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22 December - Personal status of LGBT staff members (Letter dated 21.12.2014 from FICSA/CCISUA/UNISERV to the Members of the Fifth Committee of UNGA)

16 December 2014 - Farewell message to Janice Albert

At its Annual Assembly, held on 10 December 2014, the AP-in-FAO recognized the extra-ordinary contribution provided by Janice Albert who will be retiring at the end of the year. Janice continuously showed a dedication to staff issues throughout her career with FAO, serving in various capacities over the years as a staff representative, member of the APS Executive Committee, and providing service on several committees and working groups representing staff concerns. In 2003 she received the APS Meritorious Service Award for her contributions.

She was also dedicated to FICSA, serving as its General Secretary and Treasurer in 2002 and as Member for Compensation Issues in 2011, as well as on various FICSA committees and working groups. She attended nearly every FICSA Council since 1999.

Janice’s contributions and advice have always been highly appreciated within FAO, within FICSA, and with our interlocutors. In challenging moments, she has always been ready to step forward with a strong sense of duty and commitment. During the delicate moments of the merger of the two professional staff associations in FAO (APS and FSA), she served as Interim General Secretary. And more recently, when no other candidate came forward to lead AP-in-FAO, Janice took up the task in her final months before retirement.

With a very high level of respect and appreciation, we wish Janice well in retirement and in her future endeavors.

28 November 2014 - General Assembly of the WMO Staff Association (Thursday, 20 November 2014)

FICSA was invited to attend the WMO AGM. 

As the FICSA General Secretary was in New York attending the meeting of the ICSC Working Group 1.4, Evelyn Kortum represented the Federation at the AGM.  She gave a 15-minute presentation on the work of FICSA and the different fora its members participate in.  Her particular focus was on the compensation package elements currently under scrutiny.  She also explained some of the major changes that were proposed by the ICSC.  She mentioned that FICSA kept an eye on many of the issues as well as the alternative proposals where FICSA also contributed to the discussions.  Lastly, she mentioned that, although the ICSC claimed to be an independent body, FICSA had doubts at times that this was truly the case and that the President had also written a letter to the ICSC Chair on that matter.

Evelyn was introduced by Federico, one of the FICSA focal persons at WMO, as well as the Chair.  Other presentations were provided by the Staff Counsellor, in particular on issues of burnout, and by the member of the Pension Board. 

The issue of the dismissal of the WIPO Staff Association President was also discussed.  Since the issue of the WIPO President came up in the discussion, Evelyn provided some further facts. Many were not aware that he had experienced summary dismissal and what that meant.  Evelyn mentioned that the UN Human Rights Council wrote a strong letter and that the DG was now under formal investigation.