After Vote of No Confidence, UN Staff Won't Meet Ban's Malcorra, DRC Differences

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, February 17 – In a telling sign of mismanagement, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's chief of staff Susana Malcorra can't meet with the leadership of the Staff Union unit worst impacted by ill-preparation for Hurricane Sandy.

  On a resolution of the Staff of the Publishing Section, e-mails obtained by Inner City Press reflect that Malcorra was rebuffed in a belated attempt to meet. This followed a January 24 Staff Union wide resolution expressing “no confidence” in Ban Ki-moon.

  While related to criticism of Ban's decision that 70% of $100 million in budget cuts must come from personnel costs or salary, the rift was worsened by Ban's reaction to the criticism.

  Inner City Press asked Ban about the opposition, and in the course of a lengthy and heartfelt January 22 answer, Ban used the word “selfish” for UN staff in New York. 

  The next day Inner City Press asked Ban's spokesperson's office if they wanted to amend or explain the characterization. No, they said, Ban's stands behind it.

  Days later the “no confidence” resolution was passed. Now on a resolution of the Staff of the Publishing Section, being moved from their jobs apparently permanently using water damage from Hurricane Sandy as a pretext for moves taking place before the storm, Malcorra can't even get a meeting.

  Inner City Press asked Ban's spokesman about the following leaked e-mail chain:

From: Staff Representative, Unit 5 @UNHQ
To: Susana Malcorra/NY/UNO@UNHQ
Date: 06/02/2013 02:10 PM
Subject: Resolution of the Staff of Publishing Section, DGACM

Dear Ms. Malcorra,

I will not be attending your meeting today with the 44th Staff Council staff representatives. I believe there is an obligation by the staff representatives to ensure the will of the staff is communicated. Please see the attached resolution.

And then

From: Susana Malcorra/NY/UNO
To: Staff Representative, Unit 5 @UNHQ
Date: 06/02/2013 03:01 PM
Subject: Re: Resolution of the Staff of Publishing Section, DGACM

I regret that you will not be able to make it this afternoon. I have received the Resolution and have some comments to make.

Regards,

Susana Malcorra, Chef de Cabinet
Executive Office of the Secretary-General

[attachment "PS Staff Res 02042013.doc" deleted by Susana Malcorra/NY/UNO]

   [We will have more on this deleted attachment and others.] While the spokesman responded to other parts of the question -- including explaining that he had replied in at longest two hours to a wire service where he used to work -- no response at all was given to this (mis) management issue. 

  The less than two hours response was on the Democratic Republic of Congo framework agreement, about which Inner City Press has repeatedly asked not only the Spokesperson's Office but also Malcorra herself. Like they say, no confidence. Watch this site.