Report: UN seeks trade union de-recognition

Abstract

has been underwritten by strong and constructive relations between management and staff. In order to continue this work, staff must feel valued and treated with the same dignity with which the UN encourages other organisations to treat their staff. Without a fully motivated and engaged staff, the results on the ground will change dramatically. The workforce of the UN is dedicated to its mission. Those operating in the field risk their lives and often work in highly pressurised circumstances. When not in the field, and back working at HQ, they work tirelessly in their efforts to make the world a more just and understanding place. Everyone has the same goal. It is understandable that change is necessary due to the recent economic situation and changing mandates. Many countries have made significant budget cuts. But financial restraints should not endanger lives and be used as an excuse for de-recognising unions. UN staff understand that change is essential to ensure the UN carries on its good work, so resistance to reform is not the issue. It is about how to identify what can be done on a day-to-day level and how to ensure that change is embraced by staff and that staff help drive change forward. In April 2013 the General Assembly passed a resolution on human resources issues. It reads ‘[the General Assembly] requests the SecretaryGeneral to revise the Secretary-General’s bulletin on the Staff-Management Committee (‘SMC’), in line with the existing staff regulations’ (SMC is the organisation's current forum for negotiations between management and staff unions).1 On 5 May the UN Secretary-General circulated a proposal to change the terms of reference of SMC to a body that would only be able to advise him on human resources matters, removing the right of staff unions to negotiate. He claims that this proposal was imposed on him by the General Assembly resolution (adding that the resolution came as a surprise to him). However, the resolution shows no reference to removing negotiating rights. In addition, the General Assembly's request to revise the terms of reference of SMC in line with the existing staff regulations has already been acted on since the document was reviewed and cleared as such by the Secretary-General's chief legal adviser in 2011. On 14 June the proposal to remove labour rights was formally tabled by the Secretary-General's representative at an SMC meeting, held this June. When the unions would not accept the proposals, management ended the meeting on the third of seven days, leaving many other human resources issues unresolved . On 12 July the rules removing labour rights were promulgated.2 We have been assured, by UN lawyers, that this is unconstitutional and that it does not adhere to The removal of labour rights contradicts the UN's own conventions and its internal rules on due process INTERNATIONAL union rights Page 18 Volume 20 Issue 3 2013 “Workers need … the right to join a union of their own choice and to participate in determining policies that affect their lives”. Nelson Mandela, explaining that importance of respecting basic rights in rebuilding post-apartheid South Africa. B an Ki-moon, Secretary-General of the United Nations (‘UN’) has removed the right of UN staff to have union representatives negotiate on their behalf. The federation representing staff associations and trade unions organised within the different sections of the UN (‘CCISUA’) is greatly concerned by these developments and is concerned that the move will not only impact on the workplace rights of UN staff but that it will also affect performance of key peacekeeping and humanitarian operations. The move is unacceptable. CCISUA is concerned that the move will prevent staff from tabling and negotiating proposals on how to rotate more staff to serve in humanitarian and peacekeeping operations in the field. It also means that following the deadly attacks on the UN compound in Mogadishu and ten years on from the attack on the UN in Baghdad, as well as the most recent ambush in Darfur, staff will not be able to advocate effectively for the organisation to abandon its low-cost approach to security and air transport for staff...