REPORT ON THE ACTIVITIES OF THE STAFF COMMITTEE
DURING MARCH AND APRIL
This is a report on the
activities of the Staff Committee during the ten meetings between March 1
and April 26, 2007, as well as on related topics. It is presented by the
Committee’s President and its members: Rene Gutierrez, Magaly Rothe, Gabriel
Gross, Patricia Quiroz, Enrique Vidal, Lina Sevillano, Luis Batlle, Bruce
Rickerson and Miguel Angel Merino with the assistance of Corina Alvarez, the
Association’s Administrator.
Several
themes dominated the work of the committee during the period. The
escalating concerns of numerous staff members regarding issues that were
often related to insecure feelings about their current and future status
demanded that the Committee seek ways that are respectful, convincing, and
effective in bringing staff concerns to the attention of management.
Likewise, the Committee sought to act in unity to promote constructive
information flow with the administration.
The following is a
partial list of substantive matters acted upon by the Committee during this
period.
1.
Listening to the Concerns of Staff Members:
The Committee listened to many of its members regarding
specific concerns as well as those regarding the perceived mood within the
Organization or specific areas. Because it is essential to protect the
confidentiality of these persons, it is impossible to enumerate these
concerns. It is important to note that the Committee, acting in unison,
undertook a number of initiatives regarding individual difficulties.
One theme that regularly
repeated itself is that the loss of institutional memory in the Department
of Human Resources in a very short time has had a very significant effect on
the judicious and fair application of decisions by OAS political bodies, the
Staff Rules, the General Standards and related decisions. The Committee is
primarily concerned with the impact of this situation on individuals and
groups of employees, but the preservation of the application of the rule of
law, an objective personnel system that is fair to all and predictable, is
most important to the Organization. In this sense, attempts by the members
of the Committee to represent specific and general substantive concerns are
not only correct, but they also may protect the Organization as well.
2.
Discussing Personnel Decisions and Procedures:
The way that Human Resources makes decisions as well as the
decisions themselves was of special concern to the Committee during March
and April. An informal series of unstructured conversations was offered as
a way to exchange views. However, members of the Association continue to
express substantive concerns in a number of areas.
In a number of venues,
the members of the Staff Committee urged the administration to keep in mind
the decisions of OAS political bodies to adhere to a personnel system that
is based on that of the United Nations. This matter goes far beyond
compensation, although competitive, fair rates of compensation are always
important. The Committee’s concern also goes to the preservation of UN
standards in the writing of job descriptions and the evaluation of
employees. On every possible occasion, Committee members emphasized that
this is not optional. If necessary, the services of highly experienced and
qualified persons in the United Nations personnel system will have to be
contracted in order to preserve the will of the political bodies.
In addition, the
Committee continued to assert that policy and related decisions benefit from
including appointees of the Staff Committee from start to finish in any
consideration. Fundamental changes in personnel and other policy benefit
when the staff have a real sense of ownership and substantive participation
protects those who work here as well as the administration. Sincere
collegiality has benefits to individuals and groups of employees as well as
to the OAS as whole/
3.
Decision by Administration to Move Staff Association Offices:
During this period, the Committee received verbal indications
that the administration intended to relocate its offices. Initially, the
Committee had to fight to remain in the GSB, noting that the Secretary
General himself decided to have offices there in order to be closer to the
staff and to many of the units of the OAS. The Secretary General assured
the Committee that he would undertake to make available suitable alternate
space in the GSB. The result was the eventual move of the Committee offices
from the third to the sixth floor. In this smaller space, the Committee
intends to continue to provide its wide range of services, including giving
all of us the opportunity to make purchases from its Gift Shop and
strengthening the Committee by providing additional income as well as
publicizing visibly the OAS.
4.
Briefing by Budget and Finance Professional:
Considerable concern was expressed, especially by General
Service employees, when Personnel Circular 08/07 seemed not to communicate
the rationale for the proposal or how the decisions were made.
