STU/71st Council/24/017
16 October 2024

220th session of the UNESCO Executive Board

Oral Statement by the UNESCO Staff Union (STU)

Thank you, Madam Chairperson, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, and dear colleagues,

In my first speech as President of the UNESCO Staff Union in front of this audience, I have the pleasure to bring to your attention, in continuity with the work of my recent predecessors, some key issues that STU observed from its privileged point of view.

Firstly, STU is concerned about the increase in staff-reported challenges related to recruitment, including access to information on status and outcomes of the processes, succession planning and recruitment times which are still too long. In this framework, STU believes that the checks and balances system, including the Appointment Review Board (ARB) merit a comprehensive evaluation, to better understand whether it truly supports a fair and transparent recruitment process.

Regarding the Managed Geographical Mobility Exercise, only a small minority of staff who reached their Standard Duration Assignment were moved in the recent round. Given this, along with feedback from dozens of colleagues involved in the exercise in recent years, the STU calls for a performance audit.

This audit should evaluate the exercise’s economy, efficiency, and effectiveness, as well as its capacity to support the Organization’s mission and programs, while fostering staff career development within a framework that we believe should be more voluntary rather than mandatory.

STU acknowledges HRM for the progress made in fostering gender equality through revised HR practices. However, there is more that can be done in terms of the differentiated attention that needs to be paid to the reality and prerequisites of our staff, with regard to career development, leave, health and family issues, among others. STU is ready to engage with the administration to further revise policies and practices.

Distinguished delegates,

Managers play a crucial role in guiding, motivating, and supporting their teams, and in fostering a healthy and productive working environment. Unfortunately, STU frequently observes colleagues who are struggling due to inadequate managerial skills of their supervisors, leading to individuals’ frustration and a growing number of Appeals Board cases.

The Organization should address this during recruitment, rather than relying solely on post-recruitment training programs. Therefore, STU strongly advocates for the use of external assessment centers when hiring for managerial positions from P4 level and above. This would ensure that candidates possess the necessary skills in communication, emotional intelligence, adaptability, and empathy to lead multicultural teams fairly and effectively.

Excellencies,

Mental health and well-being in the workplace remain top priorities for STU and we welcome the efforts of the Administration listed by DIR/HRM. I echo my predecessors' calls for the quick operationalization of the UN Mental Health and Well-Being Strategy, an essential tool that will harmonize UN agencies efforts in addressing wellbeing in the workplace.

In an effort to reduce conflicts and improve mental health, STU urges the Administration to take two actions. First, strengthen the Occupational Health Service by hiring at least one senior occupational psychologist. At the same time, we would recommend the establishment of an Ombudsman’s office to work in collaboration with the Ethics office, which is currently under-staffed. We ask Member States to allocate adequate resources for both the Strategy and the establishment of these key positions that must also support colleagues in the field.

Additionally, as the 2023 report of the Joint Inspection Unit emphasizes the importance of an evidence-based approach to mental health and well-being, STU once again calls for regular Well-Being surveys, to provide the necessary baseline to shape effective policies.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

STU is also concerned about the current trends in HR composition. As of June 2024, based on HRM data, the ratio of staff members to affiliate work force stands at 48% to 52%. This raises again fundamental questions about what it means to be an international organization when over half the workforce consists of non-International Civil Servants. STU looks forward to engaging with the Administration to examine this issue and its long-term implications.

Additionally, the increasing use of project appointments instead of fixed-term contracts is troubling. Project Appointments offer less stability and job security, making unionization more difficult for their holders. Combined with the rise in affiliate workforce, this trend risks weakening the core of UNESCO’s staff and creates a more vulnerable workforce, with an excessive concentration of power in managers' hands.

With respect to the use of Artificial Intelligence in recruitment processes a topic that Member States raised in the last hour, STU appeals to Member States and the Administration to allocate adequate resources to training our HR colleagues and recruitment managers.

Dear colleagues,

Before concluding, I am delighted to announce that, for the first time, STU holds a seat on the Executive Committee of the Federation of International Civil Servants' Associations (FICSA). In this crucial role, STU will continue to defend the rights of over hundred thousand of United Nations staff throughout the globe.

Thank you for your attention.

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