Following the special Staff-Management Committee (SMC) session, which was held last week in Pristina (23-29 June), we would like to briefly inform you of the work accomplished.
The SMC focused on the UN80 Initiative, the current financial and liquidity crisis, and on possible mitigation measures to limit the impacts on staff, their livelihoods, conditions of service and wellbeing. Throughout an intense week of discussions, we made persistent efforts to reach agreements with management for the benefit of staff.
As we wait for the SMC report to be approved by the Secretary-General and made public, we would like to share with you some notable outcomes. Agreements will be only final upon the approval of the Secretary-General. Please note that the details and conditions of some of the agreements, such as the agreement on the use of special leave without pay (SLWOP) and the guidance on non-renewals, will be discussed further in dedicated ad-hoc SMC meetings, starting in early August.
UN80 Initiative discussions
On the UN80 Initiative, management presented only one paper that was intended for information purposes only, rather than for consultation, and with no input sought from the staff unions. We strongly objected to this approach and reiterated the need for meaningful staff consultation on the substance of UN80 proposals. Your Union representatives at SMC expressed disappointment that the scarcity of information and lack of evidence-based analysis did not allow for effective engagement.
Staff unions presented to SMC proposals on topics such as principles of engagement that should prevail between management and staff during workforce reductions or downsizing, and we reached agreement on the need for overarching principles and participation of staff representatives in structured change management.
Downsizing and workforce reductions
Mitigation measures to be implemented centrally:
Mitigation measures that may be implemented under the delegated authority of entities:
We will continue to call for effective and meaningful engagement with management and for strengthened mitigation measures that are proportionate to the severity of the financial crisis and UN80 proposals.
As is customary, the full report of the special SMC on UN80 will be shared with staff once it is approved by the Secretary-General.
Next steps:
Please do not hesitate to reach out to the Staff Council if you need further information or assistance. We are here to support you, and we will continue advocating tirelessly for staff rights and needs!