To this end, the
Committee invited the cadres to discuss this issue and any others of concern
to them. Both listened to a detailed, professional explanation of the GS
decisions from Mr. Sergio Pino of the Department of the Department of Budget
and Financial Services. The procedure is very complex and the OAS makes its
decisions based on somewhat different baselines than, for example, the
Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO) or the UN. Mr. Pino assured the
Committee and the cadres that the system was just and that it maintained the
philosophy of “no gain, no loss,” particularly when it relates to the
calculations.
Because of the complexity
of this system, it is probably unwise to attempt to describe them in this
kind of summary. However, the OAS has experts, such as Mr. Pino and others,
with a wealth of detailed knowledge of these matters. They have
demonstrated their willingness to address this matter of concern and to
provide useful information.
5.
Briefings by Other Experts:
The Committee also received the enlightened views of other
persons with deep knowledge of the OAS system. Among the matters discussed
were contracts for results (CPRs), OAS regulations requiring competitions
for vacant posts, rules requiring fairness in the setting of beginning
salaries of persons coming to the OAS, and many related matters. The
Secretary General may decide that exceptions to rules may be appropriate.
However, the Committee believes that the rule of law and fairness should
apply to all cases.
The Secretary General
repeated his commitment of competitions for all vacant posts during a
meeting with members of the Staff Committee. The Staff Committee is
convinced of his commitment, but also asserted that vacant positions should
be advertised and filled by competitions. It also notes that current OAS
personnel should be given the opportunity to compete for these positions as
a special priority in view of their knowledge and experience within the
Organization.
Other issues were also
discussed with experts. In addition to discussions with senior
administration representatives, the Committee believes that it is essential
to listen and learn from all.
6.
Parking Fund and Parking Policies:
A vacancy occurred on the Joint Advisory Committee on
Employee Parking and Committee member Luis Batlle accepted an appointment to
the vacancy. He reports that the financial condition of the parking fund
appears to be very healthy, but that there are indications that the parking
fees will be increased. He also reported that five percent of the parking
spaces may be assigned by the Director of the Department of General
Services. The Committee urged Mr. Batlle to learn on what basis those
positions are assigned, especially in view of the long waiting periods that
are required to be considered for this important benefit (which is standard
in other international organizations in Washington. It would appear that
the rule permitting immediate parking only for persons at and above the
level of Director may not be applied in all cases. The continuing value of
balancing the need to provide parking fairly was emphasized by the members
of the Staff Committee.
7.
Meeting of Committee Members with Secretary General Insulza:
As reported elsewhere, Committee members met with the
Secretary General to discuss pertinent issues of concern.
8.
Staff Awards Ceremony:
The Staff Awards ceremony was held during the period to
recognize those who have achieved milestones in their careers at the OAS and
to award the Terry Woods prize given by the Staff Association for consistent
excellence. It was awarded to Ms. Linda Poole, a career employee in the
Office of Conferences and Meetings. Although Ms. Poole was in Panama,
planning for the General Assembly, she sent a written acceptance statement,
which was read by the 2006 winner, Ms. Anna Chisman of CICAD.
The statement is so
important that it is reproduced here, “The rule of law and due process are
the cornerstones of any system regulating relations between staff and the
employer organization. Our staff representatives who are elected to
articulate the concerns and interests of all their colleagues as well as to
promote and protect staff rights, must always ensure respect for these
fundamental principles as bulwarks against the consequences of unfettered
exceptions and privileged treatment for a few. During my entire time here, I
have seen the role of the Staff Association evolve and strengthen in many
positive ways and have had the opportunity to play a role in that process.
Terry Woods and those who have received the award before me set a very high
standard to meet and it is--for me--a signal honor to have been proposed and
selected to receive this recognition.”
In Spanish, “El
estado de derecho y el debido proceso son las piedras angulares de todo
sistema que regule la relación laboral entre el personal y el empleador. Los
representantes del personal, quienes son elegidos para expresar las
preocupaciones e intereses de sus colegas, así como para promover y proteger
los derechos de los funcionarios, deben siempre garantizar el respeto de
estos principios fundamentales como salvaguardia contra las consecuencias de
las ilimitadas excepciones y el trato privilegiado que algunos reciben.
