In July FICSA...

...Participated in the 184^th Session of the Standing Committee of the United Nations Joint Staff Pension Board

1. The session was held in New York from 9 to 13 July. FICSA has one observer seat (only) and was represented on the occasion by Ms. Anne Marie Pinou, Research and Liaison Officer.

   ...Met Informally With the Secretariat of the Administrative Committee on Coordination (ACC) and the High Level Committee on Management (HLCM)

2. On 25 and 27 July, FICSA General Secretary André J. Heitz met with four members of the Secretariat to discuss FICSA’s involvement in forthcoming meetings.

   ...Congratulated Mr. Kofi Annan on his Appointment as Secretary-General of the United Nations for a Second Term

3. President Bernard P. Grandjean wrote on 9 July to Mr. Kofi Annan. He used the occasion to request that the staff of the United Nations and the specialized agencies, programmes and funds be endowed with all rights that flow from the Charter and the relevant Human Rights and Labour instruments.

   ...Met With a Member of the Swiss Permanent Mission to the United Nations and Other International Organizations in Geneva

4. On 13 July, the General Secretary met with Mr. Francis Gruber, Counselor at the Permanent Mission, and discussed with him the question of contractual arrangements, currently topical with the ICSC.

   ...Urged the Executive Heads to Care for the Security and Safety of the Staff

5. On 9 July, the General Secretary wrote to the Executive Heads to urge them to ensure that a formula be found for sharing the costs of the coordination of the security measures for United Nations staff and associated personnel (to a large extent the budget of UNSECOORD). He wrote, in particular, that any failure to agree on such a formula would be perceived by the staff, particularly those working in difficult environments, as lack of care and, in effect, affront to their dignity and worth.

   ...Wrote to the Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations Regarding Our Colleagues Still Detained in Rwanda

6. On 6 July, the General Secretary wrote to Ms. Louise Fréchette to remind her of the decision, taken by the Ad Hoc Inter-Agency Meeting on Security in Paris last May, "that this matter be brought to the attention of the Deputy Secretary-General for coordinated action to be undertaken by UNHCR, UNDP, WFP, and UNICEF". There has been no reply.

   ...Promoted the ILO "Code of Practice on HIV/AIDS and the World of Work"

7. On 9 July, the General Secretary wrote to the Executive Heads to urge them to ensure that the parts of the Code that are relevant in the context of an intergovernmental organization are implemented within their respective Organization at the earliest possible opportunity.

   ...Provided Information on Pension Rights to the Staff Association of CERN

8. The information pertained to the system applied by the UNJSPB for survivors’ benefits paid to former (divorced) spouses.

   ...Provided Information to the FAO/WFP Association of Professional Staff (APS)

9. The information pertained to the compensation (if any...) of overtime worked by staff in the Professional and higher categories.

   ...Provided Liaison for the FAO/WFP Union of General Service Staff (UGSS)

10. FICSA disseminated a request for information on policies and procedures that permit mobility of staff in order to broaden their work experience.

11. FICSA also disseminated among the membership the resolution adopted by the FAO and WFP General Service staff – in cooperation with, and with the participation of, the staff of other UN agencies in Italy – following the decision by the International Civil Service Commission (ICSC) to cancel the "language competence factor" for the second time and in defiance of judgement No. 1713 of the Administrative Tribunal of the International Labour Organization (ILOAT).

    ...Provided Advice to the PAHO/WHO Staff Association in Washington DC

12. The FICSA President and General Secretary, and Mr. Reinhard Menzel (ICAO), gave general information in relation to place-to-place surveys to be conducted in Costa Rica and Puerto Rico.

    ...Provided Liaison for the Staff Union of UNESCO

13. FICSA disseminated a request for information on the practice followed by the organizations for the reimbursement of the taxes paid by American international civil servants on their salaries and emoluments.

    ...Provided Advice to FAPCOSNU (Costa Rica)

14. The advice pertained, in particular, to the possible legal consequences of a postponement of a salary survey.

    ...Renewed Contacts With FUNSA India

15. On 17 July, the General Secretary received the visit of Mr. J.K. Mandapati, President of FUNSA India, and discussed with him matters that are currently of concern in New Delhi.

    ...Provided Advice to FLPNUM (Morocco)

16. The advice pertained to a variety of issues confronting staff of several organizations in Morocco.

    ...Provided Assistance to FUNSA Nigeria

17. The FICSA President and General Secretary maintained close contacts throughout the month with the President of the FUNSA.

    ...Assisted a Former Staff Member of the United Nations Development Program in the United Arab Emirates

18. The General Secretary sent, on 16 July, a brief for the Joint Appeals Board of the United Nations in a case of non-renewal of contract upon request from the local Government authorities, in contravention of Article 100 of the Charter of the United Nations.

    ...Intervened Again in Favor of UNHCR Staff

19. On 10 July, the General Secretary wrote to Mr. Ruud Lubbers, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, following the termination of the appointments of the UNHCR staff in the United Arab Emirates. The UNHCR is responding to a financial crisis by discontinuing some 760 posts.

20. The General Secretary also wrote to the Chairman of the UNHCR Staff Council on some human resources management issues.

    ...Provided Advice to the Association of Former International Civil Servants (Moscow)

21. The General Secretary wrote to Mr. Roman Issinski, Chairman of AFICS (Moscow) with regard to the measures to be taken to get satisfaction on the spoliation of their pension rights as a result of the 1980 Agreement between the UNJSPF and the Government of the (former) Soviet Union.

    ...And...

22. FICSA provided information on part-time employment in the United Nations system to the Staff Association of the World Trade Organization (WTO).

23. The General Secretary provided legal advice to a staff member of the International Labour Organization (ILO) in connection with the, objectively unfounded, upgrading of the hardship classification of Moscow.

24. The General Secretary provided legal advice to a staff member of WTO.

25. The General Secretary provided information on the contractual policies in the United Nations system, and FICSA’s position thereon, to a grouping within the Council of Europe concerned with the issue of "long-term short-term staff".

26. The General Secretary provided advice to the Asian and Pacific Center on Transfer of Technology (APCTT), in New Delhi, and also to the United Nations Logistical Base (UNLB), in Bari (Italy), on the rules governing the right of association and the representation of the staff in the United Nations and its programmes and funds.