The SMC was convened from Monday, 7 April to Saturday, 12 April to address a comprehensive agenda focused on multiple issues affecting staff welfare and your conditions of service. Three critical issues dominated the agenda and led to rich and thorough discussions: (1) the UN80 Initiative, (2) Funding Crises, and (3) Implementation of the Downsizing Policy. Several days were dedicated to these topics, during which we made persistent efforts to reach multiple agreements with management to the benefit of staff.
As you may already know, the Secretary-General has requested the UN80 Task Force to develop proposals on (1) rapidly identifying efficiencies and improvements in the way we work, (2) reviewing the implementation of mandates received from Member States, and (3) conducting a programmatic realignment in the United Nations system. In response, on 19 March, Secretariat Unions came together and addressed a letter to the Secretary-General requesting the full inclusion of staff representative bodies within the UN80 Task Force.
At this stage, consultation on the reform efforts and efficiency proposals expected under UN80, will take place through additional meetings of the Staff-Management Committee. We continue to call on management to engage in effective consultations with staff representatives to ensure that the outcomes will reflect the needs and perspectives of staff.
As is customary, the full report of SMC XIII will be shared with staff once it is approved by the Secretary-General.
The UNOV/UNODC Staff Council will continue to communicate with you updates on the developments resulting from consultations with management, as soon as new information becomes available. We are working tirelessly to defend your rights and to ensure that any initiatives or measures adopted are carried out in full transparency and in line with our organizational rules.
The Secretary-General has approved the Staff-Management Committee XIII report and recommendations following the conclusion of the thirteenth session of the Committee.
He also noted two areas where consensus was not reached (staff’s request for prior consultation on policy guidelines, and concerns over the activation of the downsizing policy) and decided to support management's position and approach on both issues, disagreeing with staff.