Durante todo el tiempo que he estado aquí, he visto cómo las funciones de la
Asociación de Personal han ido evolucionando y fortaleciéndose de muchas
maneras positivas y he tenido la oportunidad de desempeñar un papel en ese
proceso. Terry Woods y todos los que han recibido este premio antes que yo
lograron un alto nivel de excelencia, y es para mí un honor que se me haya
propuesto y seleccionado para recibir este reconocimiento.”
The Staff Association and
the Staff Committee were extremely surprised when the Rowe Award was not
given. This extremely important award, which has always been given in
recognition of lengthy service to the OAS of deep dedication and high
quality, was not given in 2007. In a statement that clearly misunderstands
the importance and nature of this award, the administration unilaterally
announced that it was delayed because of the alleged need to reflect the new
employee evaluation system. Such a position trivializes the award by
associating it with transitory evaluations of employees solely by their
supervisors. It might be possible to institute a new award for this
purpose, but failing to adhere to the historic participatory process and
focusing on immediate instead of the long-term contributions to the
Organization must, in the opinion of the Staff Committee, be rectified.
9.
Petition from Staff Members:
Responding to the wishes of significant numbers of members,
the Staff Committee convened a Special Staff Assembly on April 18, 2007.
Forty staff members requested this action, and asked for the opportunity to
have a space to discuss their serious concerns on several matters.
Consistent with the goals of the members of the Committee, the Assembly was
another attempt to place these concerns before the administration with the
purpose of initiating a respectful, fully interactive process that would
recognize the value of treating the staff as full partners.
The Assembly was well
attended and several staff members spoke compellingly about their
experiences and perceptions. When it was alleged that any perceptions were
caused by the rapid changes in the OAS, it was mentioned that change, per
se, is not the problem, but rather the gap between the rhetoric of
transparency and participatory decision making and actions.
It was announced during
the Assembly that the Staff Committee would hold two seminars to consider
the whistle blowing policy of the OAS and important issues regarding the
rights of employees. Ms. Poole’s statement was read during the meeting to
emphasize again the importance of fair, consistent, objective policies and
actions in the context of the rule of law.
10.
Congratulations to the Secretary General and the Administration for
Financial Strengthening Efforts:
The Committee is well-aware of the Herculean efforts of the
Secretary General and senior administration officials to change the
financial course of the Organization of American States to prevent it from
dying of starvation and, conversely, to allow the Organization to function
in a more effective and focused manner as the premier political body in the
hemisphere. The Committee sincerely appreciates these efforts and realizes
that, with the committed leadership of the Secretary General, catastrophic
results can be avoided for the Organization and all staff members.
The significance of the
dedicated work of Ambassador Frank Almaguer, Assistant Secretary for
Administration and Finance, and for the team that he leads, cannot be
overemphasized in this regard.
11.
Continuing Contract Process:
The process to consider candidates for the Continuing
Contract, a system to provide more security to employees after the ending of
the Career Service, began during the period. The Department of Human
Resources assured the staff that the process would be completed, and the
winners announced, by April 30, 2007.
Members of the Staff
Committee are participating fully in the review and consideration part of
the Continuing Contract process.
12.
Vacancy for Attorney to Represent Staff Interests:
During the period, the lawyer under contract with the
Committee to represent staff interests, as needed, resigned. The Vice
President of the Committee is heading the effort to recommend alternatives.
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Numerous
other matters were acted upon by the Committee during this period, usually
with unanimity. The items above are summaries of some of the major
actions. In the interest of time and space, the list above is the shortest
possible.
The Committee
notes that a question from the floor during the Staff Assembly referred to
the previous existence of an Ethics Committee at the OAS and raised the
matter of an objective Ombudsman for possible future consideration and
action.