Members of the United Nations staff union stage a demonstration over austerity measures and for a greater say in how conditions of service are determined, at the UN headquarters in New York, March 19, 2018. (Xinhua/Li Muzi)
UNITED NATIONS, March 19 (Xinhua) -- Members of the staff union at UN Headquarters in New York staged a protest demonstration on Monday, rather than a threatened strike, over austerity measures and for a greater say in how conditions of service are determined.
This came on the heels of a threatened two-hour work stoppage Friday at UN Headquarters in Geneva that interrupted the Human Rights Council session and other meetings.
A UN spokesman said there was no disruption of the workday at UN Headquarters in New York.
For some 20 minutes during Monday's lunch hour, about 130 supporters of the Coordinating Committee of International Staff Unions and Associations (CCISUA) of the United Nations system strolled in the circular driveway around the fountain in the plaza in front of the Secretariat building in New York, several holding sheets of paper aloft with makeshift signs.
"No confidence in ICSC (International Civil Service Commission)" read a sign held by a protester. "ICSC stop attacking UN staff," read another while a third said, "We're not paid enough."
The ICSC is an independent 15-member expert body established by the UN General Assembly to regulate and coordinate conditions of service of UN staff.
In a letter to executive heads of UN organizations, the coordinating committee, representing three staff unions, said, "it is with regret that we announce that staff have lost confidence in the independence and technical competency of the ICSC following a series of failings."
Ian Richards, President of the CCISUA, said Monday's demonstration is part of a series of actions by UN employees taking place this week "around the world as part of a campaign to have a greater say and bring more transparency on how their conditions of service are set."
He said in a statement, "UN staff, particularly in the field, have seen a one-way deterioration in conditions of service at a time when they are being asked to serve in some of the world's most difficult and dangerous duty stations."
Richards, based in Geneva, listed grievances as "negative changes to overall compensation, particularly for staff with families" and straight pay cuts, including five percent in Geneva, 13 percent in Bangkok and 25 percent in Tokyo.
Also protested were removal of measures to help staff in peacekeeping see their families more often, which has particularly impacted the ability to deploy female staff to the deep field.
The CCISUA president said demonstrators were protesting the system where staff unions are allowed to speak to the ICSC commissioners, but they have no negotiating rights.
"While UN staff are mindful of their responsibilities and are reticent to take industrial action, seeing it only as a measure of last resort, at some point they feel they need to take a stand," he said.
