1

BLUE

PAGE

SJanuary-March 2007

UN STAFF UNIONS & MGT.

IN AGREEMENTDPKO and FSU reps were pleased that “individuals contracted locally to perform personal services are granted access to the proposed internal justice system”. See PAGE 4.

HARMONIZATION

OF INTERNATIONAL STAFF’S ENTITLEMENTS

This article explains the process and the role of the union in supporting the SG’s proposal. See PAGE 6.

UNITED NATIONS

INTER AGENCY GAMES

(UNIAG)

Prepare for the Games in Seefeld, Tyrol Austria from 31 May to 4 June 2007. See PAGE 13.

FSU in

focus

Issue 1Volume 1

BLUE PAGES CONTRIBUTORS

FSU PRESIDENT RONALD HALL

EDITOR MILENA VLAHOVIC

GENDER AFFAIRS COORDINATOR ISABELLE WATERSCHOOT

PUBLICATIONS COORDINATOR / DESIGN & GRAPHICS

BETTY B. DUHAYLONGSOD

BLUE PAGES is a quarterly publication of the Field Staff Union (FSU). Office is in UNLB, Brindisi, Italy. Visit our website: www.fsu.unlb.org.

It encourages contributions from the readers. Please send to:Betty B. Duhaylongsod, Staff Counseling Unit, Office of the CAS,

UNMIL, Monrovia, Liberia or e mail: duhaylongsod@un.org.

January - March 2007 BLUE PAGES [2]

CONTENTS

3 EDITORIAL

4 - 7 NEWS

8 - 10 INFORMATION

11 GENDER

12 LITERARY

13 SPORT

15 NOTES

So why don’t you......become a fee - paying member?

Visit our website: www.fsu.unlb.orgJust CLICK on “BECOME A MEMBER”;

Then,

“COMPLETE FORM ON LINE”.FSU

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“Few things are i m p o s s i b l e t o diligence and skill. Great works are performed not by s t r e n g t h , b u t perseverance.”

- Samuel Johnson

STRATEGIZING THE AGENDABy: Milena Vlahovic

UN has embarked upon series of fundamental re-forms since the Millennium Summit, with the peacekeep-ing operations at its heart. Today, more than ever, the UN is in need of highly competent staff with a multitude of field-oriented skills, carrying out new type of large multi-disciplinary operations and complex mandates. This gives chance to the field. As a result, the FSU faces an important responsibility to re-shape its role and action, and Constitution to be able to effectively influence the processes and build strong and competent leadership on the ground, who can successfully pilot through the de-manding peacekeeping personnel reform. Hence, FSU will enhance its credibility and influence in the field and in the Organisation through this process.

FSC needs to reassess and rethink, restructure and redesign the role, operational methods and to adjust FSU Constitution to mirror present structure and needs of its membership. UN management undoubtedly needs help-ing hand and expertise of the FSU and its accumulated experience on the ground. However, we in the FSU need introspection and analyses of actuality of our programme, agenda and priorities. FSC needs to initiate and put in place effective mechanisms for direct ongoing simultaneous consultations between staff on the ground and FSU Presidency, and the top UN and missions' management. This will allow staff to dynamically and tangibly influence reform process, and feel the direct im-pact of the FSC's actions. FSU may otherwise face ir-revocable marginalization both by the management and its own membership.

FSC ought to create innovative partnerships. FSU needs to further ascertain its influence in the community of unions in view of the fact that the field staff has to be recognised as major UN workforce. At the same time FSU should without delay explore new potentials for new partnership with new Management to effectively influence ongoing reform process on the benefit of peacekeeping staff. Building stronger partnerships will be win-win situation.

FSU should develop specific staff-management communication mechanisms, because of its specific position in the system, through direct, active and partici-

patory role of peacekeeping staff in defining better peacekeeping personnel management policies and prac-tices, new set of rules and regulations, recruitment, promotion, placement and career development mecha-nisms, and objective and strict selection and evaluation (360) system of the management, with full participation of the UN HQ and the field leadership in the process of selection, based on highest professional and ethical standards, new culture, transparency and accountability. Implementation of the new UN justice system will be an important pillar in the process. We in the FSC must de-velop a capacity to swiftly respond to challenges of highly disadvantaged peacekeeping staff and establish a sort of staff-management “early warning system”. In cooperation with Management, FSC should identify and address the causes of long-standing field systemic problems and propose road-map and time frame for solutions of bureaucratic obstacles and demoralizing lack of opportunities, especially for the promotion of the best peacekeeping staff, who lack job security and, therefore, in certain cases must accept personal rather than personnel standards and policies.

Rules, regulations and systems must be adjusted to support objective placement and promotion of peacekeeping staff. Practices to bypass substance of rules and regulations need to be eradicated. Credible justice indeed guarantees credible system in all its aspects, but only if substantive rules and regulations are of equally high quality. Current myriad of staff contractual statuses is of the highest concern and must be, without delay, consolidated into one transparent personnel management policy, governed by one set of rules and regulations across the UN family. Laws, in this case UN substantive rules and regulations are fabric of its justice system and need to be modernised to enable justice.

Finally, FSU needs its own comprehensive reform programme and agenda, and transparency. FSU President and all Unit Chairpersons need to be duly, fully and fairly elected in order to command respect of the membership and credibility of actions on behalf of the staff. Our Management knows quite well who is who in the mission, and act accordingly. Representatives therefore must run only behind their programmes, approved by their constituencies via elections, and keep up their programme running spirit throughout their mandate to be able to achieve results. It's a very long run and not without obstacles.

