Topics

What is it all about ? Conditions and Criteria Procedure followed Special cases Staff Union priorities

Titularization: What is it about ?

Titularization means

granting a permanent contract to an official.

“Permanent” being, in ILO/UN jargon,

without limit of time (WLT)

except reaching retirement age (pensionable age)

(which remains a legitimate ground for termination)

Advantages of titularization

Indirect protection against dismissal: Reasons for terminating a WLT contract have to be stated (“proposal for termination”), the official is entitled to appeal to the Joint Committee

-  Loans, notably with MEC: Titularized staff can get a credit for a longer time

(until retirement age) than FT staff (e.g. for buying a house)

-   Repatriation grant (internationally recruited

staff): Only titularized officials are entitled to a

repatriation grant; FT staff get a lump sum according to their length

of service

  Circular 6/452 (rev.1) of 8 April 1993 - Good conduct, satisfactory performance, seniority,

official’s capacity to pursue a career in his/her field of competence and the prospective needs of the organization

- Satisfactory service is the prevailing condition for receiving a WLT, in addition to seniority

- Priority is given by order of entry-on-duty- Officials in probationary period are excluded

Conditions and Criteria

Seniority: Striking differencesTitularization for G staff after about 12 years

and for P staff after about 7 years(quota depend upon retirement patterns)

Progress was made over the last 15 years: Equalization between HQ and Field G staff

Difference between P and G stems froma) Need to « take on board » Field staffb) Quicker retirement of P staff (demography + pension

matters) coupled with slower recruitment

THIS DIFFERENCE RESULTS FROM A PRACTICE, NOT FROM STATUTORY RULES

Procedure The exercise is a joint one, conducted by SU representatives and by HRD, sitting at parity

on an ad-hoc committee

There are two lists established, based on actual date of entry in the ILO, one for G staff (HQ and Field) and one for P staff The cut-off dates are established on the basis of number of

positions vacated through retirement, end of service, promotion to higher category

The length of the period between the cut-off dates may vary from one titularization exercise to

the next

Procedure (ctd.) The Staff Union Committee sends a broadcast indicating cut-off dates, so that

staff may contact the SUC in order to learn whether their name is on these lists

The working group then establishes the lists of staff who might be eligible for a WLT contract (some exceptions: ISSA; CINTERFOR, INST)

The Working Group analyses the opinions expressedby the directors and submits to the JNC lists of recommendations based on that analysis

The Joint Negotiating Committee then recommends to the Director General

the names of officials to be titularized

Special Cases: Branch Offices Branch offices are liaison offices established in industrialized countries. The rules for branch offices date

back from a time when staff there were in fact hired by governments and more or less paid by them

Things have changed (ILO is in most cases the direct employer) but rules remain – FOR MOST IF NOT FOR ALL

Direct request for review was sent to CABINET. Issue was raised on JNC. Strong support from EUROPE (most of BO)

Equally true for National correspondents !

Special Cases: CINTERFOR, ISSA, INST

Employment in these units is now stable and not of limited duration

However, they still have more flexibility in recruitment than “ILO core” (quotas) and do not fully rely on RB funds

Titularization is therefore possible within numbers specific to each of these units,

i.e. a WLT is granted if the previous holder of a WLT leaves

An established practice:

Approaching retirement

This approach could also be used for other types of « special cases »

For colleagues eligible for titularization

at or after reaching the age of 57,

granting FT contract for up to 5 years

instead of « blocking » a position. However, P staff should take care not to lose their rights concerning the repatriation grant.

PROTECT TITULARIZATION PROCESS FROM THE COMMON SYSTEM DISADVANTAGES

The Union agenda

EXTEND TITULARIZATION AT LEAST TO ALL COLLEAGUES IN BRANCH OFFICES PAID BY ILO

ACHIEVE EQUALITY BETWEEN G AND P STAFF

PROTECT CINTERFOR, ISSA, INSTITUTE COLLEAGUES THROUGH LONGER CONTRACT PERIODS