest.
...Contributed to the Forthcoming Ad Hoc Inter-Agency Meeting on Security
- FICSA sent to UNSECOORD a brief note on security considerations related to aircraft, prepared by Mr. Reinhard Menzel (ICAO).
...Pursued the Matter of HIV/AIDS in the UN Workplace
- Ms. Leslie Ewart and Mr. David Patterson, in Geneva, and Ms. Judey Austin and Ms. Anne Marie Pinou in New York participated, on 23 April, in a meeting of the Task Force on HIV/AIDS in the UN Workplace organized as a videoconference between Geneva and New York. For details, see FICSA Update No. 18/2001.
...Requested Information on the Hardship Classification of Certain Duty Stations
- The General Secretary wrote to the Chairman of the International Civil Service Commission (ICSC) on 19 April to ask him about the remedial action being taken or contemplated with regard to, in particular, Accra (Ghana) reclassified from "C" to "B" although it had not been on the agenda of the last round of reviews and Moscow (Russian Federation) reclassified from "B" to an "A" which did not seem supported by the evidence. The answer to our request was far from satisfactory.
...Contributed to the Reflection on the Post Adjustment System
- There was an extensive exchange of correspondence following the ACPAQ meeting, particularly with colleagues in FAO, ICAO and WHO/EURO.
...Participated in the Ceremony which Marked the Commemoration Day for Dead and Injured Workers at the ILO
- On 27 April, the FICSA General Secretary attended the ceremony on behalf of both FICSA and the Association for the Security and Independence of International Civil Servants (ASIICS). For details, see FICSA Update No. 17/2001.
...Received the Visit of a Resident Representative
- Ms. Agathe Lawson, Resident Representative of UNFPA in Bangui (Central African Republic), visited the FICSA Secretariat on 12 April.
...Received the Visit of a Former Staff Member of the African Development Bank
- The General Secretary provided advice of a legal nature to a former staff member of the AFDB, who visited him on 18 April.
...Corresponded with Staff in Nicaragua on the "Reprofiling" of the UNDP Country Office
- FICSA offered its services, should the matter not be solved through the means available at the level of the Organization.
...Corresponded with the Staff Association of UNDP in Nigeria Concerning Staff/Management Relations
- This matter is still under review and is likely to be taken up at the highest level.
...Provided Advice on a Number of Issues to the Staff Union of UNESCO
- The items covered, in particular, the right of Management to question a posteriori the results of a salary survey, the "visit" of a computer, electronic registration of presence at work ("clocking"), the abuse of the Email system to broadcast libelous material, and the policy of the Organization in relation to the recognition of the right of association and the consultation of recognized representative associations and unions.
...And...
- FICSA provided information to the WHO/EURO Staff Association on rotation policies.
- FICSA contributed to reactivating an appeal from a former staff member of UNDP, which appeal seemed to have gone missing in the New York labyrinth.
- FICSA provided information on pensions to a colleague in Somalia, a country which raises special problems for the pension system.
- FICSA informed the member associations and unions on a report by WHO on depleted uranium.
- FICSA distributed to the member associations and unions a call for participation to the Mayday parade, prepared by the WHO/HQ Staff Association, that contained valuable material on "long-term short-term" employees.