January - March 2007 BLUE PAGES [3]

Milena VlahovicEditor, FSU Editorial Sub-Committee; Member, HR Reform Committee

UN

*

EDITORIAL

UN Staff Unions & Management

Reach AgreementBy: Ronald Hall

SMMC staff representatives’ members, with the excep-tion of the Staff Union in New York, concluded their meet-ing with management on a positive note at the SMCC special session which took place from 31 January to 6 February 2007. The SMCC report on the administration of justice was transmit-ted by Mr. Dieter Goethel, President of SMCC. The report of the UN Redesign Panel was used as the base document at the SMCC meeting.

DPKO and FSU representatives were pleased “that individuals contracted locally to perform personal services in peacekeeping missions are granted access to the pro-posed internal justice system”. They further agreed that “the delegation of disciplinary authority to the Special Rep-resentatives of the Secretary General and Heads of Offices away from headquarters” should be considered later by the SMCC working group on disciplinary matters and in-vestigation. Staff representatives of ECLAC (Santiago),

FSU, ICTY (The Hague), UNOG (Geneva) and UNOV (Vienna) will meet with management under the Terms of Reference in the attached Report. The Redesign Panel rec-ommended that JDCs and JABs continue to function until the new system of justice is operational. In this regard, “DPKO and FSU representatives agreed that ad hoc JDCs should be established, resources permitting, in peacekeep-ing missions, to help address the backlog of cases and continue to function and handle outstanding cases in the transitional period. Such JDCs should be headed by a chairman from the JDC at Headquarters, a member nomi-

nated by manage-ment and a member nominated by the staff. All costs for the conduct of these ad hoc JDCs will be ab-sorbed by the peacekeeping mis-sion where the case is being considered, or shared appropriately between missions if the ad hoc JDC chooses to address regional cases”.

The Field Staff Union has since nominated three (3) staff represen-

tatives to sit on the ad hoc JDCs. They are Mr. Jean-Marc Lafreniere (UNTSO), Ms. Olga Rabade (UNDOF) and Ms. Milena Vlahovic (UN-MIL). The General Assembly discussed the administration of the UN Justice System at its March session. Manage-ment and staff unions and associations are optimistic that the implementation date of the new justice system would be 1 January 2008, as recommended in the report of the Redesign Panel.

January - March 2007 BLUE PAGES [4]

ALL SMILE: SMCC participants in Nairobi special

session

Staff representative volunteers needed International staff members of the Professional, Field, and General Service categories are invited to participate in the election of staff representatives in peacekeeping missions. Unit committees of the Field Staff Union may consist of a maximum of seven (7) staff members to represent all levels in the various categories. Global elections take place in May of each year. For more details, visit FSU Website: www.fsu.unlb.org

Ronald HallFSU President || Member: SMCC Contact Group || Member: HR Reform Committee

Member: ICSC Working Group on Harmonization of Conditions of Service

On new justice system

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SMMC

NEWS

UNION TO HOLD REFERENDUMBy: Ronald Hall

Are you in agreement with the following amendments of the FSU Constitution?

International staff members in peacekeeping mission will be asked in April to provide a ‘YES’ or ‘NO’ answer to three (3) amendments that will enable the staff union to function better and improve its services to members.

1) UNION DUES

All members of the Field Staff Union are expected to contribute membership fees to enable the staff union to conduct its activi-ties and to cosponsor mutually agreed initiatives for the well-being and welfare of staff. Any member may withhold his or her consent to, or at any time discon-tinue such deduction by notice to the United Nations Payroll Depart-ment or the United Nations Credit Union. Meanwhile, the Treasurer may organize the collection of contributions.

2) FIELD STAFF UNION OFFICIALS

The Field Staff Council shall comprise of the President, First Vice-President and Second Vice-President. The Second Vice-President shall be elected biannually from among the council members.

3) FIELD STAFF UNION UNITS

The FSU Polling Officers shall be nominated and elected for two years during the Unit's General Meeting. The term of office of Unit officers shall be for two years following their election.

Presently, less that 5% of the international staff in peacekeeping and other DPKO administered missions are making financial contributions to the union. Staff members contribute to the union through payroll deduction or by bank transfer through the UNFCU. It is as simple as checking your monthly salary or bank state-ment to verify that your contribution is being deducted. Faced with over US$100,000 in expenditures to host two annual council meetings as required by the FSU constitu-tion, there is hardly any choice left for the union but to strengthen its constitution and define its expectations of each member. The UN Staff Rules do not allow for

mandatory union dues, and like other staff unions and associations, the FSU can only provide a philosophical guideline to individual staff members that provides for them to withhold or consent to such deductions. Staff members may contribute voluntarily to the union by visit-ing its website at: www.fsu.unlb.org

Adding a second Vice-President to the union is expected to improve FSU services to members. The union represents over 7,000 international staff members with two (2) full time executive officers, President and

Vice-President, at the FSU secretariat in Brindisi. The workload has increased tremendously for

these officers who are supported by unit committee chairpersons and members in

each mission who perform their union functions on a voluntary basis. The new internal justice system will require greater involvement of staff representa-tives at all levels and the FSU Executive plans to set aside specific duties for a ‘Grievance Officer’ to deal with confiden-

tial issues raised by individual staff mem-bers on a daily basis. In addition, the union

intends to explore ways of providing legal counseling and legal insurance to staff in the

field, developing a more interactive website and information and knowledge database as well as

providing e-learning training modules for staff representa-tives and its members.

A longer term of office for unit committee members in the mission is to be decided on by the general members. On the one hand, the present one-year term cannot provide committee members adequate time to complete their program plans. However, it is argued that staff members prefer to hold elections annually as a means of holding their elected representatives ‘accountable’ for their performance in the missions as staff representatives.

The Field Staff Union encourages all international staff members to participate in the referendum.

January - March 2007 BLUE PAGES [5]

A

“Presently, less than 5% of the

international staff in peacekeeping

and other DPKO administered

missions are making financial

contributions to the union...”

