The Association of Professionals in FAO (AP-in-FAO) is a volunteer organization that monitors the implementation of employment-related schemes and programmes and, when necessary, engages with management to ensure equitable treatment, and respect for staff rights.
AP-in-FAO offers advice and guidance on how to deal with issues related to harassment, improper administrative decisions, career advancement (or lack thereof), retirement, rental subsidy, education benefits, mobility, and more. Support ranges from helping to resolve issues through informal mediation to assisting staff to take appeal cases to the UN's justice system. The association has lawyers with experience in FAO and UN jurisprudence on retainer. Representatives of AP-in-FAO also participate in staff/management committees dealing with medical insurance, health and safety, and food services and play an active role in the Staff Management Consultative Committee (SMCC), where they aim to influence human resources and administrative processes and minimize any potential negative impacts on staff.
The membership fee is 0.35% of net base salary, which is deducted automatically from your paycheck each month.
Complete this enrollment form and return it to AP-in-FAO, either as a scan sent to our email ([email protected]) or a hard copy delivered to our office at E-119. You can also hand the form to one of your representatives and they’ll make sure that it reaches us.
Currently, only FAO internationally recruited staff members in the professional and director categories at all locations are eligible for membership in AP-in-FAO
The Executive Secretariat is the main channel for contact with FAO management on staff welfare issues, based on the objectives of the AP-in-FAO and the priorities established by the Representative Council. The Secretariat also coordinates communications with the Union of General Service Staff (UGSS), the Federation of International Civil Servants’ Associations (FICSA), and other staff associations and organizations in the UN system.
The Executive Secretariat has 10 members:
The Executive Secretariat meets three to four times a month to discuss issues of importance to the Association.
The Executive Secretariat is elected by the Representative Council. Members of the Executive Secretariat are elected for a period of two years. They can be re-elected only once. They may run for office again after a one-year break
The President, Deputy General Secretary, Field Secretary, Information Secretary and General Member without portfolio are elected in even years, and the Vice-President, General Secretary, Deputy Field Secretary, Treasurer, Legal Affairs Secretary are elected in odd years.
AP-in-FAO Representatives are the interface between the members of the Association and the Executive Secretariat, serving as a communications channel and a deliberative body.
There are currently 34 AP-in-FAO Representatives.
The Representative Council meets every two months to communicate concerns from association members to the Executive Secretariat, to discuss what information needs to be communicated from the Executive Secretariat and the Council to the members, and to discuss issues of concern to the Association. Minutes of the Representative Council meetings are circulated to AP-in-FAO members by the Representatives.
Representatives are elected by AP-in-FAO members in their electoral groups. In Headquarters, electoral groups are based on organizational units; in the field, they are broken down by region: Africa, the Americas, Asia & Pacific, Europe &Central Asia; Near East & North Africa.
Hopefully, your Representative has already introduced themselves to you. If not, you can find their names here. Your Representative is associated with your departmental division or, if you are in the field, your region. You can also ask the AP-in-FAO office at +39 06 570 53986 or +39 06 57054037 or [email protected].
Some examples of issues the Association is currently actively engaged on include:
AP-in-FAO provides advice and support on all matters of staff welfare, including contractual issues, duties and responsibilities, performance, entitlements, separation, transfers, dependent allowance, sick leave, entitlements, disciplinary actions, etc. The Executive Secretariat may also refer members to its lawyers for legal advice, when the issues are beyond its expertise. The Association may also grant financial support to members lodging appeals with the FAO Appeals Committee or the Administrative Tribunal of the International Labour Organization in the form of advances to meet legal expenses.
The first point of reference should be your Representative, who can answer your questions and provide you with advice and support on many staff welfare issues. If needed, your Representative can refer your question to the Executive Secretariat to provide further assistance.
The Federation of International Civil Servants’ Associations (FICSA) represents the staff associations of 29 UN agencies under the UN Common System; more than 32 000 UN staff around the world. FICSA represents staff interests in the UN system on a wide range of topics, including salary scales and entitlements, pensions, security, and duty station classifications; it provides training of staff representatives and information. AP-in-FAO is an active member of FICSA.
The Union of General Service Staff (UGSS) is the only officially recognized staff representative body of the General Service staff at FAO and the World Food Programme (WFP). In addition to GS staff at Headquarters. AP-in-FAO and UGSS often collaborate on common issues through the ISCC (Inter-Staff-Consultative Committee). UGSS and AP-in-FAO attend SMCC meetings together (Staff Management Consultative Committee) and sometimes write joint bulletins and joint communications to Management. Each year the two staff representative bodies make joint statements to the FAO Council or Conference.
Our location and contact details are available in the page Contact Us.