Contracts and employment security

Objective: To safeguard and promote job security and working conditions, particularly during ongoing or forthcoming negotiations with the ILO Administration, irrespective of the contractual status of staff, in order to give effect to the vision of “One ILO.” To take necessary measures to eliminate all forms of precariousness and seek to achieve greater equality and equal treatment between the different categories of staff (RB-DC, P-G, Headquarters-Field).

Promote equality of treatment between staff on technical cooperation contracts (TC staff) ¬– including PSI – (“Cooperation for Development” in the Administration’s terminology) and staff on regular budget in all current or future negotiations with the Administration, in order to make the “One ILO” vision a reality. Defend with the Administration equal rights for staff performing equivalent functions and promote equivalent salaries, in the spirit of ILO Convention No. 111 condemning all forms of discrimination between workers, presented by the case law of the tribunal (ILOAT) as a fundamental principle of the working framework for civil servants. Promote career prospects and continuity for staff on TC contracts.

Priority areas include:

1. Defending existing jobs and working conditions in the context of current and future challenges: potential budget restrictions, constant search for increasingly flexible types of contracts, continuous changes and innovations used as an excuse to reduce workforce numbers, with considering in particular:
Successful outcomes of contract negotiations focusing on three main elements:
– Maintaining social gains that are organization-specific, such as sustainable contracts,
– Aligning the contractual conditions of staff under the technical cooperation budget with those of staff financed by the regular budget, including in terms of recruitment, career development, performance recognition and access to training and their implementation.
– Promoting a contractual framework that guarantees long-term equal treatment for the organisation’s staff, whatever the source of funding.

2. Follow-up on the contract policy negotiations on the basis of the MoU signed jointly by the Administration and the Staff Union in October 2023 enabling:
– Equality of opportunity and treatment for all staff notwithstanding the source of funds
– Job security for all.

Means of action

Following the MoU signed in October 2023 with the Administration and in order to implement the alignment of contractual conditions, the TC group will merge with the contract group to support the continuation of negotiations and the concrete application of the results obtained in a strengthened and coordinated manner.

• The newly constituted contracts and employment security group will use the results of the Staff Union global survey of ILO staff on how contractual arrangements impact our lives to :

  • Inform the Staff Union position, strategy and results for the negotiation on the contract policy and participate in the negotiation team for a new contract policy.
  • Closely cooperat with all Staff Union members with different contractual situations, in order to ensure that their views and interests are fully taken into account.
  • In coordination with the legal support group, support the Staff Union’s position on the contract policy with an appropriate strategy and legal arguments.