ASSEMBLY SHOULD APPROVE INCREASE IN NET REMUNERATION OF PROFESSIONAL STAFF AT UNITED NATIONS, FIFTH COMMITTEE TOLD
Press Release
GA/AB/3046
ASSEMBLY SHOULD APPROVE INCREASE IN NET REMUNERATION OF PROFESSIONAL STAFF AT UNITED NATIONS, FIFTH COMMITTEE TOLD
19951122 The General Assembly should approve the 9.2 per cent increase in the net remuneration of United Nations staff in the professional and higher categories, recommended by the International Civil Service Commission (ICSC), the Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) was told this morning. The Committee was discussing the United Nations common system.The 15-member Commission, which advises the Assembly on salary and compensation issues, has recommended increases of 4.1 per cent in the base/floor salary scale and of 5.1 per cent in the post adjustment indices with effect from 1 March 1996 and 1 July 1996, respectively. (The base floor salary scale is a universally applicable salary scale for staff in the professional and higher categories and reflects the minimum net amounts received by United Nations staff members around the world. The post adjustment index is the measurement of living costs of those categories of staff in a given location compared with costs in New York at a specific date. Post adjustment is a supplement to base pay and is calculated as a percentage of net base pay.)
As one of today's two speakers, India's representative, said he sympathized with demands for salary increases despite the United Nations financial crisis. The additional cost of about $38 million in the 1996-1997 United Nations regular budget was reasonable to ensure the highest standards of efficiency, competence and integrity of staff. Performance management and productivity could be assured only if the decline in competitiveness was reversed.
Member States should take a positive approach to the issue, he said, adding that the entire discussion on the pay increase would be an academic exercise unless Member States provided the Organization with additional funds. If the United Nations was asked to pay for the increase from existing resources, "any decisions of the General Assembly will remain only on paper".
The Noblemaire principle was relevant only if it helped determine salary scales that could attract the right kind of talent, he said. The debate on whether to keep the common system remuneration tied to the United States
Fifth Committee - 2 - Press Release GA/AB/3046 30th Meeting (AM) 22 November 1995
federal civil service or to others, such as the German service, appeared unnecessary. An approach which might change the salary structure every few years to match the best paid civil service would lead to endless revisions and confusion within the system. However, the ICSC should look at other civil service salary structures periodically to ensure that the gap between the United Nations salary structure and the highest paid civil services remained within reasonable limits. (The Noblemaire principle seeks to peg the United Nations salary structure to that of the best paid civil service. The United States is used as the comparator for that purpose.)
The representative of Indonesia said he welcomed the Secretary-General's suggestion on the need to ensure that the United Nations had the human and financial resources to meet its challenges. Since its effectiveness rested on its staff, the United Nations must be able to attract and keep the best qualified staff, taking geographical distribution into account.
The Chairman of the Committee, the representative of the Netherlands and the Committee Secretary spoke on an organizational matter.
For its discussion of the common system, the Committee has before it the ICSC's annual report and the views of the Administrative Committee on Coordination (ACC), the Federation of International Civil Servants Associations (FICSA) and the Coordinating Committee for International Staff Unions and Associations of the United Nations System (CCISUA).
The ICSC advises the Assembly on salary and compensation issues, including post adjustment and pension, for professional and higher level staff as well as on General Service remuneration and conditions of service. It encompasses 14 organizations which together with the United Nations itself participate in the United Nations common system of salaries and allowances. The ACC -- composed of the Secretary-General and executive head of specialized agencies and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) -- ensures that activist of the various bodies are fully coordinated.
The Committee will meet again on a date to be announced.
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