UN Special N° 644 Octobre · October 2005 

Regarding your conditions of employment, the following are a few tips that I hope will guide you through the maze that is the UN. Some may sound repetitive but that is so that they will sink in a bit better. Some of you may see me as a sanctimonious preacher. Well that is the advantage of being over fif… well, over a certain age.

• Any lateral move, change in assignments, change in duties, change in funding of your post or any move or action affecting your conditions of work needs to be put in writing with the relevant rules and regulations clearly stated.
• When a decision is taken regarding your conditions of employment, request the person to refer you to the provision in the Staff Rules, policy, information note. Do not take it for granted that what they are telling you is correct. I am not questioning their professionalism or integrity or competence, just that there are many new people coming into your organization perhaps from another UN organization, the private sector or from academia who perhaps may just not be aware.
• If you feel that what is going on is somewhat not correct or not up to the standards of integrity that we are all supposed to have, question it. Yes, you may be singled out, yes you may be ostracized, and yes they will try to wear you down but that is the price of honesty and personal freedom.
• The people in charge are sometimes just as in the dark as you are. So, don’t delete those information notes or messages that inform you of a new set of policies. Set up a file and save them so that they are readily available to you. Yes, you are bombarded by messages, we all know that. BUT being kept informed of issues affecting you and your employment is your responsibility.
• There are competent staff in your organization (or there should be) who deal with entitlements. If you have a question, go and see them. Go to the source. If it is a pension issue go to your pension office; if it is an insurance issue, go there. Do not base your decisions on the «I’ve heards», or the «someone told mes». Your friends and colleagues are a good source of information but look around you. The old folks who used to know are no longer here to guide you.
• Remember, whenever a decision is taken regarding your contract, your entitlements, your performance, extension of your probation or any action relating to your employment conditions, it is based on some rule or procedure. Make sure that you know which rule it is. Normally, when a letter or memorandum is written imparting an administrative decision (for instance the turning down of your upgrade that you have waited for the past twenty years), it should state what your recourse is. If it is not there, find out. RIGHT AWAY!
• And do not wait 3 months to do so. If you want to appeal, sorry that word scares people. How’s about challenge? Yes, if you want to challenge a decision you need to do it within a reasonable amount of time. Find out what the grievance procedures are, what your options are. Many people just take it for granted that «they will just do what they want.» Well, though it may seem that way, it does not necessarily have to be that way. Lack of action on your part within the required period removes your chances of taking any action (including challenging a decision) later on.
• Do not sign any papers relating to your condition of service without first consulting someone, the staff association for instance or their legal counsel or even a good friend. Friends and olleagues are a good source of information and support but rely on facts, rules and regulations and common sense.
• Ah yes, your performance appraisal. Have someone else read it before you start writing some off-the-wall responses and objections. These may bring you more harm than good. An objective opinion may very well point out that the appraisal is not so bad after all. We all want superlatives in our performance appraisal form but well, satisfactory is not such a bad word after all.
• Pay particular care if you are on probation and if your probation is being extended due to a «bad» appraisal. Go see someone who can guide you and assist you – the mediator, ombudsman, counsellor, staff committee who may refer you to its legal counsel. And do not wait!
• Do not, repeat do not, rely on your manager to «take care» of you. The time of paternal/ maternal loyal employer/employee work relationships is over or slowly going the way of the dinosaurs. Take charge of your own professional life.
• The new wave is «suck up and kick down». The dog eat dog syndrome is in full bloom in our organizations. Who would have thought??? If you believe that all will come out fine, you are naïve. There are good people left, many of them. But take charge of your life.
• Do not rely on your many years in the organization to ensure promotion and steady employment. You need to catch up with the times. Learn new things, follow some courses, look interested, be enthusiastic and demonstrate a positive outlook.
• Know your rules and regulations. Speak out. And don’t wait until your last year of employment to speak out because «well, now I have nothing to lose». I guess you are waiting to be congratulated? Forget it, it is a cowardly way out.
• Don’t complain, and complain and complain some more. This is not going right, or things aren’t like what they used to be blah, blah, blah. Do something about it. Be part of the solution.
• Ah yes, and if you plan on coming back after retirement, please oh please don’t insult the Organization or its staff, criticize others who have come back or give a countdown to your coworkers each time you see them in the corridor on how many months, hours, minutes and seconds you will be outta here. It makes you look really bad when we see you back here after the required four months break. You really lose credibility, you really do.
• Become a dues paying member and support any staff association, union or entity that is mandated to defend your rights. Don’t get too comfortable or smug into thinking that you will never be affected by any restructuring, downsizing, fickle managers, contractual status or source of funding.
• Better yet, get involved. Run for office. Put yourself on the numerous staff/management committees.
• Urge your staff association/ union to become part of a collective legal insurance scheme. Legal advice and appeals are costly. And if your union or staff association have not made the move because they say it would be perceived as an adversarial act by your Administration, think about this: When there is a appeal, whose side are their lawyers on? Surely not yours.
• Ask yourself why you are not paying dues to your union or staff association. The following will assist you. What is your excuse? Get involved.