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NEWS

Harmonization of Interna-tional Staff’s EntitlementsBy: Ronald Hall

Harmonization of the entitlements of international staff serving in non-family duty stations, what does it mean?

What is the union’s involvement in the process?

This article explains the process and the role of the union in support-ing this proposal of the Secretary-General as part of his reform ini-tiative.

In 1955, the 300 series was introduced to cover staff on short-term appointments in conference and other serv-ices at the UN Headquarters, but expanded in 1994 to fa-cilitate the appointments of limited duration for non-career staff in peacekeeping and humanitarian missions. As early as 1998, field staff repre-sentatives through our Federation pointed out to the 53rd Session of the Fifth Committee (A/C.5/53/34), that if these contracts were ex-panded to wider use, it will mean inferior conditions of service, bene-fits and entitlements which may lead to exploitation of the very indi-viduals who put their lives on the line every day. Granted that in be-tween these periods, the Interna-tional Civil Service Commission (ICSC) recommended the increase of some benefits, but in piecemeal fashion and without clear intent to harmonize benefits. The basis being that non-family duty stations were a temporary phenomenon, with man-dates for a few years, hence, not justifying the need for career appointments. The resolution of the Field Staff Council in 2003 recom-mended strongly that all international

staff serving in the field should bene-fit from a unified personnel structure governed by one set of Staff Rules and Regulations to promote equal treatment of all staff serving in DPKO field missions.

We all acknowledge that the nature of peacekeeping has changed to include capacity building and special follow-up political missions and that the mandates of the United Nations have evolved to take on more responsibility for humanitarian assistance, rights, counter terrorism, drugs and crime. The 2004 Presiden-tial Report at the Field Staff Council X I I I t h

meet-ing cited Re- port of the Secretary General, 57th Session “Strengthening of the UN: an agenda for further change” that had cited the improvement of benefits with those of the funds and programmes as being necessary to recruit and retain suitably qualified staff to meet the changing needs of peacekeeping. General Assembly resolution 59/266 further called for the review of contractual arrangements, including the practice of conversion of appointments from the 300 series to the 100 series in the UN, to address the harmonization of the compensa-tion packages of international staff in non-family duty stations.

Proposal 4 in the “Report of the Secretary-General - investing in people” (A/61/255), “provides for the harmonization of conditions of service to meet the needs of an increasingly field-based Organiza-tion, through harmonization of the conditions of service of Secretariat staff in the field with those of the United Nations funds and pro-grammes by designating field mis-sions in line with security phases, introducing the special operations approach for non-family duty sta-tions, where appropriate, and revising the scheme for rest breaks and streamlining administration, in-cluding through lump-summing.”

Bottom line, it means for example, that DPKO international staff in

the field and our counterparts at UNDP, UNHCR and other

agencies, funds and pro-grammes will be serving in missions designated in line with the same security phases and given the same designa-tion of family/non-family duty stations, enjoy

similar ORB or rest and recuperation entitlements,

receive compensation for maintaining a second house-

hold, receive hazard pay based on the same calculations and

enjoy similar lump-summing travel entitlements.

To the organization, this would help with the recruitment and retention of high-quality staff making the United Nations, an “employer of choice in today’s highly competitive global market.” The reasoning be-hind this is very simple to discern, staff members working under the same hazardous and hardship conditions, that share the same risks of loss of life, should for all intent and purposes enjoy the same compensation package, provided you are engaged under the same type of contract.

January - March 2007 BLUE PAGES [6]

Share your views

on the Mobility and Hardship Scheme

The General Assembly in its resolution 61/239

based on the work of the ICSC, as set out in its report

(A/60/30), has authorized changes to the Mobility and

Hardship Scheme. As it takes effect 1 January 2007, it

will be applied retroactively. The Field Staff Union

invites comments on the new scheme,

please write to:

www. fsu.unlb.org

In non-family duty stations

*

H

NEWS

Another Formidable ChallengeWhat is US$80,000.00 for the Council meeting?

By: Ronald Hall

It is highly likely that the time will come when international staff members in peacekeeping missions will be charged US$5.00 per month for conference and related services.

According to the FSU President, this recommendation will be re-introduced for consideration by the Field Staff Council, if staff members in the field do not respond in large number to the contribution drive that was planned for in March. Each 3-day council meeting comes with a large price tag to cover the airfare of a staff representative from each mission to travel to Brindisi, the headquarters of the FSU Secretariat. Lack of funds and insufficient staff representatives at the executive level of the union are the main stumbling blocks at improving services to members.

The Field Staff Council meeting, which according to the union’s constitution, should be held twice annually was cancelled last year due to lack of funds. The purposes of the council meeting are to deliberate and decide on the matters that adversely affect staff in the missions, find ways of improving their conditions of service and address security and work/life issues. The union is required to cover airfare expenses, terminals and DSA expenses of staff representatives attending the council meeting. Unlike other staff unions and associations, FSU’s membership is dispersed among 18 peacekeeping and other political missions. It is a great financial burden to bring all the staff representatives together at a common forum. It is not a question of pressing buttons on an

elevator to attend a meeting in the same building where all representatives are housed. It involves traveling some-times half way across the world to deliberate on issues that affect the staff and to de-termine resolutions collectively that could be applied uniformly across all missions. It involves making decisions and giving directives to the President and Vice-President of the union for their negotiations with the administration. International staff members will also be asked at a referendum to expand the executive of the union to include a second Vice-President, aimed at improving the delivery of services to the general member-ship.

Other staff unions and associations in the UN system have a larger executive body than the Field Staff Union, which make it possible for them to provide better services and facilities, legal insurances, soft loans, scholarships, magazines and other benefits to their members. Immediately before the council meeting, the Field Staff Union wishes to organize a training program in ‘mediation techniques’ that would prepare staff representatives for a greater involvement in the informal justice system and provide them with the tools and techniques to resolve grievances and disputes between individual staff members and management in the missions.

