Staff Union Demands Full & Active Participation in Ongoing Negotiations on UN Reforms
A demonstration within the confines of the UN Secretariat in New York.
By Thalif Deen
UNITED NATIONS, May 12 2025 (IPS)
As discussions on the restructuring of the United Nations– including a possible merger of UN agencies and staff lay-offs system-wide — continue at the highest levels of the Secretariat—the Staff Union (UNSU) is demanding an active presence in the ongoing talks.
A proposed resolution, which is expected to be adopted at the UNSU general meeting on May 14, is very specific in its demands.
The Staff Council:
1. Calls upon the Secretary-General to formally include the United Nations Staff Union (UNSU) as a full participant in all aspects of the UN80 Initiative, including by having designated representatives of the Union in the UN80 Task Force, notably in its Working Group, with a view to ensure staff representation in the deliberation and decision-making processes.
2. Requests that the Staff Union be granted equal consultative status within the Task Force, including its Working Group, alongside other stakeholders, to provide input on matters directly impacting staff welfare, organizational efficiency and institutional reform.
3. Emphasizes that Staff Union involvement in change management process with such a global scale/impact is critical to provide insights into daily operations and identify potential inefficiencies and challenges for improving the effectiveness of the organization.
Noting further that, this would inherently foster ownership, reduce resistance and ensure smooth implementation that would promote a culture of continuous improvement, driving long term success.
4. Emphasizes the precedent of Staff Union involvement in pivotal institutional decisions during extraordinary circumstances, such as the pandemic, and requests this to be acknowledged as a guiding principle for ongoing and future consultations.
5. Recommends that the Secretariat report to the appropriate administrative and advisory bodies on measures taken to implement this resolution, ensuring compliance with existing staff-management consultation frameworks
UN staffers outside the Secretariat building.
Guy Candusso, a former First Vice-President of the UN Staff Union, told IPS there is value to have staff engaged in the early stages of the reform process.
“I have seen that sometimes staff have come up with better ideas than management. However, over the years, staff consultations have been marginalized to be more like information briefings (after the real decisions were made),” he said.
Meanwhile, the Staff Council:
1. Emphasizes that, as a matter of principle, staff members should not be paid less for work performed at the same or higher level than they are currently performing or have previously performed;
2. Calls upon the Office of Human Resources (OHR) to withdraw the Guidelines and revised versions in light of their unjustified and arbitrary measures and the negative impact on staff that they entail;
3. Requests the immediate reinstatement of earlier guidelines and practices whereas heads of entity are given the discretion to award step-upon recruitment, in line with Staff Rule 3.3(b), in a manner commensurate with a candidate or Staff Member’s experience;
4. Urges OHR to consult with and integrate the perspectives of staff members, hiring managers, heads of entity, and Member States prior to issuing or reissuing any further related guidance;
5. Further urges OHR to immediately inform all Secretariat staff members in a clear and concise broadcast, as well as a town hall meeting, explaining the implications of the Guidelines, should they remain in place for any period following the adoption of this resolution, and to communicate expeditiously about further consultation and revision of the Guidelines;
6. Instructs the leadership to share this resolution with the Chef de Cabinet, the Under-Secretaries-General of the Department of Management Strategy, Policy and Compliance and the Department of Operational Support, as well as the Assistant Secretary-General of the Office of Human Resources and all heads of office/departments represented in the Staff Council; and
7. Further instructs the leadership to circulate this resolution via an email broadcast to all members of the United Nations Staff Union.
Asked for a response on an earlier story on Staff Union demands, UN Spokesperson Stephane Dujarric told IPS last week: “We fully understand that the current situation is a cause of concern, and anxiety, for many of our staff.”
“It is important to note that we are in the initial phase of formulating positions and proposals. Consultations have taken place, and they will continue to do so, as the insights of staff are valued and will be carefully considered.”
At the global town hall meeting in March 2025, the Secretary-General emphasized that the UN80 Initiative is a management-led effort. However, he of course committed to consulting with staff representatives through the Staff-Management Committee (SMC) on decisions impacting the staff.
In April, during the annual meeting of the SMC, management briefed the staff representatives on the UN80 Initiative. Also in April, a dedicated UN80 Initiative page was created on iSeek, inviting staff at large to submit ideas via a suggestion box. The responsive was impressive as over 1,400 suggestions have been received. Management will review all of the suggestions, said Dujarric.
A dedicated extraordinary SMC meeting will be held in June to further amplify consultation with staff representatives on the UN80 Initiative, he assured.
Meanwhile the UNSU has also conducted a general survey of its constituents between 11 March and 11 April 2025.
An Executive Summary of the results read:
- – A total of 1,271 responses were received, which resulted in a response rate of 15.88 %1 . Overall, the survey has a confidence level of 95% with a margin of error of +/- 2.5%.
From a statistical perspective, those results are considered highly representative. It should also be noted that the majority of respondents (85%) were based in New York, with 33% in the General Service, 60% in the professional and 7% in other job categories.
- – Due to confidentiality issues, questions requesting individual comments are not included in the attached document. The top key topics affecting the respondents were career development opportunities (58.5%), cost of living in comparison to salaries and other emoluments (54.6%) and job security (47.6%).
– Only 31% of respondents believed that there were credible mechanisms to ensure accountability within their departments.
– Budget cuts (87%), organizational restructuring (56,8%) and changes in leadership/priorities (27.6%) were seen as the greatest risks to job security for the — respondents. Only 31.6% of respondents felt secure in their current position.
– Only 25% believed that the hiring process is transparent, or merit based (27%). 62% of respondents did not foresee any possibilities for career progression and 60% did not feel there is enough support for career development and support to staff to transition to new roles.
– Of note, 77% of respondents had primary hybrid working arrangements (mix of on-site and remote), with a majority (61.3%) working two days a week from home.
– The main benefits of telecommuting for the respondents are avoiding telecommuting time and/or costs (79.5%), better work-life balance (78.4%) and improved efficiency and productivity (69.3%).
A majority of respondents (60%) believed that the existing flexible open-plan/hot desking and shared workplace arrangements should not be maintained, and that cubicles or private offices are seen as the main optimal on-site workplace arrangement (42%).
On a positive note, 60% of respondents felt that occupational safety and health measures were adequately addressed in the workplace. However, only 34% of respondents felt that existing mechanisms are effective in addressing discrimination based on race in the workplace, with 28% having observed such incidents.
Furthermore, 45% of respondents believed that the workplace is accessible and inclusive for staff with disabilities.
IPS UN Bureau Report