PERMANENT TECHNICAL COMMITTEE ON PROFESSIONAL SALARIES AND ALLOWANCES (PTC/PSA)
Terms of Reference
2011
I.Mandate
1.1The Permanent Technical Committee on Professional Salaries and Allowances is a sub-committee of the FICSA Standing Committee on Professional Salaries and Allowances, established with the mandate of advising the Standing Committee and the Executive Committee of FICSA on technical issues related to the salaries and allowances of staff in the Professional and higher categories.
II.Functions
2.1The main functions of the PTC/PSA are:
(i)To advise the Executive Committee and the Standing Committee on Professional Salaries and Allowances on technical issues related to the salaries and allowances of staff in the Professional and higher categories;
(ii)To develop documents and recommendations of a technical nature in support of the Federation’s action on issues related to the conditions of service of staff in the Professional and higher categories;
(iii)To propose topics for discussion or items for inclusion in the agenda and/or the workplan of the Standing Committee on Professional Salaries and Allowances;
(iv)To assist the Standing Committee on Professional Salaries and Allowances in coordinating and evaluating information received from member associations/unions on issues pertaining to the conditions of employment of staff in the Professional and higher categories;
(v)To study and analyse issues of a technical nature brought to its attention by the FICSA Executive Committee, the Standing Committee on Professional Salaries and Allowances or individual associations/unions represented by FICSA;
To recommend relevant solutions and/or course of action, as appropriate;
To propose to the Executive Committee the name(s) of participant(s) to represent FICSA at ACPAQ and any other working groups and ICSC sessions that focus on issues related to the salaries and allowances of staff in the Professional and higher categories.
To develop a roster of trainers on issues related to the salaries and allowances of staff in the Professional and higher categories; and
To participate in the development oftraining material on issues related to the salaries and allowances of staff in the Professional and higher categories.
III.Composition, membership and coordination
3.1The PTC/PSA is composed of staff members of associations/unions represented by FICSA, appointed in a technical capacity for an initial period of three years. A Member for Compensation Issues of the Executive Committee will also be a member.
3.2Members will be eligible for re-appointment.
3.3The Chairperson of the SC/PSA will assume ex-officio the functions of Coordinator of the PTC/PSA.
3.4The Chairperson will appoint, in consultation with the members of the PTC/PSA and the SC/PSA, two vice-Coordinators with portfolios for headquarters and non-headquarters issues.
3.5The vice-Coordinators will be eligible for re-appointment.
3.6Applications for membership will be open to staff associations/unions represented by FICSA, which should nominate candidates of the required level of expertise in matters related to the conditions of employment of staff in the Professional and higher categories.
3.5Applications should be addressed by the head of the respective staff association/union to the Coordinator and should contain a curriculum vitae of the proposed candidate, including a summary of his/her experience with matters related to the conditions of employment of staff in the Professional and higher categories.
3.6Members will be recommended for appointment by the Coordinator, in consultation with the Vice-Coordinators and the officers of the SC/PTC, subject to endorsement by the FICSA Executive Committee.
3.7In recommending members for appointment, the Coordinator will be guided by the following principles:
(i)The members of the Committee should possess demonstrated experience on issues related to the conditions of service of staff in the Professional and higher categories;
(ii)The Committee should ensure the widest possible coverage of matters related to both headquarters and non-headquarters locations;
(iii)As far as possible, the membership of the Committee should be equitably distributed between headquarters and non-headquarters locations, without prejudice to principles (i) and (ii) above; and
(iv)The Committee should normally be composed of no less than four and no more than ten members.
3.9The Coordinator, upon request by individual staff associations/unions, may recommend the appointment of alternate members, in consultation with the Vice-Coordinators and the officers of the SC/PSA, subject to endorsement by the FICSA Executive Committee.
3.10The PTC/PSA will assist the Standing Committee on Professional Salaries and Allowances in building up a roster of trainers.
3.11The trainers may be requested to carry out workshops organized by FICSA on matters related to the salaries and allowances of staff in the Professional and higher categories. Their assignment will be a responsibility of the FICSA Executive Committee, in consultation with the officers of the SC/PSA.
3.12The members, the alternate members and the trainers shall comply with the statutory obligations and the policy of the Federation. They shall not make personal use of any information/material developed by, or on behalf of, the Federation, unless so authorized by the Executive Committee.
IV.Methods of work
4.1The PTC/PSA will determine its own methods of work, including preparation of its agenda, establishment of ad-hoc working groups, work assignments, record-keeping and other procedures.
4.2As far as possible, information exchange, cooperation and coordination of activities should be conducted by correspondence and use of electronic communication methods. A data/knowledge base on the FICSA website will be maintained by the Committee.
V.Meetings
5.1The PTC/PSA will normally meet at least once a year, in conjunction with the FICSA Council and as possible previous to the ACPAQ/ICSC Sessions. Ad-hoc meetings may be convened if specific tasks or circumstances so require, with the endorsement of the FICSA Executive Committee and the officers of the SC/PSA.
5.2The costs for attendance to meetings of the PTC/PSA will normally be borne by the association/union to which the participant belongs, while all efforts will be made to conduct their business through tele/videoconference.
5.3 However, should funding be required for the performance of specific assignments, it should be approved through the established financial procedures of the Federation, following a specific request by the Coordinator or the Executive Committee.
5.4PTC/PSA meetings may be attended by participants other than members as proposed by individual associations/unions, subject to endorsement by the Executive Committee, and the concurrence of the Coordinator. The costs related to such participation will normally be borne by the sponsoring association/union.
5.5 The Coordinator and the Vice-Coordinators shall be responsible for the organization of the meetings of the PTC/PSA, the preparation of the relevant documentation and the organization of the tele/videoconference. In the case of presencial meetings, and in as far as possible, the venue shall be selected on the basis of invitations received from staff associations/unions represented by FICSA.
5.6The Coordinator or one of the Vice-Coordinators shall normally chair the meetings of the PTC/PSA. In their absence, the Presiding Officer will be selected from among the members present at each meeting. A rapporteur shall be also nominated at each session among the participants.
VI.Reporting
6.1The PTC/PSA shall report to the Standing Committee on Professional Salaries and Allowances and submit a yearly report of activities for transmission to the FICSA Executive Committee. The report of the PTC/PSA shall be made available to the FICSA Council. The PTC/PSA will also report on the purpose and outcome of its meetings.
6.2The Coordinator shall be responsible for keeping the Standing Committee/PSA and the Executive Committee informed of the activities of the PTC/PSA.
VII.Revision of the terms of reference
7.1Request for amendments of the TOR should be addressed to the coordinator of the PTC/PSA. If endorsed by the Standing Committee they will be transmitted to the FICSA Executive Committee for appropriate action.