The Coordinating Committee for International Staff Unions and Associations of the United Nations System (CCISUA)

UNOG Coordinating Council, GenevaUnited Nations Staff Union, New YorkUnited Nations Field Staff Union, BrindisiICTY Staff Union, The HagueUNICEF Global Staff Association, New YorkUN Staff Union, Nairobi ESCWA Staff Council, Beirut UNHCR Staff Council, GenevaUNICTR Staff Association, ArushaStaff Union of the ILO, GenevaUNOV Staff Union, Vienna

January - March 2007 BLUE PAGES [7]

Share our PASSION (to defend YOU better).

Be a fee - paying member and help meet our target:

US$80,000

*

NEWS

By:

Ronald Hall, President Field Service Union

Mr. Secretary General,

Reference: Staffing and Investment Profile of the UNJSPF

With further reference to your predecessor’s letter to staff, dated 11 July 2006, permit us please on behalf of the United Nations Field Staff Union, its council and members, to kindly ask that you urgently advise if any steps are being contemplated or were taken in respect to the staffing and investment ‘profile’. As envisaged in the letter of the former Secretary General, there will be a strengthening of the existing team of investment officers with additional posts and there may ‘be a need to use the Fund’s global custodian, or another firm selected by a competitive process, in order to execute transactions in a timely and cost-effective way through a computer-ized indexing service.’

Further, permit us please to state that the United Nations Field Staff Union, its council and members are in full support of the Resolution No.: EGM/42/2, dated 7 February 2007, adopted at the 42nd Staff Council of the United Nations Staff Union which, inter alia, calls upon you in your capacity ‘as fiduciary of the Pension fund investments’ to immediately suspend all action regard-ing changes in investment policy and the pursuit of out-side management until such time as the matter has been carefully studied in its entirety, in accordance with the recommendations of the ACABQ in its report on the UN pension system (A/61/545, paras 17-18, which was adopted by the General Assembly on its resolution 61/

240, section VIII, para 3). We look forward to receiving the informa-tion regarding these questions at your ear-liest convenience, in light of the many ad-verse publications today alleging that members of the Investment Manage-ment Service have already taken action.

Thanks for your fullest cooperation and sup-

port in this matter.

By:

Paulina Analena, (Ms.), PresidentUnited Nations Staff Council at Vienna

Mr. Secretary-General, Your Excellencies, Colleagues, Ladies and Gentlemen, on behalf of the UNOV/UNODC Staff Council, our colleagues in the field offices and all our friends from the Vienna based Organisations pre-sent; it is my honour and pleasure to welcome you, Mr. Secretary-General back to familiar territory, Vienna, where you once served as Ambassador.

Your visit coincides with an awards ceremony to honour some of our colleagues and I would like to begin by congratulating them for working so hard and above all for being smart and innovative.

The United Nations Staff has frequently been referred to as the most precious asset of the Organization and I view the award recipients as the tip of the iceberg. Our colleagues have excelled and we are proud of their per-formance. They are the vanguard to a group of commit-ted and dedicated staff, without whom this Organization and its Member States could not attain their noble goals.

Mr. Secretary-General, I am also proud to inform you publicly in this forum that we have had a tradition of winning UN21 awards, which shows that UNOV/UNODC is very competitive. We have had awards for:• Improvement in working environment-United Nations Center, Vienna in revitalizing the Visitor Center at Gate 1 in 2002• Lotus Notes Data Base Applications – Direct Invoicing System also in 2002.• Information Technology – Electronic Performance Appraisal System in 2003 with the implementation group from NY Head-quarters.• Another recipient this year was eMeets, spearheaded by our Chief of Conference Management Services.

Mr. Secretary-General, your Excellencies, having told you how competitive we have been I would like to stress that good

CONTINUED ON PAGE 14

January - March 2007 BLUE PAGES [8]

With the

Secretary General

ON BOTH GROUNDS

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INFORMATION

Headquarter duty stations and other UN established offices under the authority of the United Nations are members of the FSU, unless otherwise desirous.

Q5: How does one become a m e m b e r o f a U n i t Committee?A: Any contributing member is eligible for election to the UNFSU Unit Committee. Global elections are held annually in all missions from 1- 31 May. A contributing member must agree to his/her

nomination. The nomination form must bear at least four signatures.

Link: http://www.fsu.unlb.org / constitution.asp#Chapter6

Q6: Are UNVs represented by the UNFSU?A: UNVs are represented by the Office of the Ombudsman. UNVs may address their grievances to the Ombudsman Ms. M. Patricia Durrant, fax number 917.367.4211 or email ombudsman@un.org. Further details are available at Link: http://www.un.org/ombudsman/

Q7: Are local staff members represented by the UNFSU?A: Locally recruited mission staff are represented by the United Nations Staff Union (NY Staff Council). Local staff may form their own staff unions in the mission which come under the protection of Units 46 and 49 of the UNSU. Local staff may contact the United Nations Staff Committee,Room S-525, New York, NY 10017

Telephone: (212) 963-7075/6Fax: (212) 963-3367email: StaffCouncil@un.org Link: http://www.unstaffunion.org

Q8: Are staff members of the legal profession allowed to serve on the Unit Committees?A: Yes. Staff Rule 108.1(b) states that "each member may participate in elections to a staff representative body, and all staff serving at a duty station where a staff representative body exists shall be eligible for election to it".

Let’s begin…

Q1: What is the UNFSU?A: UNFSU means United Nations Field Staff Union. The Field Staff Council (FSC) is its governing body comprising of a President, Vice-President and the elected Chairpersons of FSU Unit Committees in field missions. The Treasurer is elected from among Council members.

