From: Nigel.Allen@lambada.oit.unc.edu
Subject: U.N. Staff Launches Campaign for Improved Work Conditions
Followup-To: alt.activism.d
Originator: rich@pencil.cs.missouri.edu
Organization: ?
Date: Tue, 13 Oct 1992 02:40:11 GMT

Here is a press release from the Federation of
International Civil Servants' Associations.

 U.N. Staff Launches Campaign for Improved Work Conditions; Calls
Secretary-General's Comments "Intolerable, Incorrect and Out of Line"
 To: National and Foreign Desks
 Contact: Edward J. Freeman or Thomas W. Netter of the Federation of
          International Civil Servants' Associations, 212-986-5013

   NEW YORK, Oct. 12   -- The 32,000-member federation of 
U.N. staff today announced the launching of a new campaign for
improved conditions of service and warned that failure to heed its
demands could seriously impair the work of the United Nations at a
critical time.
   In a sharply worded open letter to U.N. Secretary-General Boutros
Boutros-Ghali published in The New York Times today and slated for
publication in other major newspapers over the next week, Edward J.
Freeman, president of the Federation of International Civil Servants'
Associations (FICSA) criticized Boutros-Ghali for recent comments
regarding the work habits of U.N. staff.
   "Just when we thought it was respectable again to work for the
U.N. or one of its 20 related agencies, you, Mr. Secretary-General
declare that many staff do not work," the statement by Freeman said.
"We hope these statements were not based on gossip, hearsay and
political pressure from large donor countries, and that you can
offer some hard evidence.
   "Sadly, however, we believe you can't," Freeman's statement said.
"And that is why we consider your comment intolerable, incorrect and
out of line with what a good manager would say."
   The FICSA statement argues that remuneration and pensions of U.N.
staff have failed to keep pace with inflation or salary and pension
levels of other international employees at a time when the U.N. is
playing an increasingly resurgent role around the world.  In
addition, the statement also noted that U.N. staff are being exposed
to increasing danger and violence in many duty stations and areas of
conflict.
   "For the U.N. staff, it has been a deadly year," Freeman said.
"Violence and attacks have killed 10 U.N. staff in such scattered
areas as Afghanistan, Cambodia, Croatia, Ethiopia, Iraq, Kenya,
Lebanon, Somalia and Sudan.  Many U.N. staff have been injured in the
line of duty."
   Freeman pointed to an alarming increase in the number of U.N.
staff being killed, noting that the 10 staff killed this year
represented one third of all U.N. staff who have died in the line of
duty since 1973.  In addition, he also noted that dozens of U.N.
staff were being held without charge or due process in countries
around the world, adding that while many U.S. and Western European
hostages had been released in Lebanon, five U.N. staff were still
being held hostage there and in other countries.
   "The staff of the U.N. does work and it works hard," Freeman said.
"And under the circumstances, many risk their lives daily to better
the lives of others."
   The FICSA statement said the secretary-general's recent comment
was especially ironic, since it appeared to counter previous
statements in support of improved U.N. staff working conditions.
Boutros-Ghali had earlier referred to the U.N. staff as the
organization's primary resource, and called for improving
remuneration and pensions which have failed to keep pace with global
inflation and salaries at other international organizations.
   FICSA acknowledged that the United Nations, as virtually any other
organization with an international scope and a large staff of varying
experience and nationalities, contains some "dead wood."
   "By all means, let's get rid of the dead wood," the FICSA
statement said, adding "but more important, let's improve the
conditions of service for the staff that do work and make the U.N.
system a competitive employer again."
   FICSA argues that while criticism of some U.N. staff for failure
to work efficiently is justified, the majority of U.N. employees
should not be condemned for the actions of a few.
   U.N. staff are currently posted to 600 duty stations, often in
areas of conflict, or cities with dangerous living conditions.  In
addition their work involves health, agriculture, refugees, disaster
relief, labor, economic and social development, telecommunications,
meteorology, peaceful applications of nuclear energy, air travel,
education and culture, the environment, and other disciplines
requiring high levels of technical expertise.
   "Without this work, the world would come to a standstill," Freeman
said, adding that FICSA had considered a symbolic work stoppage of
one hour to back its position, but had abandoned the plan because of
the seriousness of the world situation, and the vital service its
employees were providing on a daily basis.
   The FICSA campaign is designed to draw support for its demands,
which are to be considered by the U.N. General Assembly in November.
These demands include:
   * Restoring the purchasing power of salaries of staff in the
professional categories by according a raise of 15 percent between
now and 1994;
   * Raising the level of pensions of professional staff;
   * Adherence to the "Flemming Principle" for determining General
Service staff salaries and rejection of recommendations that would
reduce these salaries;
   * Refusing any change in the methodology that will erode the
pensions of General Service staff.
   "We are not asking for a pay increase," Freeman said.  "Rather, we
are asking for an adjustment that merely brings our salaries and
pensions up to an acceptable level after years of neglect and
deterioration.  The U.N. staff salaries are lagging behind those of
many other organizations, both in the public and private sector.  As
a result, the U.N. is suffering a 'brain and experience' drain that
threatens its ability to function at a crucial time."
   FICSA noted that staff at the World Bank and the International
Monetary Fund, for example, can receive 40 percent more in salaries
and pensions than U.N. staff, adding that such organizations always
received funding from member states, even when assessments were
withheld or reduced for the U.N.
   "We know some member states haven't paid their assessments --
arguing that some staff don't work," the FICSA statement said.  "And
we also know some member states say economic times are hard.  But
this doesn't really cut the mustard.  The assessments being requested
are small compared to global spending on other issues.  And these
same member states always seem to find funds for the World Bank, the
IMF and the European Communities."
   FICSA urged the secretary-general to call on the General Assembly
in November to grant its demands, arguing that failure to do so would
"seriously hobble" efforts to forge a new, improved U.N.
   "How many staff -- already underpaid and under-appreciated -- may
leave the U.N., taking their experience with them, to avoid being
accused of incompetence or laziness?" the FICSA statement said.
 -30-


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