Resolution adopted by the extraordinary General Meeting
9 February 2006 – ECOSOC Chamber, 2 p.m.
Aware of the efforts of the Secretary General to improve the rules, regulations and policies of the Organization, and affirming the necessity of reforming the management of the Secretariat;
Deeply concerned that the proposals and efforts to outsource a number of services currently within the Secretariat are not fully in accordance with the conditions and requirements specified by General Assembly resolutions A/RES/59/289 and A/RES/55/232 and Staff-Management Coordination Committee (SMCC) agreements (ST/IC/2005/30), and will destroy the independence of the international civil service and open the door to all kinds of corrupt practices;
Reaffirming that all reform efforts must be aligned with the best practices of accountability and transparency;
Asserting in that context our right to meaningful input on matters that involve staff welfare and working conditions, in particular, on the report of the Secretary-General on the rules and regulations to be issued by the end of February 2006;
Recalling the resolution adopted by the Extraordinary General Meeting of 16 April 2003, and its para 7, underlining the need to improve staff–management relations, inter alia to establish meaningful roles for staff-nominated representatives in joint bodies, to ensure substantive input at the preliminary level in issues relating to conditions of work, general conditions of life and other personnel policies; and to establish the mechanisms that would allow the genuine staff-management consultations;
Rejecting any form of harassment in the workplace, sexual exploitation and abuse, and corruption with the Secretariat and also rejecting any implication that such wrongdoing is an accurate portrayal of the vast majority of the honest, hard-working, and dedicated international civil service.
Decides
- to request the Secretary – General and the Member States of the General Assembly to ensure that the interests/concerns of all staff members are taken into account when considering changes to their working conditions and benefits;
- to request the management to conduct genuine and meaningful staff-management negotiations on the issue of the reform of rules, regulations and policies of the Secretariat in an open and transparent manner;
- to reject any attempt to change the benefit structure or place our Pension Fund in risky investments;
- to reject any attempt to reduce existing medical benefits for both active and retired staff and their families;
- to request the Member States to conduct the process of the Secretariat reform with the highest attention to avoiding violation of the interests of the UN staff and to ensure the fair working conditions and welfare of all staff;
- to request the President of the Staff Committee to immediately initiate with the administration collaborative consultations on how to effectively address issues of concern to all staff;
- to request the administration to share all preliminary documentation on issues affecting staff welfare with staff representatives, in advance, to allow them time for comments;
- to request the Secretary-General and his senior managers to respect the Charter, the mandate of the General Assembly and agreements of SMCC on outsourcing;
- to request the President of the Staff Committee to bring this resolution to the attention of the President of the General Assembly, the Chairman of the ACABQ, and the Chairman of the Fifth Committee as well as to send this resolution for the information of all Permanent Representatives of the United Nations.
Adopted unanimously.
© 2006 UN Special |