Q2: What are the purposes of the UNFSU?A: The purposes are:1) To contribute to the promotion of

the objectives of the United Nations Charter by the ef-fective and efficient discharge of the functions as-signed to the Field Staff of the United Nations Sec-retariat.

2) To promote and safeguard the rights, interests and welfare of all International Field Staff.

3) To maintain relations & cooperation with other staff organizations of the UN Common System.

Link: http://www.fsu.unlb.org/constitution.asp#Chapter1

Q3: How is the UNFSU funded?A: The funds of the Union are made up of voluntary contributions from members. They may contribute monthly through payroll deductions or bank transfers. Members may also opt to make a "lump sum" contribution annually. Click this link to become a contributing member: Link: http://www.fsu.unlb.org/contributor.asp

Q4: Who does the UNFSU represent?A: All international Field Staff appointed under the 100 or 300 series of the Staff Rules recruited specifically for service in peacekeeping and other field operations. (i.e. Field Service Officers, staff serving at the Field Service Level (FSL), Mission appoint-ees at the Professional Level, IFLD, and FSL Mission Appointees), as well as staff on temporary assignment from UN

January - March 2007 BLUE PAGES [9]

8 basic things

you need to know about your UNFSU

“...all staff serving at a duty station where a staff rep body exists

shall be eligible for election to it”.

*

INFORMATION

Field Staff Union Committees Around the Globe

January - March 2007 BLUE PAGES [10]

So why don’t you...

... catch FSU’s latest news online?

VISIT: www.fsu.unlb.org

INFORMATION

UNLBPhilip Scarr, ChairpersonLawrence Hunter, Vice ChairpersonAdla Ebish, TreasurerMohammed Atiquzzaman, MemberJohn Rodopoulos, MemberNoel Vaddan, MemberIvo Pezer, Member

UNTSOMohammed Amin, Chairperson

El Houcine Chairi, VIice Chairperson

Grace Emersley, Treasurer

Phillip John, Secretary

Award Khaled, Member

Ali Anshor, Member

MINUSTAHNicole Bergener-Guimaraes, Chairperson

Ali Innocent, VIice Chairperson

Joseph Chaaya, Treasurer

UNMIKJean-Luc Sintes, Chairperson

Patrick Buse, Vice Chairperson

Amar Fall, Treasurer

Tanka Khanal, Member

UNDOFTerjie Andersen, Chairperson

Olga Rabade, Vice Chairperson

Anders Simonsen, Treasurer

Fouzia Abass, Secretary

MONUCJudith Cohen, Interim Committee

Paul Smith, Interim Committee

Nirmala Keegan, Interim Committee

ONUBIyassu Wolday, Chairperson

Danilson Lopes Da Rosa, Vice Chairperson

Maria Teresita Quirimit, Treasurer/Secretary

David Isabirye, Staff Affairs

UNIFILGaudencio Iriola, Chairperson

Carol Buttarelli, Vice Chairperson

Rolando Medrano, Treasurer

Lennox Hoosein, Secretary

UNMILAlaa Nasser, Chairperson

Wayne Shelton, Vice Chairperson

Musse Id, Treasurer

UNIOSILRamadhan Indiya, Interim Committee

Anthony Bricklebank, Interim Committee

MINURSOJose Maria Medalla, Chairperson

Arsim Shala, Vice Chairperson

Felix Nyarai Duro, Treasurer

ONUCICarl Grasveld, ChairpersonMiguel Corte-Real, Vice-ChairpersonVirginia Mampouya, SecretaryJulius Chuma, TreasurerOmkar Basnyet, MemberNazzarena Ferraro, MemberAbdulah Subasic, Member

UNOMIGEmmanuel Ngor, Chairperson

Peter Leskovsky, Vice Chairperson

Mohamed Kabia, Treasurer

Sufi Rahman, Secretary

Joe Iaquinto, Member

UNTOPJacoby Volker, Chairperson

Derek Kissoon, Vice Chairperson

Yeshitila Seifu, Treasurer

Leila Zaharieva, Member

Victor Schmidt, Member

UNMEEPatrick Brennan, Chairperson

Michael Kirwan, Vice Chairperson

Teemu Hyytia, Treasurer/Secretary

UNMISMuniandy Shanmugam, Chairperson

Jordan Dakamseh, Vice Chairperson

Michael Munywoki, Treasurer

UNMITFranz Kratschmer, Chairperson

Kobi A. Jackson, Vice Chairperson

Byron Arriaga-Figueroa, Treasurer

Kylie Tallo, Secretary

UNAMAVictor Mutuku, ChairpersonRobert Petrin, Vice-ChairpersonPenelope Faschingeder, SecretaryLeila Sofradzija, Treasurer

historic Sunday fell on 23rd February on the Julian calendar then in use in Russia, but on 8th March on the Gregorian calendar in use elsewhere.

Since those early days, IWD has assumed a new global dimension for women in developed and developing countries alike. The growing interna-tional women’s movement has helped make the marking of the day a rallying point for coordinated efforts to de-mand women’s rights and participation in the political and economic process. Increasingly IWD is a time to reflect on progress made, to call for change and to celebrate acts of courage and determination by ordinary women who have played an extraordinary role in the history of women’s rights.

Bread and roses is the symbol of economic justice and quality of life. It has become the symbolic song of IWD.

As we go marching in the beauty of the dayA million darkened kitchens, a thousand mill lots grayAre touched with all the radiance that a sudden sun disclosesFor the people hear us singing: bread and roses, bread and roses!

As we go marching. Marching, we battle too for menFor they are women’s children and we mother them againFor men can never be free till our slavery’s at endOur lives shall not be sweated from birth until life closesHearts starve as well as bodies, give us bread but give us rosesAs we go marching, marching, unnumbered women deadGo crying thru our singing their ancient call for breadSmall art & love & beauty their drudging spirits knewYes is bread we fight for, but we fight for roses too

As we go marching, marching, we bring the greater daysThe rising of the women means the rising of the raceNo more the drudge & idler, ten that toil where reposesBut a sharing of life’s glories – bread and roses, bread & roses.

