In May FICSA...

... Met With the Security Council

1. On 29 May 2001, a FICSA delegation comprised of Mr. André J. Heitz, FICSA General Secretary, Ms. Anne Marie Pinou, FICSA Research and Liaison Officer, and Mr. Dimitri Samaras, Chairman of the UNDP/UNFPA/UNOPS Staff Association, participated in a meeting of the Security Council which discussed the security of United Nations staff (see FICSA Update No. 24 / 2001).

2. The General Secretary held a press conference and gave an interview to World Chronicle, UNTV, on the following day.

   ...Participated in the Ad hoc Inter-Agency Meeting on Security

   3.The General Secretary participated in the Ad hoc Inter-Agency Meeting on Security held in UNESCO, Paris, from 14 to 18 May (see FICSA Update No. 23 / 2001).

   ...Participated in a Meeting of the Task Force on HIV/AIDS in the UN Workplace

3. Ms. Leslie Ewart, FICSA Information Officer, participated, on 29 May, in a meeting of the Task Force on HIV/AIDS in the Workplace organized as a videoconference between Geneva and New York (see FICSA Update No. 25 / 2001)

   ...Participated in an Ad hoc Meeting on Social Policy Issues in the UN System Workplace

4. Ms. Leslie Ewart participated, on 30 and 31 May, in an Ad hoc Meeting on Social Policy Issues in the UN System Workplace (see FICSA Update No. 26 / 2001).

   ...Conducted an Advocacy Drive in Washington, D.C.

5. FICSA President Bernard P. Grandjean and Research and Liaison Officer Anne Marie Pinou conducted an advocacy campaign in Washington, D.C. from 30 April to 4 May (see FICSA Update No. 21 / 2001).

   ...Conducted an Advocacy Drive in New York

6. On his way back from Washington, D.C., FICSA President Bernard P. Grandjean stopped in New York for two days - on 8 and 9 May 2001 - to press some of FICSA’s requests to Member States, particularly with regard to the meeting with the Security Council and HIV/AIDS in the UN workplace (see FICSA Update No. 22 / 2001).

7. The General Secretary used the occasion of his presence in New York for the meeting with the Security Council, to conduct an advocacy drive with representatives of a number of Member States, particularly on the issue of HIV/AIDS in the UN workplace. He met with the executive heads or high officials of the ILO Liaison Office, the United Nations, UNFPA, UNICEF and UNOPS, and reported on the meeting with the Security Council and on FICSA’s advocacy work on HIV/AIDS. He also met with senior staff of the United Nations Foundation and the United States Association for the United Nations.

   ...Conducted an Advocacy Drive in Paris

8. The General Secretary used the occasion of the Ad Hoc Inter-Agency Meeting on Security to meet, together with FICSA Vice-President Marielle Richon, with Ms. Dyane Dufresne-Klaus, Director of the Office of Human Resources Management of UNESCO, and to discuss with her, in particular, the issue of the effect of two French social levies, CSG and CRDS, on General Service salaries. He also met with the Executive Committee of the UNESCO Staff Union (STU) and members of the UNESCO International Staff Association (AIPU/ISAU).

9. FICSA President Bernard Grandjean carried out a series of activities for FICSA in Paris and Bangkok. In Paris on personal travel from 21 to 25 May, he met with staff representatives from the STU, and also with Mr. Marcio Barbosa, Deputy Director-General, and Ms. Dyane Dufresne-Klaus. A major item of discussion was the issue of CSG and CRDS. On 24 May, the UNESCO Director-General, Mr. Koïchiro Matsuura, announced his decision, which should give full satisfaction to the staff (see FICSA Update No. 27 / 2001).

10. The President also met with staff representatives from the Agence de la Francophonie, the International Office of Epizooties, and OECD.

    ...Conducted Visits and an Advocacy Drive in South-East Asia

11. Executive Committee Member for Asia, Dr. Ali Basaran, used several missions for WHO/WPRO to conduct, at the same time, FICSA business. He visited:
    • Bangkok, Thailand, from 1 to 5 May;

    • Port Moresby and Lae, Papua New Guinea, from 6 to 12 May;

    • Hanoi, He and Halong Bay, Viet Nam, from 13 to 21 May;

    • Phnom Penh and Siem Reap, Cambodia, from 22 to 29 May;

    • Bangkok, Thailand, from 30 May to 3 June.

    Colleagues in Cambodia, Papua New Guinea, and Viet Nam decided to set up a FUNSA.

