Staff Union Votes No Confidence in UN Secretary-General

The growing opposition to the UN80 restructuring plan—which has faced heavy criticism from staff unions—has now reached the highest levels of the organization.

A motion adopted at an Extraordinary General Assembly meeting held on July 24 by the Staff Union Council in Geneva (UNOG) states: “The staff have no confidence in UN80, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, and Under-Secretary-General Guy Ryder” (who is leading the UN restructuring process).

Nearly 600 staff members attended the meeting (with a quorum requirement of 200), expressing serious concerns about the UN80 initiative. The motion was adopted unanimously.

When asked for comment, UN Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq told IPS: “We remain committed, as we have been from the beginning of the UN80 Initiative, to consultation with staff representatives and engagement through the procedures in place for this purpose.”

He added, “We hope that staff representatives will approach the issues before us in a similar spirit.”

Undoubtedly, he noted, “we have difficult decisions ahead of us.”

“Management and staff need to work together to mitigate the negative impacts of those decisions on our colleagues and navigate current challenges in the interest of ensuring a stronger and more effective UN,” said Haq.

According to a memo sent to staff by Laura Johnson, Executive Secretary, and Ian Richards, President of the Staff Union in Geneva, the support for the motion is based on several issues:

The lack of clear vision around UN80, which has been hurriedly developed without evaluating previous reforms.

The decision to propose a 20 percent reduction in posts for the 2026 budget without evidence that this will solve the crisis, while other organizations approve zero-growth budgets.

The reinforcement of the UN’s already top-heavy structure: most cuts are at junior levels, no Under-Secretaries-General (USGs—the third highest-ranking officials) are cut, and instructions to cut senior positions seem optional.

The Secretary-General’s decision to extend USG contracts by two years in some cases beyond his mandate, promoting his own staff, while regular staff face only one-year extensions aimed at denying them termination indemnities.

The refusal to consult staff representatives on post cuts.

The proposal to multiply headquarters locations, which will likely increase costs.

The impression that staff are being blamed for organizational challenges, possibly due to the UN’s reduced visibility in peace and security matters.

Concerns that a new Secretary-General with a different vision may implement reforms contradicting UN80.

The UNOG Staff Union plans to submit the motion, along with staff concerns, to the Secretary-General and Member States.

The memo also encourages staff to share their views through a survey run by the staff federation CCISUA, open until July 27. Staff are urged to respond under the “UN Secretariat” organization category and continue communicating directly with union representatives.

Meanwhile, under the UN80 initiative, Secretary-General Guterres appointed a dedicated internal Task Force led by Under-Secretary-General Guy Ryder to develop proposals focusing on three main areas:

Identifying efficiencies and improvements

Reviewing the implementation of Member State mandates

Conducting a strategic review of structural changes and program realignment

Guterres emphasized that these efforts go “far beyond the technical.” He said, “Budgets at the United Nations are not just numbers on a balance sheet—they are a matter of life and death for millions around the world.”

The UN’s stated key objectives include:

Increased Efficiency and Effectiveness: Streamlining operations, reducing costs, and improving delivery on mandates.

Mandate Review: Reviewing the growing number of mandates assigned by Member States.

Structural Reforms: Exploring deeper structural changes, including potential consolidation of departments and agencies.

Strategic Review: Aligning UN programs with current priorities and needs.