International Women’s DayBY: Isabelle Waterschoot

March saw the celebration of Inter-national Women’s Day. Ever since 1975 when the UN formally proclaimed 8th March the International Day for Women, the marking of the day is celebrated in almost all coun-tries of the world. But do we know the background of IWD?

In the late 19th century women in the industrialized coun-tries were entering the work force in numbers in sex-segregated industry such as textiles, manufactur-ing, and domestic services often working in deplorable condi-tions. One of the earli-est collective actions taken by women was in 1857 when thou-sands of women working in the New York garment factory took the streets to pro-test unfair wages, a 12-hour work day, and sexual harassment in the work-place. In 1910 at the International Conference of Socialists Women, meeting in Copenhagen, a Women’s day was established of in-ternational character to honour the movement for women’s rights and as-sist in achieving universal suffrage for women. The delegation of Finland at the meeting was particularly suppor-tive of the project recommended by 100 women of 17 countries.

On 19 March 1911, the first Inter-national Women’s day was celebrated in Austria, Germany and Switzerland where more than one million women attended rallies. In addition to the right

to vote and hold public offices, women demanded vocational training and an end to work discrimination. Less than a week later, a fire broke out in the triangle Shirtwaist Company in New York. The fire killed 145 female work-ers most of them Italian and Jewish immigrants. Unsafe conditions contributed to the high death toll with many of the fire escapes locked to prevent women from slipping out even

for a short break during working hours. The tragedy had a significant impact on labour legislation in the US and the working conditions leading up to the disaster were invoked during subse-quent observances of IWD.

The date of 8th March was solidified for IWD in 1917 following events in Russia where with 2 million Russian soldiers dead from the war, Russian women chose the last Sunday in Feb-ruary to strike for ‘bread and peace’. Political leaders opposed the timing of the strike but the women went on anyway. The rest is history: 4 days later the Czar was forced to abdicate and the provisional government granted women the right to vote. The

January - March 2007 BLUE PAGES [11]

A L L W O M E N (& 3 men!) during UNMOGIP’s

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY celebration.

Isabelle WaterschootConduct & Discipline Officer || United Nations Mission in Sudan (UNMIS)

M

GENDER

*

forgetting and… By: Betty B. Duhaylongsod UNMIL

I choked words in last years’ poetry; and counted days in hasty fashion. The leaves in their crushed-golden chlorophyllThey moved like rose-breasted roaches.I dragged alone drifting towards a life that keeps a-turning.

Now, I see youI’ve half a mind to crack openI toss memory spurts into the air,And hallucinate in the summer heat of my place’s shine.Bit of a scenery from which all fear Is deleted. So itIs right here, where I gaze. I am supposed to discernNew faces, old friends… I put a close to a lovely field of grass above theShoreline. My steps in nostalgic motion.I duck my head to keep from hitting the low lintelThat is not there, the bowing and the bendingA ritual, nay, a drama played out between wind’s quiver, wind’sDusty haste, an almost impeccable procedure. I learn to ignore.

Now, in green-covered ground, I rest my body, my spirit trembles.I am here.You are there.

Remembering Augustine By: Bhanumati Durbha UNIFIL

[This time there will be one mail recipient lesser And one reader less – of my this poem.].

Their cries for help, if any, were thwartedby the giant chunks of concrete following them…shortening that one moment even further…the moment when they must have remembered their every colleaguein the hope that someone – anyone – could perhaps be of help…

I shudder to even think of it all…

Did all that concrete immediately silence them.Or were they underneath there – holding on to life…For many more days…In he hope of hearing a Caterpillar soon??How much they may have wanted the Sun to stay longerHow much they must have dreaded sunset??

I shudder to even think of it all…

Whenever everyone was calling everyone else…Seeking and helping out to one’s best…There was just this one our brethrenWho did not respond… or try to seek out…His phone remained eerily silent…!!

I shudder to even think of it all…!!

Cuddled together…bracing for more to come…Each one of every one of usCalled out loudly… yet so very silently…For him and his beloved wife…To join us all as soon as they could…Or, to at least reach us from wherever they were…But, alas, they were gone… to the dimension physically inaccessible!!

I shudder to even think of it all…!!

Days went by and dar nights along, too…We started surmising and then believingThat our colleagues indeed had succumbedTo the tons of rubble burying them down…

I shudder to even think of it all…!!

Awaiting orders to move to a safer haven…He did not leave ground till told to do so…Dear Augustine (and madam Modupeola)That is called “SERVICE UNTO DEATH…”

I am proud to now think of it all…!! Tributes to him and madam Modupeola!!

[This time there will be one mail recipient lesserAnd one reader less – of my this poem.].

January - March 2007 BLUE PAGES [12]

Making it POSSIBLE.

Be part of a strong and financially

independent union.

JOIN THE UNFSU -- NOW!

LITERARY

Coming Up in Tyrol, Austria!Brace and prepare for the Games in Seefeld, Tyrol, Austria on 31 May until 4 June, 2007.

