STU/66th Council/16/011
8 March 2016
Report of the Townhall STU-FICSA
Wednesday 17 February 2016, 12:30-14:00, Room II
Elia Matias, STU President, introduces to the audience representatives from FICSA (Federation of International Civil Servants' Associations):
As a preamble, Diab Tabari explains what FICSA is doing for the staff on the United Nations: it is mainly, through negotiation with the management of specialized agencies, about non-daily issues, such as salary or post adjustment.
Imed Zabaar introduces the reform of the compensation package, begun in 2013 and adopted in 2015 (here). The objective, as stated by the International Civil Service Commission (ICSC) was to simplify the system, but it quickly appeared that it was also about, even without being said, to generate staff cost savings. At the end of its session, the ICSC made a number of recommendations, which were opposed by the federations of staff associations. These won their case, namely concerning the single parent allowance and the accelerated home leave for the most difficult duty stations. A sliding scale of education grant was adopted, leading to an increase of the allowance, even if it no longer covers unavoidable costs that may be significant. The freeze on increases in allowances was discontinued as of 1 January 2016 for the General Service categories and will be discontinued from 1 January 2017 for Professional and higher categories. The salary scale for P staff was unified; the number of steps was reduced. The new mandatory age of separation (65 for the staff recruited as of 1 January 2014) will be implemented no later than 1 January 2018, taking into account the acquired rights of staff recruited before 1 January 2014.
Diab Tabari reminds that this reform took 3 years. FICSA ensured that it was not done at the expense of the staff and that nobody, adding up salary and allowances, would lose money. Mobility allowance was slightly improved but not as much as FICSA wanted, which will also continue to fight for an accelerated home leave.
Mauro Pace addresses the revision of the compensation package for G and local staff(NPOs for example), which will begin in March 2016. If the objectives of the reform for P staff were clear, the objectives of the reform for G staff, consequence of the first one, are confused. It will take 2 years; final decisions will be made at the end of 2017. No changes in the methodology of salary revision are to be expected, but it will be possible to highlight a few things to be improved in that methodology. FICSA will be very attentive to what may happen.
Question : are salaries still set according to the most advantageous civil service? If yes, of which country?
Answer: for P staff, salaries are set according to the Noblemaire principle, following salaries in the US civil service (precisely in Washington), with adjustments taking into account the cost of living. Terms of reference of the comparison are always the same, but there are problems in the methodology. Indeed, methods of comparison can be manipulated.
Question : apparently, there is no change in salaries and post adjustment. To what extent did we succeed in generating savings?
Answer: there will be no immediate impact, but the within-grade increase every two years only will lead to a slower increase in salaries. The reform has to be set in a particular background: it began just after the Lehman-Brothers scandal. State Members wanted to make extreme savings and we can now considerate that the worst has been avoided. There is still room for improving things (mobility allowance, accelerated home leave, etc.). Besides, a legal study has been carried out on the notion of acquired rights, so that FICSA knows how to legally protest if necessary.
Question : what about performance appraisal and recognition?
Answer: during the discussions, a consensus appeared on the necessity for each Organization of an efficient system of performance appraisal. It will be discussed again, and recommendations made, by the ICSC in March.
Question : During the revision of the compensation package for G staff, will the allowances paid by the Family Allowances Fund (Caisse d’Allocations Familiales), such as housing assistance, single parent allowance, holiday vouchers, school bonus, birth allowance, etc., be taken into account?
Answer: in the case of G staff, it is the labour cost, and not the cost of living, that is used for adjustment. This kind of allowances is taken into account in the salary calculation methodology and it is the local practice, if more advantageous, that applies.
Question : why is there no education grant for G staff?
Answer: the salary calculation system is different for P and G staff. A G staff member is recruited locally; his/her salary is calculated according to the “best” employers on the spot and includes a part devoted to the education of children. Besides, the difference is not only between P and G, but also between international staff and local staff. A phenomenon is growing in the United Nations Secretariat and the FAO: G staff is recruited internationally but without the allowances open only to Ps. FICSA will fight against this dangerous tendency.
Note by FICSA : pensions are now paid with up to a 9 months delay, due to the change in IT system. FICSA is following the issue and will keep the staff informed. An idea could be to activate the pension as soon as the check-out procedure of the staff member is launched.
The STU thanks the FICSA representatives and staff members who participated in this Townhall. The meeting is adjourned.