UNSU PROGRAMME OF WORK 2019-2021
- A STRONGER UNION
The Staff Union must engage in an ongoing dynamic of self-improvement and capacity building if it is to serve its constituents as they demand and deserve. All union officers must develop and leverage their varied skillsets to stand as credible interlocutors with the Administration and obtain positive outcomes for staff. Operating effectively in our complex institutional environment requires up-to-date coordination and knowledge management tools. Our ultimate objective remains to obtain full collective bargaining rights under a reformed ICSC that recognises staff associations as an equal partner on a par with Management.
Actions:
a) Membership Drive
The Staff Council will organise one major Membership Drive each year, in connection with Staff Day. The Drive will be planned in advance and will include proposed activities, expected goals and required resources.
b) Coordination and knowledge management
The Staff Council will utilise available knowledge management tools in order to optimise internal coordination and make staff inputs, reference data and policy positions available to all staff representatives and Union officers.
c) Repertory of policy positions
The Staff Council will prepare and regularly update a dossier of general policy guidelines and position papers related to all issues of interest to UN Staff Members, including but not limited to the major JNC, SMC and CCISUA agenda items.
d) Regular engagement with management
UNSU will exercise its full consultation and negotiation rights by participating in all statutory committees, working groups and other joint staff-management bodies. The Staff Council will designate members of these bodies and retain a list of all bodies, their members and duration of mandates.
e) Identify training needs for staff representatives
The Staff Council will, by 15 August 2019, endorse a plan identifying training needs for Staff Representatives, along with the most appropriate training modalities and a provisional training plan.
f) By-election for unrepresented Units
By-elections for unrepresented units will be organized by independent polling officers in the second half of 2019.
g) Review the UNSU Statute and Regulations
The Staff Council will continue the 45th Staff Council’s work to review and update the UNSU Statute and Regulations. The working group will submit its report to the Council with a final draft of the Statutes and Regulations within 4 months of its first meeting.
- EMPOWERED STAFF
The Union is only as strong as the engagement and support of its constituents. The Staff Union must make all staff members aware of the services and the support it provides, encouraging them to contribute to the constant improvement of our working environment. An empowered, motivated and satisfied workforce can multiply the effects of mandate delivery and ensure the United Nations remain relevant in the 21st Century.
Actions:
a) Maximise staff inputs
The Union Leadership will maintain an open-door policy to hear staff’s concerns. Staff Representatives shall use the Staff Council as a forum for sharing their constituents’ views. The Union will hold regular staff surveys on matters of interest.
b) Information sessions for staff-at-large
The Staff Council will maintain a rolling calendar of information sessions, products or other activities of relevance to staff. Execution of such sessions will be delegated to the Leadership or interested Staff Council members, with assistance from area experts. The first provisional plan will be endorsed by the Staff Council by 1 August 2019.
c) Promote health and wellbeing
The Staff Council will encourage and support a broad range of sports, creative and wellbeing activities initiated by interested staff members. It will advocate for managers to exercise flexibility for staff members to take part in the activities of their choice. It will support implementation of the System-Wide Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy and demand accountability for any delays or shortcomings.
d)An inclusive workplace for all
The Staff Union will actively contribute to the design and implementation of strategies to make the UN an inclusive workplace for all. It will actively address any instances of discrimination or barriers to inclusiveness identified by staff. It will strive to apply an inclusiveness optic to all policy changes subject to consultation, with the active involvement of affected staff members. The Staff Union will support implementation of the System-Wide Disability Inclusion Strategy and demand accountability for any delays or shortcomings.
e) Prioritise the removal of the G-to-P barrier
The Union will continue its research and advocacy efforts to overcome the unfair and outdated restrictions to GS staff’s career development.
- STRONG NETWORKS
To strengthen its position in representing the concerns of staff, the UNSU will affiliate itself to federations and engage with partners that best serve the interests of our staff.
Actions:
a) Affiliation with federations of staff associations in the UN Common System
UNSU will remain a member of CCISUA and actively participate in matters of common concern. UNSU will cooperate with any other staff association in the UN Common system as it deems necessary to protect staff rights and improve conditions of service.
b) Staff associations at field duty stations
To strengthen collective bargaining power and to preserve and improve access to information, the UNSU will actively collaborate with Associate staff associations at field duty stations.
c) Membership and affiliation with other partners
UNSU will consider affiliations with international trade union federations that may further the interests of UN Staff whilst respecting the specificities of the UN system.
- TRANSPARENCY
Regular communication is critical to staff involvement. Transparency in our finances and internal governance will bolster the trust an engagement of colleagues.
Actions:
a) Apply a Communication plan
The Staff Council shall, by 1 July 2019, nominate a 5-member Communications Committee charged with designing a communication plan for regular and continuous engagement with staff-at-large, specifying UNSU communication channels, communication products and the responsibilities of members of the Staff Council and the Leadership. The plan shall be adopted no later than 1 August 2019.
b) Draft a budget for the 46th Staff Council
The 46th Staff Council budget will be drafted by the Treasurer and approved by the Staff Council in time for the first General Meeting.
c) Audit Union Finances
Audits of the 45th and 46th Staff Council finances will be conducted as per the Statute and Regulations.
d) Create solid Union bodies (Arbitration Committee, Polling Officers, etc.)
Independent bodies critical to the Union’s governance and oversight will be created expeditiously in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Statute and Regulations.
- JUSTICE
Staff who dedicate their lives to serving the United Nations rely on a fair, credible and efficient internal justice system, absent recourse to a national jurisdiction in case of workplace disputes. We must remain vigilant to ensure the internal justice system lives up to staff’s needs and expectations.
Actions:
a) Advocate for improvements to the internal justice system
The Staff Union will carry out research, gather inputs from staff and coordinate with sister Unions to advocate for positive changes in the internal justice system before the Administration of Justice, DMSPC and Member States.
b) Secure legal counsel for the Union
The Union shall retain the services of an expert lawyer in order to ensure prompt legal counsel and guidance for the Leadership and Staff Council on legal matters.