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What is a Federation of United Nations Staff Associations (FUNSA).
FICSA introduced the creation of FUNSAs in 1978, as members with Observer Status in FICSA, as a part of its efforts to support and strengthen International Civil Service particularly in Country Offices and in the field.
The FUNSAs (Federation of UN Staff Associations) are local inter-organizational federations of the staff associations from all UN organizations in a particular duty station. FUNSAs mainly function as an information network in a duty station between its members, and its main interlocuter would normally be the UN Country Team or UN Operations Team in the duty station. FUNSAs represent both locally recruited staff and internationally recruited staff.
Functioning of FUNSAs.
FICSA envisioned that the FUNSA network would help strengthen staff representation in country offices, therefore strengthening the human rights of association and representation. FUNSAs can also contribute to capacity building through access to FICSA trainings and workshops; traditionally, FUNSA members who are not from FICSA Member Organizations are accorded 30% discount from training fees.
FUNSAs as affiliated members of FICSA are most effective in coordinating efforts of all United Nations system staff in a given duty station, to find common solutions to common problems. Their affiliation to FICSA provides numerous advantages, as they receive regular information and communications from FICSA on all staff matters, as well as sustained support (including training and support for salary surveys; participation in FICSA Council meetings; and legal matters relating staff rights and conditions).
FUNSAs are also invited to participate in the annual FICSA Council which brings together the full membership to identify the Federation’s policies and work programme, etc. but it is also used as a forum to learn, to exchange ideas and concerns.
It is quite common that staff representatives in the field or country offices feel isolated in facing the challenges involved in their role. It is therefore important and satisfying to federate efforts and gain strength from one another in the form of a FUNSA.
Relationship with headquarters / regional staff association/union in the Organization.
The local staff association in these country offices should continue to liaise and work closely with their regional or global staff association counterparts in the organization, and use the FUNSA platform to discuss issues of common interest in the duty station, for example Local Salary Surveys for locally recruited staff, Place to Place Survey / Housing Surveys for internationally recruited staff, security and safety conditions for all staff, and any other local problems of common interest to UN staff.
Being affiliated to membership of the headquarters staff association/union is a fundamental factor in the process of representation and protection of staff interests. In this context, to optimize action to protect their interests, staff members in country offices should undertake parallel initiatives:
Staff in Country Offices and Field Offices may encounter challenges that are different from those at headquarters, for example issues related to security and safety, abuse of authority by local management team, post adjustment and/or local salary scales in the duty station, entitlements such as danger pay, rest and recuperation leave/travel, etc. It is crucial that at the agency/organization (internal) level, each civil servant in the country offices or field offices must, if possible, be an active member of the staff association/union which exists within his/her organization's headquarters or region, and at the local level, collective mechanisms must be developed which combine all the bodies representing the staff of the United Nations organizations through the FUNSA.
How to establish a FUNSA in your duty station.
To establish a FUNSA and affiliate it to FICSA the following steps should be taken:
FICSA strongly encourages all international civil servants in field and country offices, in addition to joining their respective headquarters Staff Associations/Unions, to form a FUNSA and work most closely with FICSA in a joint common cause for the greatest achievement of collective staff rights and justice.
Frequently Asked Questions.
Unfortunately, a FUNSA is a federation of several different staff associations from different UN organizations in a duty station, and membership is not possible through one staff association only. It is recommended that staff in the duty station organize themselves in staff associations/unions, or join an existing one in their organization’s headquarters or regional office.
The formation of FUNSAs in 1978 predates the existence of CCISUA or UNISERV, and all international civil servants regardless of their headquarters staff association/union’s affiliation are encouraged to organize locally, and form a FUNSA to collectively deal with issues in the duty station, as well as having a platform to discuss with the local UN Country Team / Operations management team.
See this webpage on the various different membership categories in FICSA and its benefits.
See this webpage for the updated list and contact details for each FUNSA.
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