22 June 2001

FICSA Update No. 28 2001

    General Assembly Adopts Resolution on Human Resources Management

  • On 14 June 2001, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution on human resources management (see FICSA Update No. 14 / 2001 for the background). The salient points of the resolution are as follows.

    Contractual Arrangements
  • The General Assembly requested the Secretary-General to submit his definitive proposals to the next session "spelling out differences between existing and proposed types of appointments". It thus meets an urgent request repeatedly made by FICSA for an explanation of the differences between the existing permanent contract and the envisaged continuing contract. We are pleased with the General Assembly’s response to our request.

    Recruitment and Placement

  • This is a very detailed section, with 23 operative paragraphs (for instance, the Secretary-General is requested to "circulate internal vacancy announcements to permanent missions when issued").

    Mobility

  • The General Assembly set out some checks, for instance: "Requests the Secretary-General to further develop criteria for mobility to maximize its benefits for the Organization and to ensure fair and equitable treatment of all staff and to avoid its possible abuse as an instrument of coercion against staff, taking into account job security in the organization and other relevant factors, such as an appropriate incentive scheme and assurances of onward assignment".

  • FICSA had pressed for such assurances in its advocacy activities.

  • The International Civil Service Commission (ICSC) was also requested to conduct a comprehensive review of the question of mobility and its implications on career development of staff members in the United Nations system and to report to the General Assembly in 2002.

    Recruitment Process

  • The General Assembly agreed to the proposed change that will give more authority to the programme managers subject to confirmation by a central review body. Where the two differ, the matter will be referred to Secretary-General for a final decision.

    Administration of Justice

  • The General Assembly welcomed the proposal to establish a function of Ombudsman.

  • It also requested a report - after consultation with the staff - on the possibility of reviewing the role of the Joint Appeals Board to either maintain it as an advisory body, possibly without the power to suspend action on a contested decision, or make it into a semi-judicial body with the power to take decisions.

  • The Secretary-General was also requested to "take necessary measures to close the gap as appropriate" between the statutes of the United Nations Administrative Tribunal (UNAT) and the Administrative Tribunal of the International Labour Organization (ILOAT). This implies, in particular, that UNAT would be empowered to order specific performance (for instance reinstatement of a wrongfully dismissed staff member), without being obliged to propose, in each case, the amount of the compensation to be paid in the event that the respondent Organization decided not to perform; and also that it would not be limited in the amount of compensation granted (of course if the gap were fully closed).

  • FICSA is pleased with the intention to strengthen the judicial system of the United Nations. This is to the benefit of both the organization and the staff and is likely to trickle down to the other organizations.

    Conditions of Service

  • The General Assembly "endorse[d] the recommendation [...] that a competitive package of conditions of service is a prerequisite for successful achievement of HRM reform goals". It also emphasized that "the Organization requires a good working environment and a comprehensive compensation package to attract and retain high quality staff".

  • FICSA is gratified by this decision of the General Assembly.

  • The Secretary-General was also requested to study the implications of fixing the mandatory age of separation for staff appointed prior to 1 January 1990 to 62 and to report to the next session.

  • This decision will eventually meet a request from FICSA.

    Competencies, Performance Management and Career Development

  • The General Assembly agreed with "the Secretary-General’s goal to create a fair, equitable, transparent and measurable system of performance management throughout the Secretariat", and underlined "the importance of creating a comprehensive career development system".