The fixed disciplines are:

January - March 2007 BLUE PAGES [13]

UN INTER AGENCY GAMES

“Impossible is just a big word thrown around by small men who find it easier to live in the world they’ve been given than to explore the power they have to change it. Impossible is not a fact. It is an option. Impossible is not a declaration. It is a dare. Impossi-ble is potential. Im-possible is temporary. Impossible is nothing”

- Adidas Ad

Sports No. of Members RequirementsAthletics 12 6 men and 6 womenBadminton 6 4 men and 2 womenBasketball 10 can be mixedBridge 4 - 6Chess 7 6 players + 1 reserveDarts 7 6 players + 1 reserveFootball 10 7 players + 3 reservesGolf 6 Mixed; max 2 teamsPetanque 3 triplets 9 players + 2 reservesTable Tennis (Men) 5 3 players + 2 reserves

Table Tennis (Women) 5 3 players + 2 reservesTennis 10 5 men and 5 womenVolleyball (Men) 9 6 players + 3 reservesVolleyball (Women) 9 6 players + 3 reserves

Swimming 10 5 men and 5 womenMountain Biking 4Women’s Football 5 - 7

And here’s the deal:490 Euro per person, double room for 4 nights at half pension with second meal perday. Extra night for half board is 52 euro. Single room at a premium; extra night for half board is 67 euro;Surcharges per night: adult=15 euro; children: 0-2 (free), 3-12 (50%), 13-16 (75%)Free drinks at the Gala Dinner.Free transfers from Munich & Innsbruck airports and Innsbruck railway station.

Joining us? Contact your AIG Coordinators! UNLB Cosimo MelpignanoMONUC Malachy KeeganONUB Danilson Lopes Da Rosa ONUCI Hawa Nishimwe-NyangeziUNAMA Curtis-Mwai BekoeUNDOF Gerald Beiszkammer UNIFIL Carol ButtarelliUNIOSIL Nujud YahyaUNMIK Amar FallUNMIL Aisha JallohUNMIS Raied HamedNOMIG Bahrom AbdoulhakovUNTSO German Valbuena

Ad hoc disciplines are:

‘tis the season to play (or watch) again!

SPORTS

January - March 2007 BLUE PAGES [14]

Supported by civilian staff

7th PHILIPPINE CONTINGENT IN UNMILHOLDS INTER-COLOR SPORTS FEST

The 7th Philippine Contingent in Monrovia, Liberia opened its inter-color Sports Festival on 04 March 2007 as part of its physical fitness and morale boosting activities. The 165 Philippine soldiers are grouped into four teams, composed of the different

sub-units of the contingent, namely; Command/Hqs/Motor Transport Section (Red Team), Clerical Platoon and Staff Officers (Blue Team), 1st Security and Defense Platoon (Yellow Team) and the 2nd Security and Defense Platoon (White Team). The games are being played in their compound at the Staff Officers Accommodations, Freeport Zone on Bushrod Island and consist of the opening “fun games,” basketball, beach volleyball, table tennis, chess, swimming and a team run.

The opening ceremony was highlighted with an opening round of various games, including obstacle course relays, modified tug-of-war, and inverted crab walks. It capped off with a basketball match between the Blue and Yellow teams. The games are being played using a double round-robin format. The Contingent Commander, COL. Francisco M. Patrimonio, emphasized to the participants that, “Winning is second only to the love of the game itself.” He also mentioned to his troop members that “the activity will be an instrument in maintaining a physically and mentally sound body, promoting sportsmanship and above all, enhancing the esprit-de-corps and camaraderie among our troops.”

FROM PAGE 8, On Both Grounds:performance deserves to be rewarded, not only through prizes but also through job security.

I therefore call on you, Mr. Secretary-General to help us convey to the Member States and particularly donor countries to see these awards as a sign that UNODC and UNOV are entities that have done well throughout the years, that can deliver and are good value for money. The Organization needs to provide staff with the right environment. It is important to protect the welfare and rights of staff, some of who work in difficult Field Offices so that they can enjoy working in a secure, safe and stimulating environment that allows them to excel and bring out the best in them.

In this connection, let me raise an issue that is of some concern for our staff. For the past two years we have been facing the prob-lem of one-year contracts and even shorter ones in some cases for colleagues in the Field Offices. Management has consulted the Staff Council at every step of the way and there is hope that the situation will improve. While we applaud the implementation of our agreement on granting Perma-nent Contracts to those who were due before the freeze in 1995, this is but the first step. We believe that given our unique circum-stances, the agreement on continuing contracts between staff and management at the last regular Staff Management Coordination Committee meeting on Human resources reform offers our staff the job security and stability in family life that they need and de-serve. We look forward with urgency to their implementation. If we are not able to offer this kind of security we are at a risk of losing talented staff to other organizations.

On another issue important to staff, a few weeks ago, representa-tives of staff and management met in Nairobi to discuss the new Internal Justice System. The fact that those present used the con-sultative machinery provided for such deliberations and listened to each other’s unique concerns on the Redesign Panel’s report, made our final report an inclusive, much better and welcome document for all.

I am therefore extremely happy that you have agreed to and en-dorsed the recommendations contained in the report from the Special Staff Management Coordination Committee meeting in Nairobi.

My colleagues and I are ready to walk side by side with you to the Member States to support and defend our agreements reached through good-faith negotiations so that not only Staff and Man-agement but above all the Organization will have an independent, fair and just internal justice system.

Investing in this Organization and its staff should be a priority for Member States. The Organization is changing and you have stated that you intend to push for reform. Sir, we are not afraid of change as long as we are part of it and can provide input. This is our ap-proach to Staff/Management relations in Vienna. We are commit-ted to constructive as well as good-faith negotiations to enhance the capacity of this precious organization for which we are proud to work. Sometimes, there are differences but we have never boy-cotted the consultative process. When we engage in constructive dialogue we do find common ground and end up achieving good results.

In conclusion, I would like to congratulate once again our deserv-ing colleagues on their achievements and to say to each and every one of them, we appreciate you, we are proud of you!

