At the global UN Secretariat level
- Staff-Management Committee
The Staff-Management Committee (SMC) was established in line with Article 8 of the United Nations Staff Rules and Regulations, which stipulates: “The Secretary-General shall establish and maintain continuous contact and communication with the staff in order to ensure effective participation of the staff in identifying, examining and resolving issues relating to staff welfare, including conditions of work, general conditions of life and other human resources policies”.
The SMC is where the elected staff representatives of the UN Secretariat negotiate with the representatives of the Secretary-General any changes to the policies that rule or conditions of service. Staff and management meet face to face once a year, normally at a different duty station each year, and engages continously through working groups that meet by video-conference and other digital means.
The rules governing the functioning of SMC are established in ST/SGB/2011/6/Rev.1.
Locally in Geneva
- Joint Negotiating Committee
The Joint Negotiating Committee (JNC) – as is also the case of the Staff-Management Committee – was established in line with Article 8 of the United Nations Staff Rules and Regulations, which stipulates: “The Secretary-General shall establish and maintain continuous contact and communication with the staff in order to ensure effective participation of the staff in identifying, examining and resolving issues relating to staff welfare, including conditions of work, general conditions of life and other human resources policies”.
The JNC is the local staff-management negotiating body in Geneva which aims to be “an equitable and effective mechanism for staffmanagement relations at UNOG”. It identifîes, examines and resolves issues relating to staff welfare, including conditions of employment and of work specific to Geneva, general conditions of life and other personnel policies. Meetings of the JNC are held as required, but normally no less than every three months.
The rules which establish and govern the functioning of the JNC are contained in the UNOG-issued circular ST/IC/Geneva/2019/12.
- Various joint bodies
Special agreements between the Staff Coordinating Council and management may provide for the establishment of standing joint bodies to facilitate consultation with staff on important issues concerning staff welfare and well-being. Representatives of the staff in these bodies are elected from all staff by voluntary nominations, whilst management representatives are appointed by the Division of Administration.
Joint bodies include:
SAFI Management Board
Joint Catering Services Committee
General Service Classification Appeals Committee
Staff Benevolent Fund
Joint Committee on Health and Safety at the Workplace
Performance Management and Development System Rebuttal Panel
Executive Committee of the Staff Mutual Insurance Society
The membership of joint bodies is officially published and updated through UNOG circulars. As of July 2022, the membership of joint bodies is the follwowing:
Central Review Bodies
- Central Review Board
P-5 and D-1 levels
ST/SGB/2011/7: “2.1 Central Review Boards are established in New York, Geneva, Vienna and Nairobi to review and provide advice on the recommendations for selection of staff to the P-5 and D-1 levels in the Secretariat. (…)”
The updated membership of the Central Review Board can be found in the UNOG circular ST/IC/Geneva/2022/1.
- Central Review Committee
Professional category up to the P-4 level
ST/SGB/2011/7: “2.3 Central Review Committees are established in New York, Geneva, Vienna, Nairobi, Addis Ababa, Bangkok, Beirut and Santiago to review and provide advice on the recommendations for selection of staff in the Professional category up to the P-4 level in the Secretariat. (…)”
The updated membership of the Central Review Committee can be found in the UNOG circular ST/IC/Geneva/2022/2.
- Central Review Panel
G-5, TC-4 and S-3 levels and above
ST/SGB/2011/7: “2.5 Central Review Panels are established in New York, Geneva, Vienna, Nairobi, Addis Ababa, Bangkok, Beirut and Santiago to review and provide advice on the recommendations for selection of staff in the General Service and related categories to the G-5, TC-4 and S-3 levels and above, in the Secretariat. (…)”
The updated membership of the Central Review Panel can be found in UNOG circular ST/IC/Geneva/2020/7.