USSA Updates
A large amount of your staff association contributions go towards paying our membership to FICSA (the Federation of International Civil Servants’ Associations). The latest issue that FICSA is taking up on behalf of all of us relates to staff concerns surrounding the Pension Fund.
To follow this issue, click on the following link to our website to read the statement by FICSA to the UNJSPF (United Nations Joint Staff Pension Fund) .
Please rest assured that we are following this issue and we will share any information coming from this meeting with all staff as soon as it becomes available.
If you have any questions on this or other staff-related issues, please don’t hesitate to contact us directly.
Following several complaints from HQ staff, a letter to the Director DRM has been sent by the Staff Association to request UNAIDS to conduct a professional study of the HQ Building in Geneva
“Sick Building Syndrome” or “Building-related Illness” is not something new. It’s a modern day disease of our air tight energy efficient homes and the stagnant chemical or biological pollutant filled air that may consequently accumulate indoors.
To read the letter :
 Open Page 1 |
 Open Page 2 |
To learn more about the “Sick Building Syndrome” type “Sick Building” in googleor check one of these links :
“Sick Building Syndrome” from the US Environmental Protection Agency
The USSA Needs You !
Dear Geneva Colleagues,
There is a vacancy on the Executive Committee of the Staff Association in Geneva due to the fact that one of the Committee will be leaving UNAIDS.
Normally when such a situation arises between elections the Executive Committee can co-opt any member of the Staff Association from Geneva (in this case) onto the Committee until the next election. However we would rather not go this route in the interest of transparency and we would like to give all members of the Staff Association in Geneva the opportunity to let us know if they are interested to fill this position until the next official election. For further information on what being a Committee Member entails, please don’t hesitate to contact us or visit our website : http://www.ussa-unaids.org/
If you are interested, please contact any elected Committee Member, or reply to this email explaining what you think you could bring to the Staff Association Executive Committee. The deadline for receipt of applications is COB Monday, 10 August.
Very best wishes
Your Staff Association
This week some of our colleagues from Eastern Europe and Central Asia attended a 5 days workshop and trainings on various topics relevant to their daily work.
It was a great pleasure for the Staff Association to present its Geneva based members and engage with such a nice group. It was also a good opportunity to get feedback on issues faced by staff in the country offices, such as their right to join local UNDP staff associations.
From the USSA we all thank you for your visit and wish you the best of luck and a safe trip home ! 
The air is lighter and so is the mood, the space is bigger, the light is brighter… and we can finally breathe properly when someone comes to see us (especially the Chair!).
If you haven’t noticed yet, the USSA Office moved from one side of the corridor to the other on the 3rd floor, from the “Harry Potter closet” to a regular office. We are very excited!
We are particularly grateful to Cédric, Jean-Charles, Daniel, Susie, Johanna, the entire Executive Committee, and not forgetting Michel, for their concern and assistance.
We have checked with the two photocopiers who kindly switched offices with us and they seem very happy with their new surroundings – not traumatised at all!
Tanya and Cinzia