To you Sir, my message on behalf of my colleagues is simple: We are determined to work with you and your administration to en-hance the capacity of the Organization. All we ask is to be kept informed and involved on issues from the very beginning before they become decisions imposed on us. If we are part of the proc-ess, we will be the first to work towards change and you will be surprised at the many ideas and solutions that can come from within us – your staff! THANK YOU *

*

SO IT GOES...MEMORIES AND BLUE PAGES

When I acceded to Ron Hall’s request to help publish FSU’s magazine, it wasn’t easy to blurt a ‘yes’. The only writing background I had was a mix of my grade school’s reminiscences of summers, my college days’ love letters, and UNMISET/UNOTIL’s Blue Pages. Minus journalism credentials, I am filled with just lots of enthusiasm and exciting ideas of how to duplicate the magazine we published in Timor-Leste. Well, not really, I wasn’t thinking that far. I was just amazed that Ron (our FSU President) still remembers my crazy writings. I told him to inform my bosses to make them aware of why I have to be on weekend treats and some-times spend late evenings in office. When all’s set, there was incomprehensi-ble silence at Ron’s end. I wondered what message was he sending.

Maybe there was no explanation – or if there was, then it was too profound for my busy mind to grasp. First or second week of March came and I started plan-ning how I was going to complete the first quarter’s magazine. I communicated back and put a little pressure on Raffaella and yes, including Ron. The trail of emails seemed endless but again, there is really no accounting for human patience and understanding.

The Blue Pages is back in shape. After its bunged publication in Timor-Leste (I took up my assignment in UNMIL), Ron thought of its revival, this time, through FSU. Maybe it was providential that it has remained out of circulation since July 2005. As far as I am concerned, I would much rather abide by the adage “absence makes the heart grow fonder”. Its absence made us earn our curiosity and provide targets for our left over nostalgia over missing connections with colleagues. Yes, the Blue Pages may not ease our loneliness or homesickness but it will definitely make us feel closer. I happen to believe that our primary task as mission workers is to keep living, and to find the will and the strength to move on, to find meaning in the days, months that are left with our contracts, despite the occasional bouts of sadness and maybe, even resentment (why this assignment, why this boss, etc.). Friends

and reconnecting with them spice up life in the mission.

I had no lack of advice from colleagues about how to make the FSU magazine’s maiden issue interesting and more interesting. I had made sure I did not miss the articles, the stories and pictures sent by Ron and others, determinedly deleting uncorrected copies so I don’t mess up with old and new messages. I broke my schedule, I didn’t send colleagues off at the airport, I couldn’t rush home to check our ref and food supply in Monrovia. I am now in Manila and had to forego meetings with friends to finish our magazine.

As I sit in front of my son’s computer, I am quietly laughing at my attempts at playing superwoman. It was nice to view back my ever loyal colleagues in the Philippine military, Allan Andatar and Rene Suizo who were always around to provide a lift when I had to stay late at work in PAP for the first few pages of the Blue Pages. They have their repertoire of jokes, uniquely warped view of mission life, and the gift for easing pressure-filled situations with well-timed antics during my cramming bouts.

In fairness, the Blue Pages is my good cheer and excitement. It looks like it’s a gift. It’s a gift of people, opportunities, new chances.

Thanks to the wonders of the Internet, we have all been brought up to speed on each other’s contributions. Thanks to the Blue Pages, my concept of friendship has indeed broadened – in number and diversity.

Through the Blue Pages, we are able to rekindle memories and reminiscences of missions and trades. The e-group, meanwhile, has also allowed us to exchange greetings and, of course, reminders – serving a present-day need even as we use the magazine to record the past – previous speeches, past projects…

When we first began planning the publication of this magazine, an

i n c r e d i b l e t h r e e months ago, I thought the p r o j e c t would serve o n l y t o

ground us in our missions and mandates, in FSU’s

imprint on its life and history. But I am finding out that it has also helped us reconnect, re-building ties that we had allowed to slacken, cementing relations that had somehow broken down.

What a blessing the project has turned out to be! Now, if only people would heed the deadlines…Ron take charge, please!

Working on the first issue is as good a time as anyone joining the FSUs around the globe in harnessing our collective will to turn things around and begin the process of information, of flaunting common, even differing ideas of members, of oneness and unity. Now, I could afford to sleepwalk through and find the good cheer and excitement to see the Blue Pages stand tall once again. It would be like stumbling upon a nice, shiny coin on a potholed thoroughfare in busy Monrovia.

As I prepare for my trip back to Liberia, my life literally becomes increasingly busy that even the word hectic seems inadequate a description. I am cramming to complete my promise to Ron that the magazine will be out as I leave Manila. That point is near. I heed his call, though a little late. 6th of April marks a milestone in my life: the magazine is on its way to FSU in UNLB. I hope you will be patient enough to ignore some mistakes here and there. We promise to make it better next issue. We hope to lure more contributors and wrestle with our enthusiasm and exciting ideas about how we want to make what we think is a great magazine, the kind we ourselves want to actually read. This is going to be our Blue Pages. Yes, our Blue Pages!

Have a happy April and enjoy a pleasant read!

January - March 2007 BLUE PAGES [15]

BETTY DUHAYLONGSOD

UNMIL

*

NOTES

January - March 2007 BLUE PAGES [16]

Ronald HallFSU President Hamilton Bridgeman

Vice-President & Grievance Jean-Marc LafreniereField Legal Advisory Team Coordinator

Milena VlahovicEditor, FSU Editorial Sub-Committee

Betty DuhaylongsodPublications Coordinator

Raffaella SpedicatiAdministrative Assistant

Muniandy ShanmugamSecurity Coordinator

Gaudencio Jr. IriolaTraining Coordinator

Judith CohenFund-raising Coordinator

Maria WilkinsChairperson, FSU HR Reform Committee

Isabelle WaterschootGender Affairs

Robert PetrinMember of Health and Life Insurance Committee

Monique FienbergUNAMA Staff Member

Fabiola de FreitasUNAMSIL-FSU Unit Committee Member

Sunny MakogeUNLB Staff Lilia Zaharieva

UNTOP-FSU Unit Committee Member

Who’s Who in FSU