On 23 July 2022, I wrote in an article titled “Increasing authoritarianism threatens the Fund's sustainability” http://unpension.blogspot.com/2022/07/un-pension-fund-increasing.html that the success of CCISUA’s (Coordinating Committee for International Staff Unions and Associations) efforts in pushing back against unnecessary outsourcing and externalization of the Fund’s investments had “triggered the ire of members of the Pension Board who launched a barefaced and characteristic attempt to silence and intimidate them”.
Now CCISUA has issued a statement on its website, full text below and link here: https://www.ccisua.org/2022/08/18/statement-of-ccisua-at-the-72nd-session-of-the-un-joint-staff-pension-board/?, in which it notes an escalation of events. Facing a threat of expulsion from the board, CCISUA chose to withdraw from the recent session of the Pension Board, as it “does not believe that a culture of secrecy contributes to the effective governance of an $80 billion public pension fund…”
The statement’s confirmation of a growing culture of secrecy surrounding our Fund is disturbing on several levels. The report of an Ethics Adviser, who following a review, accused CCISUA of sharing confidential information.and when CCISUA responded that it had shared only information in the public domain, stated that “he was not required to seek [CCISUA’s] version of events and needed only to act on the facts initially provided”, should ring alarm bells!
In commending CCISUA for its principled stance regarding its constituents and the wider membership of the Pension Fund, we, active and retired UN staff, the owners of the Fund, must also face the implications of its report of further proposals to discipline and expel elected board members for “legitimately discussing or commenting on the Board’s decisions with their constituencies”, a move it rightly notes, “appears contrary to the UN’s culture of tolerance and risks undermining staff confidence in the Fund."
"Statement of CCISUA at the 72nd session of the UN Joint Staff Pension Board
Distinguished Members of the UN Joint Staff Pension Board,
27 July 2022
The Coordinating Committee of International Staff Unions and Associations represents 60,000 staff in the UN common system through 15 member unions. Among its responsibilities noted in its statutes is the requirement to “promote and safeguard the rights, interests and welfare of all staff of the United Nations System.”
For this reason, CCISUA supports a robust and effective UN Pension Fund, which for many staff provides their only form of retirement income. It has worked hard to bring staff concerns regarding their pensions to the attention of the Fund’s various supervisory instances, namely the Pension Board, to which CCISUA has been an observer, the UN Secretary-General, and the UN General Assembly.
Earlier this year CCISUA raised staff concerns regarding the outsourcing and externalisation of investment management, an issue directly under the responsibility of the Secretary-General. Those concerns were heard and acted on. We thank the Representative of the Secretary-General for Investments for his transparency and openness, both in his meetings with staff federations and directly with staff.
Yet, CCISUA is today being threatened with expulsion from the Board. Following a review, the Ethics Adviser has accused it of sharing confidential information. CCISUA pointed out, and is happy to provide evidence, that it was only sharing information already placed in the public domain during a global staff townhall by the Fund’s leadership. The Ethics Adviser replied to CCISUA that he would not change his conclusions on this matter as he was not required to seek its version of events and needed only to act on the facts initially provided.
CCISUA understands that this situation has led to further proposals that would see participants at the Pension Board, including elected members, disciplined with immediate expulsion for legitimately discussing or commenting on the Board’s decisions with their constituencies. CCISUA does not believe that a culture of secrecy contributes to the effective governance of an $80 billion public pension fund, particularly in these volatile times, nor that Board participants are able to carry out their work effectively if they must operate in fear of punishment. This appears contrary to the UN’s culture of tolerance and risks undermining staff confidence in the Fund.
CCISUA instead encourages the Fund to promote a spirit of transparency that allows Board members and observers to discuss, comment on and explain the Fund, in good
faith, with those that appointed or elected them. Scrutiny can contribute to further good decision-making.
CCISUA must now choose between staying at the Board, within the confines of secrecy that are being requested, or having the freedom to represent its staff in good faith in accordance with its statutes. It cannot now do both.
Its members have therefore chosen the second option. Following this statement, CCISUA will respectfully withdraw from the current, ongoing session of the Pension Board. In doing so, CCISUA wishes to emphasise its continuing support to the UN Pension Fund. This includes providing friendly and constructive criticism when necessary.
CCISUA hopes all the same that the Pension Board and General Assembly will ultimately decide on path of greater transparency in administering staff members’ pensions and asks the Board to reconsider its actions including policies restricting the freedom of speech of Pension Board participants and concomitant threats of expelling observers.
In friendliness and solidarity."
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