12. The President and the Regional Member for Asia had meetings in Bangkok, on 31 May, with representatives of the staff of eight national or regional offices (FAO, ICAO, ILO, UNDP, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNICEF and WHO). They also met with the Executive Secretary of ESCAP, who expressed satisfaction at the prospect of future unity among federations, and with the Chair of the ESCAP Staff Association.

    ...Promoted Staff Representation in Algiers

13. Ms. Jane Wright, former FICSA Vice-President, used her contacts in Algiers to promote the creation of a FUNSA. FICSA provided copies of the model FUNSA Statutes and information about the benefits of FICSA membership.

    ...Wrote to Member States on the Subject of HIV/AIDS

14. On 31 May, the President wrote to all Member States of the United Nations to suggest that they adopt a statement at the United Nations General Assembly Special Session on HIV/AIDS (UNGASS) whereby the organizations of the United Nations common system should implement without delay the policies recommended by UNGASS and thus serve as model employers.

    ...Provided Advice to the Geneva-based Organizations

15. The President and the General Secretary provided advice to the staff associations and unions of the Geneva-based organizations regarding their participation in the 53^rd session of the International Civil Service Commission (ICSC) to discuss the preparations for the forthcoming General Service salary survey.

    ...Provided Assistance to the Staff Association of the World Tourism Organization

16. The General Secretary provided advice to the WTO Staff Association in Madrid regarding the correction of an error made in 1994 when the salary scale was established for General Service Staff.

    ...Provided Assistance to the Staff Association of ICAO and the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity

17. FICSA contributed to the launching of a questionnaire on job satisfaction in the secretariats of both Montreal-based organizations.

    ...Wrote on the Pensions of our Former Russian Colleagues

18. On 8 May, the President wrote to United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan and to the Secretary and CEO of the United Nations Joint Staff Pension Fund (UNJSPF), Mr. Bernard Cochemé, about the plans of the Russian Government to implement an "internal solution", by which our former colleagues who transferred their UNJSPF entitlements to the Social Security system of the former Soviet Union would be paid an inadequate sum (for example $58.5 for a transfer of more than $100,000) to complement their national pensions. FICSA is calling for an urgent resolution to this long-standing problem, and asked the two officials for their support and assistance.

    ...Organized Support for Colleagues in the European Patent Office (EPO)

19. On 25 May, FICSA wrote to colleagues in the European Patent Office in The Hague to express solidarity with the staff, who are fighting for their salaries and the right of association. FICSA members joined in expressing their support, which was greatly appreciated by the EPO Staff Union.

    ...Touched Base with the Staff Association of INTERPOL

20. The General Secretary provided general information to the Staff Association of INTERPOL.

    ...And...

21. On 23 May, the General Secretary participated in the General Assembly of the Association of Former International Civil Servants (AFICS). He shared information on the taxation of pensions and long-term care insurance with all members.

22. FICSA provided information regarding the taxation of pensions to the Staff Association of WHO/EURO (Copenhagen), and to a former staff member of the ILO.

23. FICSA pursued the issue of the hardship classification of Accra (Ghana) and Moscow (Russian Federation) with colleagues from those duty stations, who are dissatisfied with the changes in classification made by ICSC. Moscow-based international staff, for example, stand to lose from $US 3,200 to $US 5,650 a year.

24. FICSA provided assistance to colleagues in Nigeria facing extremely difficult staff-management relations and liaised in that respect with the UNDP/UNFPA/UNOPS Staff Association.

25. FICSA provided information to the PAHO-WHO Staff Association regarding standards of travel and daily subsistence allowances.

26. FICSA provided assistance to the Staff Association of WHO/EMRO (Cairo), which is endeavoring to create a FUNSA in Cairo.

27. FICSA solicited information from the membership on behalf of the WIPO Staff Association on the question of compensation for overtime worked by Professional staff.

28. FICSA provided information to the UNDP/UNFPA/UNOPS Staff Association on the facilities granted by the organizations to their staff associations or unions.

29. FICSA provided legal advice to a staff member from the World Trade Organization (WTO).

30. FICSA provided information to UNESCO STU on financial and family obligations of staff members.

31. FICSA provided legal advice to a staff member of FAO in Morocco, through the local federation, FLPNUM.

32. FICSA provided advice to the United Nations Staff Federation in Sudan on the question of discipline within the committee of an association.

33. FICSA wrote to the Staff Association of the World Bank Group on the subject of "class actions" before a Tribunal.

34. The General Secretary wrote to the Staff Associations of the various international banks to alert them to a judgement delivered by the Tribunal of the African Development Bank, which may have unfortunate consequences for the receivability of complaints and briefs.

35. FICSA welcomed the closer contacts that have been established between the two UNESCO staff bodies, STU and AIPU/ISAU.